The Complete Red Bird Recordings

The Dixie Cups - The Complete Red Bird Recordings

The Complete Red Bird Recordings
List Price: $13.98
Our Price: $9.60
You Save: $4.38 (31%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $7.99 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Listen soundtracks from this album



(Click here)
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store

Music CD Cover

Artist: The Dixie Cups
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2002-08-13
Music Label: Varese Sarabande

Free Music Notes for The Complete Red Bird Recordings

Free Music Review: One-of-a-kind girl-group recordings
Hit: 5 Stars

The Dixie Cups, despite their fairly standard 3-girl line-up, hold a number of distinctions in the girl-group era. Their Southern, New Orleans, origin gave their musical style a jazzy edge (magnified by the horn charts often included in their backing arrangements) not heard in the New York bred groups. Further, their timing gave them access to the songs of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich precisely at the time they'd broken free of Phil Spector's production (though they continued to write with him) to work for Leiber & Stoller's Red Bird Records. The confluence of talent created some of the most unique sides in girl-group history.

Leading off this package is the group's debut, Red Bird's debut, and the first #1 hit for both, "Chapel of Love." Having penned this song with Spector, Barry & Greenwich were eager to give it another try. Unissued takes by The Ronettes and Darlene Love had found the song unsuccessfully matched up to Spector's Wall of Sound. Red Bird peeled away the layered backing to focus on the innocent harmonies of the Dixie Cups. Though probably lost on AM listeners of the era, this was a beautifully produced stereo recording that reveals terrific subtleties on CD.

The group's New Orleans roots show up with a vengeance on "All Grown Up." Previously waxed by The Crystals, The Dixie Cups version has a rhythm and piano line reminiscent of Fats Domino, and a horn chart that has the Crescent City written all over it. Similarly, "Iko Iko," with its rhythm-and-bass backing is perhaps one of the era's most unusual top-20 singles. An alternate "a capella" version of "Iko Iko" closes the disc, featuring only the Dixie Cups and the rhythm track. What's really surprising is how little this latter version misses the bass accompaniment of the hit single.

Other treats on this collection include "Gee the Moon is Shining Bright" with its soulful horns and touches of celeste, "Another Boy Like Mine," originally recorded by Barry & Greenwich as The Raindrops, and two versions of the summertime romance, "People Say." The innocence of the latter -- both song and singers -- is incredible.

Varese's collection gathers all of the group's official sides for Red Bird, adding a pair of alternate versions, a mono single mix of "Gee the Moon is Shining Bright," and the rare, "Wrong Direction," previously available only on an import collection. The latter two tracks, plus newly penned liner notes, make this the best Dixie Cups compilation available, besting Collectables' 1999 issue. The remastered sound is tremendous, with surprisingly rich true stereo on most tracks.

After recording these sides, the Dixie Cups' manager abruptly moved them to ABC, where their New Orleans edge was quickly dropped in favor of straight-ahead pop. Their collaboration with Barry & Greenwich ended at the same time, and their recording career folded shortly thereafter. Luckily these superb sides were captured at the group's prime.

Blues Music CDs

Music Genres
Top music charts in Blues Music CDs
Southern String Bands ImageSouthern String Bands
Release date: 1997-05-07; Music CD
Price in other shops: $9.98
Texas Blues ImageLightnin Hopkins - Texas Blues
Release date: 1993-11-30; Music CD
Price in other shops: $9.98
15 Regional Mexican Music Classics Image15 Regional Mexican Music Classics
Release date: 1997-02-25; Music CD
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops: $7.98
Love's Been Rough on Me ImageEtta James - Love's Been Rough on Me
Release date: 1997-04-29; Music CD
Best price: $8.97
Price in other shops: $10.98
Mystery Lady ImageEtta James - Mystery Lady
Release date: 1994-03-15; Music CD
Best price: $14.02
Dancing the Blues ImageTaj Mahal - Dancing the Blues
Release date: 1993-09-28; Music CD
Best price: $9.72
Price in other shops: $11.98
Moments to Remember [VHS] ImageBill Gaither & Gloria - Moments to Remember [VHS]
Chordant; Release date: 1996-09-03; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $3.55
Price in other shops: $29.98
Sing Your Blues Away [VHS] ImageSing Your Blues Away [VHS]
Chordant Distribution; Release date: 1996-09-03; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $6.18
Price in other shops: $29.98
Rhythm Country & Blues [VHS] ImageRhythm Country & Blues [VHS]
Mca; Release date: 1994-03-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: $19.98
Smoking Gun ImageRobert Cray - Smoking Gun
Published: 1988; Music CD
Top Rated Albums
My Boyfriend's Back ImageAngels - My Boyfriend's Back
Release date: 1991-09-19; Music CD
Best price: $11.88
Price in other shops: $12.97
The Shirelles - 25 All-Time Greatest Hits ImageShirelles - The Shirelles - 25 All-Time Greatest Hits
SHIRELLES; Release date: 1999-07-27; Music CD
Best price: $11.79
Price in other shops: $17.98
The Vogues - Greatest Hits ImageVogues - The Vogues - Greatest Hits
VOGUES; Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops: $9.98
Rhythm of the Rain ImageCascades - Rhythm of the Rain
CASCADES; Release date: 2004-08-31; Music CD
Best price: $11.88
Price in other shops: $12.97
Very Best of Chad & Jeremy ImageChad & Jeremy - Very Best of Chad & Jeremy
CHAD & JEREMY; Release date: 2000-03-07; Music CD
Best price: $9.27
Price in other shops: $13.98
Wall of Sound: The Very Best of Phil Spector 61-66 ImagePhil Spector - Wall of Sound: The Very Best of Phil Spector 61-66
Release date: 2011-02-22; Music CD
Best price: $5.52
Price in other shops: $9.99
The Sound of Love: The Very Best of Darlene Love ImageDarlene Love - The Sound of Love: The Very Best of Darlene Love
Release date: 2011-02-22; Music CD
Best price: $6.31
Price in other shops: $9.98
One Fine Day ImageChiffons - One Fine Day
Release date: 1994-03-14; Music CD
Best price: $5.44
Price in other shops: $12.98
Da Doo Ron Ron: The Very Best of The Crystals ImageThe Crystals - Da Doo Ron Ron: The Very Best of The Crystals
Release date: 2011-02-22; Music CD
Best price: $5.48
Price in other shops: $9.98
Be My Baby: The Very Best of The Ronettes ImageThe Ronettes - Be My Baby: The Very Best of The Ronettes
Release date: 2011-02-22; Music CD
Best price: $5.55
Price in other shops: $9.98
Compare prices and find music notes for more than one million Music CD titles