The Drifters Album: “Greatest Hits [Hollywood]”

This CD is probably my worst purchase yet. For starters, the backround vocalists can sing much better then the lead singer, who sounds like he has a golf ball stuck down his throat. Bad re-recordings of hit songs

All songs on this CD are rerecorded and sound nothing like the originals. I was able to tell within the first couple of seconds of the first song that something was not right. Avoid.

First of all let me say that I am a huge fan of The Drifters. I place them up there with Creedence Clearwater Revival as one of my all-time favorite bands. I absolutely love their music. Unfortunately, it seems that finding the correct CD by them is quite a challenge.

I discovered this CD on clearance at a local store. My first reaction: stunned to actually find a Drifters CD because I never come across them. My second reaction: I don't care how much it is, I'm getting it. My third reaction (due to a negative experience in the past when I bought a Drifters CD that also had the wrong lead singer): I should check to see who the lead is...One thing about this CD is that it doesn't list any names at all. Yes, you have your song titles, but, unlike other CDs that name the group and who the lead vocalist is, etc. this one does not have that. When the case is opened, what is inside, namely the cover, is exactly the same as what's on the back (a song list). I thought this was very odd, but it was obvious, though the item was used and on clearance, that nothing was missing.

No one tops Ben King in his addition to the band. No one sings like he does, and anyone else trying to tackle the songs (as happens in this CD) is an effort that is overshadowed by his superior vocals. Ben King is not the lead singer on this CD, and the songs do not sound as they should. I knew right away, the moment the music started, that the songs were wrong. They're not as smooth and the chorus and background are different in the way that they sound. This isn't a horrible CD; but the thing is that I hate it. I feel misled by the fact that no one was listed (which prompted my purchase), and I hate the way the songs sound. This isn't the way I remember the songs, and this is what the group sounded like without Ben King. And, in my opinion, there really is no group without him. The only thing correct about this CD are the lyrics, and that's not saying much.

If you're looking for a CD by The Drifters (the right CD), and you think Ben King did it best, let me advise you to not purchase this CD. Look for a CD of The Drifters with Ben E. King listed as the lead vocalist, or, if all else fails, look for a Ben E. King CD (even if it doesn't say The Drifters, the songs will be what you're looking for). In the area where I live, CDs by this particular band are very difficult to find, and this is the second time I've been disappointed when searching for music by this group.

I thought this CD was great. It brought back memories of the good old doo wap days. The lead singer, Rick Sheppard has a smooth voice and captures the sound of the Drifters. I highly recommend it for all ages.