The Best of the Tymes 1963-1964

The Tymes had one of the smoothest sounds of any sixties vocal group. You could tell they had sung together for a long time because they had a perfect vocal blend, the kind that seems effortless but is really the result of lots of practice. I'm sure you could request just about any standard song from them and they could probably improvise an arrangement for it on the spot. From Philadelphia, they had been around in one form or another as the Latineers since 1956, but it was when George Williams joined the group in 1960 that they became the group we know. He had a mellow voice often compared to Johnny Mathis, though not as high and without the fogginess of Johnny's voice. He usually sang the leads with the group harmonizing behind him.Like so many early sixties artists they were discovered in a talent contest by someone who took them to local Philly label Cameo-Parkway, which immediately signed them. Cameo was a major indie with performers like Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker and The Orlons and had enough clout to get a record noticed. Everything fell right into place for them. George had come up with his own song called As We Stroll Along which Cameo songwriter-producers Billy Jackson and Roy Stugis, assigned to the group, worked on, adding things like seagulls and waves and a wordless female vocal. Keeping the vocals front and center and the accompaniment small, they found the group, now renamed The Tymes, with the number one song in the country in early August, 1963. They were number one for only one week when the next week they were knocked out of the top position by some new twelve year old kid called Little Stevie Wonder with his own first hit, Fingertips (part 2).So Much In Love became an all time classic still heard today, as fresh sounding as it ever did. It's a song that always brings a smile to my face; it's like pure, distilled happiness. Even the album, which unusually had spoken words between tracks that told a love story from Alone to Autumn Leaves, went Top Twenty, a rare thing for a top 40 group in those days. The group successfully followed it with their version of Johnny Mathis' first hit, Wonderful Wonderful (1957), a song made for George's voice. They didn't have much chart action after Somewhere, which peaked at number 19. I think they would have if So Much In Love had happened in '61 instead of '63. Everything changed in 1964, and I don't mean just The British Invasion, which was a kind of catalyst. The R&B scene changed too with the bigger beat dance sound of Motown which reigned supreme from 1964 to '67. The time of smooth, mellow acts was over too soon for The Tymes.But the group was really good and all of the tracks here, which do include their lesser charting singles, are beautifully done in their style. You can tell they played nice clubs. It's that kind of sound, smooth and polished. The arrangements stay basically in the mood established by their hits, though Here She Comes has almost a Motown feeling to it and The Magic of Our Summer Love has an arrangement that recalls Ruby & the Romantics. They do Johnny Mathis' Chances Are, making it a little jazzy after the first chorus and a relaxed, cocktail lounge take on One Little Kiss. Several of the songs are melodies of classical composers with words put to them, a popular thing to do since the 40's: Come With Me To the Sea (Tchaikovsky-Symphony #5), Stranger In Paradise (Borodin-Polovtsian Dances), Somewhere (Mozart-Piano Sonata 16) and The Lamp Is Low (Ravel-Pavane For a Dead Princess). The CD is a totally fine from beginning to end.There was more to the Tymes' story, of course. They had a major comeback in the mid 70's with a new sound starting with You Little Trustmaker, which went to #12 nationally. I remember saying to myself, "That couldn't be the old Tymes, could it?" But it was and they had a couple more hits after that. But those were done on RCA and aren't on this CD which is only their Cameo-Parkway recordings. But that was their main period and has the sound that is most associated with them. It's a very worthwhile disc to have.

Based on what little I had heard of this Philadelphia based soul group I was really expecting great things from this 2005 ABKCO release "The Best of The Tymes". I assumed that a lot of hidden gems had been stashed away in the Cameo-Parkway vaults for all these years. After all, the Tymes had burst onto the scene in 1963 with the smash #1 tune "So Much In Love". They followed that one with a couple of other pretty impressive records namely "Wonderful, Wonderful" and 1964's "Somewhere". It looked for all the world that the Tymes would be a mainstay on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart for many years to come. But after sampling "The Best of the Tymes" it is quite apparent to me why The Tymes star faded so quickly in the mid-1960's. The material simply wasn't that good.The simple fact of the matter is that there are an awful lot of very forgettable tunes on "The Best of The Tymes". It is certainly not a disc I would ever be inclined to play again from end to end. I want my money back! Other than the previously mentioned Top 20 hits there is precious little to recommend here. I did enjoy a tune called "Hello Young Lovers" and the groups take on the Four Aces hit "Stranger in Paradise" was OK. However, I thought the arrangements on familiar tunes like "To Each His Own", "And That Reminds Me" and "Goodnight My Love" were pretty weak. The Tymes were a very talented group that deserved better.When Cameo-Parkway ceased operations along about 1966 The Tymes moved on to Columbia where they scored a minor hit with a cover of Barbra Streisand's "People". That was a terriifc record. In the mid 1970's the group re-emerged on RCA and scored with the #1 tune "You Little Trustmaker". I loved all the songs I had ever heard by The Tymes. And that is why I am so disappointed in "The Best of The Tymes". My advice to you would be to save your money. This is a disc that was certainly not worth the wait. Not recommended.

This very talented and versatile group of gentlemen were an absolute smash in their heyday. These selections prove that point to a fault. The vocals, the arrangements, and the production techniques are gorgeous and so listenable. If you like to take music with you to the beach on a trip with that special someone, this is your CD!!! The Tymes combine beautiful vocals delivered flawlessly to a wonderful backdrop of melody and production. These songs work well in every way. This collection is a must have for all collectors of American pop, soul, and rock. Fabulous!!!!

