The Best of Jimmy Reed

by

Jimmy Reed

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This 1987 compilation from GNP Crescendo pulls together a double-set vinyl album which, even when released way back when, did not nearly correspond to the title.

From 1955 to 1963 with Vee-Jay Records Jimmy Reed put 18 selections onto the Billboard R&B charts, eight of which crossed over to the Billboard Pop Hot 100, and added another four which made the Hot 100 only. In 1966 he had one more R&B entry with the Exodus label. Here you get exactly 10 of those and just two of their B-sides. Which means eight tracks do not fit into the category of "best" no matter how you define it.

His first hit was You Don't Have To Go which, billed to Jimmy Reed And His Trio, went to # 5 R&B in May 1955 b/w Boogie In The Dark [both included here]. Later that year I Don't Go For That rose to # 12 R&B b/w She Don't Want Me No More, but both are omitted.

Ain't That Lovin' You Baby? became his third hit in the spring of 1956, peaking at # 3 R&B, and while that's included, the flipside - Baby, Don't Say That No More - is not. Nor are both sides to his next two hits: Can't Stand To See You Go [# 10 R&B b/w Rockin' With Reed in June 1956] and I Love You Baby [# 13 R&B in September 1956 b/w My First Plea]. And only the A-side to the late 1956 entry is here - You've Got Me Dizzy [# 3 R&B], omitting Honey, Don't Let Me Go.

Of his four 1957 hits, just one is included - Honest I Do which hit the # 4 R&B slot in November and became his best Hot 100 crossover, reaching # 32. The B-side - Signals Of Love - is excluded, as are both sides to the double-sided hit Little Rain [# 7 R&B] and Honey, Where You Going? [# 10 R&B] in April 1957, and The Sun Is Shining which actually was his first Hot 100 crossover, reaching # 65 in June [and # 12 R&B]. It's B-side, Baby What's On Your Mind is also omitted.

1958 produced two hits, the first being Down In Virginia [track 7] which just made the Hot 100 at # 93 in August b/w I Know It's A Sin [both sides shut out on the R&B charts], and I'm Gonna Get My Baby [# 5 R&B] b/w Odds And Ends. The latter hit is not here nor are both B-sides. Only one hit ensued in 1959, I Told You Baby [# 19 R&B in January b/w Ends And Odds] but both are excluded.

In 1960/61 he really hit his stride, commercially speaking, with no less than six hit singles, beginning with my Jimmie Reed favourite Baby What You Want Me To Do [track 11]. Covered by everyone from Etta James to Elvis Presley, it went to # 10 R&B/# 37 Hot 100 in the spring of 1960 b/w Caress Me Baby [not here]. A couple of months later Found Love [track 9] peaked at # 16 R&B/# 88 Hot 100 b/w Where Can You Be? [not here], while in November Hush Hush reached # 18 R&B/# 75 Hot 100 b/w Goin' By The River which became a Hot 100 "bubble under" at # 104. Neither side is included.

Also missing is the hit side of his first 1961 release - Close Together [# 12 R&B/# 68 Hot 100] - whereas they include the uncharted B-side Laughin' At The Blues. Big Boss Man, another covered by Elvis, is here, however, and this reached # 13 R&B/# 78 Hot 100 in June b/w I'm A Love You [not here]. Bright Lights, Big City [track 15] - later a Country smash for Sonny James - hit # 3 R&B/#58 Hot 100 in October 1961 b/w I'm Mr. Luck [omitted].

His last three Vee-Jay hits, coming in 1962/63, were inexplicably shut out on the R&B charts. Aw Shucks Hush Your Mouth [track 16] topped out at # 93 Hot 100 in February 1962 b/w Baby, What's Wrong [track 19], Good Lover rose to # 77 Hot 100 in July b/w Tell Me You Love Me [both excluded], while Shame, Shame, Shame [track 18] topped out at # 52 Hot 100 in May 1963 b/w There'll Be A Day [not here].

His final charter, in June 1966 for Exodus, was Knockin' At Your Door which made it to # 39 R&B b/w Dedication To Sonny. Neither is included here.

That's an awful lot of missing material for an 18-track album advertising itself as his "best of", and while I admired Jimmy as much as the next person, I simply cannot assign 4 or 5 stars based upon his name alone. The contents simply have to fit the label - and this one misses the mark badly. Also, the sound quality is only adequate as befitting an early CD [later Jimmy Reed compilations offer much better sound], and while the one page of liner notes written originally for the vinyl album by Leonard Feather are informative, you'll need a magnifying glass to read them. There is no discography.

Mathis Jimmy Reed, singer/harmonica player/guitarist - in addition to writing most of his material - suffered all his life from epileptic seizures, and on August 29, 1976 died as the result of one at the age of 50. You have to think he had plenty more to offer. In 1980 there were 20 initial inductees into the new Blues Hall Of Fame. Jimmy Reed was one of then, and in 1991 he was also so honoured by the R&R Hall of Fame.