• Artist: Del Shannon
• Flags: Compilation (best of)
• Type: Compilation
• Rating:
• Styles: Pop, Teen Idol, Rock & Roll

Review

As with other See for Miles EP Collection releases, the Del Shannon volume offers its share of surprises and special pleasures amid the familiar, along with generally excellent sound. From 1961 through 1967, Shannon released more than a dozen EPs, primarily in England and France -- these were the main alternatives to his singles releases in those countries, distilling down his hit singles and most solid LP cuts. The first, in addition to "Runaway" and "Hats off to Larry," offered a surprise in the form of Shannon's pre-Elvis Presley recording of Mort Shuman and Doc Pomus' "His Latest Flame" (aka "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame"). The latter, for the record, is sung with lots of passion by Shannon, and Max Crook's musitron is worked in effectively enough, but there's no question that Elvis' version is the better recording. Also present is Shannon's own "Lies" -- it and "His Latest Flame" both went onto Shannon's 1961 debut LP, Runaway With Del Shannon. Scattered throughout, amid familiar fare such as "So Long Baby," "Do You Wanna Dance," "The Swiss Maid," and "Ginny in the Mirror," are renditions of Roy Orbison's "Dream Baby" and Dion's "Runaround Sue," and oddities like "She Remembers Tony," from the tail-end of his history at Amy Records. Drawn from 11 of Shannon's EPs issued on London, Stateside, Barclay, and EMI-Columbia, the 28 songs are all present in state-of-the-art digital audio, with stereo mixes in the majority -- the latter is generally a virtue, with the rhythm instruments given a surprising degree of punch, though one wishes that a little more care had been taken in capturing Shannon's vocal and the bass part on "His Latest Flame." ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Runaway		Del Shannon, Max Crook	Del Shannon	(2:20)
Hat's Off to Larry	...	Del Shannon	Del Shannon	(2:02)
His Latest Flame		Mort Shuman, Doc Pomus	Del Shannon	(2:21)
Lies		Del Shannon	Del Shannon	(2:37)
So Long Baby		Del Shannon	Del Shannon	(2:02)
Don't Gild the Lily, Lily		Billy Meshel, Arthur Altman	Del Shannon	(2:17)
Jody		Del Shannon, Max Crook	Del Shannon	(2:24)
Hey Little Girl		Del Shannon	Del Shannon	(2:32)
Cry Myself to Sleep		Del Shannon	Del Shannon	(2:20)
Dream Baby		Cindy Walker	Del Shannon	(2:32)
The Swiss Maid		Roger Miller	Del Shannon	(2:07)
I'm Gonna Move On		Del Shannon	Del Shannon	(2:46)
Ginny in the Mirror		Mort Shuman, Doc Pomus	Del Shannon	(2:11)
Little Town Flirt		Del Shannon, Maron McKenzie	Del Shannon	(2:49)
Kelly		Del Shannon, Maron McKenzie	Del Shannon	(2:36)
From Me to You		John Lennon, Paul McCartney	Del Shannon	(1:56)
Two Kinds of Teardrops	...	Del Shannon, Maron McKenzie	Del Shannon	(2:30)
Hey Baby		Bruce Channel, Margaret Cobb	Del Shannon	(2:25)
Runaround Sue		Ernie Maresca, Dion DiMucci	Del Shannon	(2:37)
Do You Want to Dance?	...	Bobby Freeman	Del Shannon	(2:11)
Mary Jane		Del Shannon, Maron McKenzie	Del Shannon	(2:25)
Handy Man		Otis Blackwell, Jimmy "Handyman" Jones	Del Shannon	(2:13)
Break Up	...	Del Shannon	Del Shannon	(2:19)
Why Don't You Tell Him		Del Shannon	Del Shannon	(2:08)
Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow the Sun)		Del Shannon	Del Shannon	(2:12)
She Still Remembers Tony	...		Del Shannon	(2:30)
Move It on Over	...	Hank Williams	Del Shannon	(2:51)
Stranger in Town		Del Shannon	Del Shannon	(2:28)

Credits

Del Shannon (Main Performer), Joost Visser (Compilation)