Search - Various Artists :: Have a Nice Day 8

More Hits than Misses

Steve Vrana | 06/28/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Like some other volumes of this series, filler tracks compete with hits, and considering the title of the collection, one expects more than such non-hits as "In a Broken Dream" by Python Lee Jackson and other barely-qualifying tunes like "Run Run Run" by Jo Jo Gunne. To add insult to injury, an awfully edited version of the classic rocker "Hold Your Head Up" by Argent is included--the complete version would have been welcome. But better songs make this CD more worthwhile, and all are in their original versions."

+ 1/2 stars...One of the Series' Stronger Efforts

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 02/27/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"With vol. 8 in Rhino's Have a Nice Day Series and its look at the music scene of the Seventies, we finally move on to 1972, when each of these twelve songs was originally released. As usual, there are a number of one-hit wonders (seven if you count Python Lee Jackson's "In a Broken Dream" which failed to crack the Top 40--it's inclusion is no doubt due to the fact that Rod Stewart does the lead vocal). Only two other songs stalled in the bottom half of the Top 40: Jo Jo Gunne's "Run Run Run" and the Addrisi Brothers' "We've Got to Get It On." [Trivia alert: Jo Jo Gunne was fronted by Spirit guitarist Jay Ferguson, and Don and Dick Addrisi penned the Association hit "Never My Love."]The rest of the tracks were Top 20 hits and all but two hit the Top 10. Four of these were million-sellers: "Nice To Be With You," "How Do You Do?" (hey, who said bubblegum pop didn't carry over into the Seventies?), the tear-jerking "Alone Again (Naturally)," and "Candy Man," a No. 1 song taken from "Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory."One of my favorites is former Zombies frontman Rod Argent's "Hold Your Head Up." It would be their only Top 40 hit, but it impressed me enough to buy their album, ALL TOGETHER NOW. Commander Cody's cover of "Hot Rod Lincoln" outcharted both Sixties' versions. And "Sylvia's Mother" began a long association between Dr. Hook and author/songwriter Shel Silverstein (who also wrote "On the Cover of the Rolling Stone). Track for track, this is one of the stronger efforts in this series."

Three stars may be a bit generous. . .

John A. Kuczma | Marietta, GA USA | 07/06/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Volume 8 of the "Have a Nice Day" series is one of the weaker discs in the set. There are some solid offerings here, such as Argent's "Hold Your Head Up" and Dr Hook's "Sylvia's Mother." The strength of this volume, if you can call it that, is in softer MOR pop cuts like Gallery's "Nice to be With You", Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again, Naturally" and the Addrisi Brothers often overlooked "We've Got to Get It On Again."If you said "Who, What?" to that last title, you know what's wrong here. Volume 8 simply has too many near-misses and complete misses to be considered a major force in this generally very good series. If you can only afford a limited number of volumes, skip this one."