Search - Various Artists :: Cruisin 1962

Takes You Right Back...

D. Davis | Southern CA | 06/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I think "Cruisin' 1962" is the best of the Cruisin' series: songs and product ads, from the radio, just as they were in 1962, as heard on KLIF 1190 AM in Dallas. I play it frequently at social gatherings--in particular, the 4th of July and at swim parties and cocktail parties--and it always, always elicits inquiries and positive responses. The collection of songs is great and perhaps one of the greatest doo-wop style songs, "What's Your Name?" by Don & Juan, is the high-light of this set. The radio ads are fun, and listeners from "back in the day" remember many of the products, ironically enough, fondly: for example, "My mom smoked L & M cigarettes" (remember cigarette ads on TV and radio?). One ad, in particular, always stuns me and leaves me breathless...for the new and upcoming 1963 Chryslers; the radio announcement is a little cryptic and startling, in hind-sight, as this Dallas Chrysler lot is located "out by Love Field," which, as we know, would be the site of John Kennedy's disembarking from Air Force One in Dallas on November 22, 1963, the date of his assassination in Dealey Plaza. What we now can see (or hear, rather) as historical tidbits provide a deeper political and social context and interesting counterpoints to this seemingly frivolous collection of pop music: For example, we hear "Solider Boy" from The Shirelles, just as the Viet Nam War is beginning to escalate. But this music takes us to, let's say, summer 1962; we spent the day at the pool, and tonight, the circus is in town, or maybe we'll go see Marilyn Monroe in "The Misfits," and the summer will be seemingly endless. The very next year, the world will change, and America will see violence in the streets of Dallas and, as Sam Cooke will tell us, "A change is gonna come." But for now, our love is sealed with a kiss and we can Wah-tusi and Twist the night away. See you in September...dd"

Crusin' again

David L. Kelso | Renton, WA USA | 10/19/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After being temporarily unvailable, the Crusin' series seems to be back again, with the same clever cover art and hopefully with the same entertaining and exhuberant back cover notes. Unfortunately, it is two song short of its original edition (The Peppermint Twist and The Locomotion), however, still there is what made this particular record great, Russ "Weird Beard" Knight, probably the best of the bunch. Whatever may be lacking in Musical content is easily made up for with his amazing talent."