20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Bill Haley & His Comets

by Bill Haley & His Comets, Bill Haley

Overview

Like any record company worth their salt, MCA knows a good gimmick when they see it, and when the millennium came around...well, the 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection wasn't too far behind. Supposedly, the millennium is a momentous occasion, but it's hard to feel that way when it's used as another excuse to turn out a budget-line series. But apart from the presumptuous title, 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection turns out to be a very good budget-line series. True, it's impossible for any of these brief collections to be definitive, but they're nevertheless solid samplers that don't feature a bad song in the bunch. For example, take Bill Haley's 20th Century volume -- it's an irresistible 12-song summary of his Decca/MCA years. There may be a couple of noteworthy songs missing, but many of his best-known songs for the label are here, including "Rock Around the Clock," "Shake, Rattle & Roll," "Thirteen Women," "Dim, Dim the Lights," "The Saints Rock n' Roll," "Burn that Candle," and "See You Later, Alligator." Serious fans will want something more extensive, but this is an excellent introduction for neophytes and a great sampler for casual fans, considering its length and price. That doesn't erase the ridiculousness of the series' title, but the silliness is excusable when the music and the collections are good. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	04/20/1999
Label:	Mca
UPC:	0008811195724
Rank:	172206

Tracks

1. (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock
2. Shake, Rattle & Roll
3. Thirteen Women (And Only One Man In Town)
4. Dim, Dim the Lights (I Want Some Atmosphere)
5. Rudy's Rock
6. Razzle Dazzle
7. The Saints Rock & Roll
8. Skinny Minnie
9. R-O-C-K
10. Burn That Candle
11. Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie
12. See You Later, Alligator

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Bill Haley & His Comets   Primary Artist
Bill Haley   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Andy McKaie   Compilation Producer,Producer
Erick Labson   Remastering,Digital Remastering
Charles E. Calhoun   Composer
Ruth Keefer   Composer
Julius Edward Dixon   Composer
Dickie Thompson   Composer
Max Freedman   Composer
Milt Gabler   Composer
Winfield Scott   Composer
Beverly Ross   Composer
Catherine C. Williamson   Composer
Rusty Keefer   Composer
Robert Guidry   Composer
Vartan   Art Direction
Jimmy DeKnight   Composer
Mike Fink   Design
Scott Winfield   Composer
James J. Kreigsmann   Back Cover
MCA-Decca Files   Photography
Julian Dixon   Composer
Dicky Thompson   Composer
MCA   Cover Photo
Rudy Pompilli   Composer
Frank Collection Driggs   Photography
Bill Haley   Composer
Beverly "Ruby" Ross   Composer
Catherine Cafra   Composer