Exceeded my expectations ions

This albums track 2 and 3 were on my first 45, given to me by disabled nam vet in 1973 along with a portable record player. It was the music of my mothers youth and a true representation of the romanitic beauty of that times musical genre.

I just love the tymes.... Great singing and great songs . Everyone should have this cd to play with the lights down low and your love in your arms....

My dad was very happy. This just took a lot longer then expected for delivery. He purchased the actual CD

Another great cd of music to bring back memories of a long gone music genre, a softer side of american music.

Another Hit Act From The Wonderful CAMEO / PARKWAY Records.Led By The Late George Williams ( Died 2004 ) The Group Was Originally Named As The Latineers Around 1956...( Before Williams Joined The Group )In 1962, The Group Performed At A Talaent Show Hosted By Philadelphia Radio Station WDAS.The Sang " Danny Boy " And One Of The Judges ( Leroy Lovett ) Was So Impressed That He Contacted Billy Jackson Who Worked For The Hottest Labels In Town - CAMEO / PARKWAY ( Owned By Kal Mann And Bernie Lowe )" The Guys Came Down To CAMEO / PARKWAY And Auditioned Live, And Were Signed Right Then And There "Recorded In April 1963, " So Much In Love " It Took Nearly Two Months To Climb To A National Number One **( ** When The Original Slower Version Was Ready For Release, The Boys Heard The Smash " Our Day Will Come "As By Ruby And The Romantics.It Was Then Decided To Re-Cut The Track Of " So Much In Love " And This Is The One That Was Released To Radio Stations And The Public - The " Original " Tape Has Been Reported As ' Lost ' )Next Out The Gate Was Another Hit: " Wondeful Wonderful ! " Also From 1963 Hitting Nimber 7.( This Version By The Tymes Out-Sold The " Original " As By Johnny Mathis First Recorded In 1957 )Their Third Outing " Somewhere " Completed The 1963 Run Of Hits For The Group ( In At Number 19 )Three More Charters In 1964: " To Each His Own " - " The Magic Of Summer Love " And " Here She Comes "By 1965, Like So Many Great American Acts, The " British Invasion " Kept The Tymes From Going Much Further." By Mutual Agreement " The Tymes Left CAMEO / PARKWAY And Were " Quiet For Awhile "" They ( CAMEO ) Had One More Hit ( " 96 Tears " As By ? & The Mysterians ) And Then Bernie Lowe Sold Out To Some Businessmen From Texas, Who Didn't Know Anything About The ( Record ) Business "Later, The Labels Were Sold To Allen Klein Who Notoriously " Sat On " The Back-Catalog For Years ...The Group Signed With COLUMBIA In 1968 And Managed A Top-40 Hit With " People "By 1974, And Still With Billy Jackson, The Tymes Signed With RCA And Hit With " You Little Trustmaker " Which Hit A Respectable Number 12 Nationally.But The Tymes Were Far From Finished: Though Not A Big Hit In The USA, Their " Ms. Grace " Went All The Way To Number One Over In England !In 1976, The Group Managed A Number 3 ( R&B Charts ) With " It's Cool "With Three Original Group-Members, The Tymes Still Perform Today.....Dick Clark:" To Be Frank, When We Moved ( American Bandstand ) Out Here ( Los Angeles / Burbank ) A Lot Of The Acts That Used To Make Several Appearances A Year In Philadelphia, Just Couldn't Do It Out Here Like It Once Was "The Hollywood Phantom:" The Great Philadelphia Labels Sort Of Fell Like Dominoes After Dick Clark Moved Bandstand "" By 1965, CHANCELLOR, And SWAN, And By 1967, CAMEO / PARKWAY Were No More "" The City Would Thrive Again Thanks To Kenny Gamble And Leon Huff And Philadelphia International Records And Sigma Sound Along With Other Imprints Such As PHILLY-GROOVE And PHI-LA-Of-SOUL "" I Remember A Story About Bernie Lowe "" There Was A Philadelphia D.J. By The Name Of Hy Lit ( WIBG ) And He Also Managed 1950s Hit-Maker Lee Andrews( And The Hearts ) Lit Went To Bernie Lowe's Office And Said He Would Give Lowe $10,000 Cash To Erase The Tymes Vocals From The Track, And Replace It With Lee Andrews Doing The Vocalss "" A Guy By The Name Of Billy Jackson Protested At The Idea, And Bernie Lowe Listened To Him And Released The Track ( " So Much In Love " ) By The Tymes, Not Lee Andrews..... ( Whew ! )Let's Not Forget, In The Space Of AYear And A Half, CAMEO / PARKWAY Released Three Lps By The Tymes., When Most Groups From The Period Normally Managed One Lp ( If At All )A Great CD With Some Memorable Tunes Presented Once Again. ( One Of Their Vinyl LPs Was One Of The Very First " Concept " Albums With Narration From Track To Track )

This is a fantastic collection featuring 22 tracks recorded by the Tymes over 1963 & 64 while signed with the famous Cameo Parkway label based in Philadelphia. The studio with eventually become the base for Gamble & Huff's Philly International label in the early 70s. Here we have that early sweet Philly sound. Fantastic harmonies great songs and great production arrangements and sound quality. Any 60s soul fan should own a copy.

CD playlist is totally different to the MP3 playlist, and the one track I really wanted "People", was not on the CD, so I downloaded the track from the MP3 list, and it wasn't the original recording..... 0 out of 10 for these products.

The Tymes sounds unique and some of these songs including latter Ms Grace enduring joyful listening

I have a few albums from this wonderful band and this is a welcome addition. Some brilliant tracks on this collection and if you like 60's music this fits the bill nicely.