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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas were one of several Liverpool groups to achieve a measure of pop success in the early sixties. Like the Beatles, they were managed by Brian Epstein. The Dakotas really wanted to be an instrumental group, following the example of the Shadows in Britain and the Ventures in America. It was agreed that they would get to record their own music (included on this compilation) in return for backing Billy J Kramer. The lead guitarist of the Dakotas is the brother of Elkie Brooks, a singer who failed to make it in the sixties but eventually achieved success in the late seventies with Pearl's a singer and some other great songs. To be honest, the Dakotas' musicianship was better than Billy's singing, which was good but not great. However, it doesn't really matter - the songs and the music compensate for any limitation in the vocal department.
The first single by Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas was Do you want to know a secret, a song that the Beatles had already included on their debut album, Please please me. It made number two in the British charts. Next came two more Lennon-McCartney songs, Bad to me, which topped the UK chart, and I'll keep you satisfied, which made number four. Perhaps the best song they ever did was Little children, an American song that gave them their second and last British number one. This was recorded in preference to another Lennon-McCartney song (title unknown to me) that Brian Epstein and George Martin wanted to go with. However, they returned to the Lennon-McCartney songbook for From a window, which just made the UK top ten. After that there was only one more significant hit, a cover of the Bacharach-David classic, Trains and boats and planes, which didn't quite make the UK top ten - it peaked at twelve. It's gonna last forever and Neon city both failed to chart.
Without Billy J Kramer, the Dakotas had a minor UK hit with The cruel sea (titled The cruel surf in America). Two other singles, Magic carpet and Oyeh, missed the charts. One of the B-sides, My girl Josephine, features vocals from one of the Dakotas and is included here.
This collection includes all the hits and misses, several B-sides and album tracks and a few recordings from Billy's comeback attempts (without the Dakotas) in the seventies and eighties.
While not by any means the most essential Merseybeat group, they are worth a listen if you are into this kind of music. But go for Gerry and the pacemakers first if you haven't already got some of their music.
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Yes it wasn't just Decca who dropped a clanger-sometimes the artists did as well and Billy J Kramer did just that when Paul McCartney played him a dub of his new song Yesterday. In hindsight though it depends how he heard it-certainly nor the way it turned out.
However he took a risk by favoring the American song Little Children but it turned out his biggest hit!
Having established himself with a batch of Lennon/McCartney songs it was obvious he'd score well in the States where he would have been seen as High School Pop similar to Gary Lewis & the Playboys whose first hit This Diamond Ring had been modelled on Kramer's Bad to me.
The first group Kramer had appeared with were strangely known as the Coasters-not a name they could have kept for long as the real Coasters were not only a big influence on Liverpool groups but still active.He was paired up by Brian Epstein with a Manchester group called the Dakotas-still in the business with lineup changes along the way.
Kramer is a big enough name to have sustained a career when the hits ran out later in the 60s and plays revival circuits.
Never noted fo a strong voice and never a writer he made some interesting covers such as Dee Dee Warwick's We're doing fine and was taken to the States by Brian Epstein before the Beatles
However he took a risk by favoring the American song Little Children but it turned out his biggest hit!
Having established himself with a batch of Lennon/McCartney songs it was obvious he'd score well in the States where he would have been seen as High School Pop similar to Gary Lewis & the Playboys whose first hit This Diamond Ring had been modelled on Kramer's Bad to me.
The first group Kramer had appeared with were strangely known as the Coasters-not a name they could have kept for long as the real Coasters were not only a big influence on Liverpool groups but still active.He was paired up by Brian Epstein with a Manchester group called the Dakotas-still in the business with lineup changes along the way.
Kramer is a big enough name to have sustained a career when the hits ran out later in the 60s and plays revival circuits.
Never noted fo a strong voice and never a writer he made some interesting covers such as Dee Dee Warwick's We're doing fine and was taken to the States by Brian Epstein before the Beatles
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
"Bad to Me" was the first single that I bought, so I remember it well and the rendering on this CD is as true to the orignal as any CD track can be. I was surprise just how close this CD is in sound quality to the original vinyl pressing.
You won't be disappointed with the album - it is worth buying, even if you've never been a fan of Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas. I can't recommend it enough....
Martin
You won't be disappointed with the album - it is worth buying, even if you've never been a fan of Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas. I can't recommend it enough....
Martin
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great
Takes me back to when you could understand what they were singing and the song made sense and told a story
Published 5 months ago by George R. Richardson
best of billy j kramer
the best of billy j kramer is great got all his best songs on .if u like 60s music u will love thisThe Very Best of Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas
Published 16 months ago by pam
It's Gotta Last Forever
I originally got into Billy J Kramer (And The Dakotas) because I knew that Lennon & McCartney had written some songs for them. I am also a massive fan of Merseybeat music. Read more
Published on 6 May 2009 by Guitar Heroine
Satisfied
I wasn't expecting too much from this CD. BJK had a pleasing voice, if limited, as his attempt to reach the higher notes at the end of 'Bad To Me' suggest. Read more
Published on 6 Nov 2008 by D. J. H. Thorn
Sixties Merseybeat group
Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas were one of several Liverpool groups to achieve a measure of pop success in the early sixties. Like the Beatles, they were managed by Brian Epstein. Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2003 by Peter Durward Harris
A Merseybeat singer with Lennon & McCartney songs to sing
When we talk about the British Invasion and the music of Merseybeat, then Billy J. Kramer (nee Billy Ashton) occupied the spot at the sedate end of the spectrum. Read more
Published on 28 Dec 2002
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