Bill Haley & His Comets
The Warner Brothers Years and More . . .

Described by one leading internet music supplier as a "6 CD extravaganza" this new release is a Haley fans dream come true. This luxury box set features no less than 158 songs covering the period 1960 to 1969 from the original Kings of Rock.

After their phenomenal success with Decca in the 50's Bill and the Comets signed for the fledgling Warners label. Here they cut a couple of albums and a handful of singles. Unfortunately none of which made much impression on the North American record buyer of the early sixties. However there is no disputing the quality of musicianship and innovative ideas the band brought to the recording studio at this time.

Following the successful 5 CD set "The Decca Years and More" Bear Family have painstakingly sifted through the archives of not only Warners' but a number of lesser known US labels the band found themselves working for in the 1960's.

And what gems they have unearthed including some 30 previously un-released songs. Evident on the first CD of this new set is Bills yearning to return to his first love - country & western music. Warners indulged him by allowing him to tape a complete album of country tunes. And he acquits himself extremely well on titles such as "Candy Kisses", "The Wild Side Of Life" and "This Is The Thanks I Get".  Each of these songs is sung with sincerity and warmth and provides a refreshing alternative to his more well known rock and roll persona. Inevitably there had to be some re-makes of his greatest hits but the band came up with  intriguing new arrangements of "Rock Around The Clock" and "Shake Rattle & Roll". Bill was obviously trying really hard to conquer the hit parade of the early 60's and his single release of "Chick Safari" possesses all the hallmarks of a hit record. "Let The Good Times Roll Creole" yet another Warners "45"  remains one of the bands most dynamic performances.

With their lack of chart success Haley and The Comets left Warners and then began their roller coaster ride through a number of smaller US record labels. Culminating in their joining Richard Naders Rock and Roll revival shows in the late 60's. At this time they were signed to the Buddah label for whom they taped three shows at the "Bitter End" nightclub in New York. These were edited down into one album and issued as "Bill Haleys Scrapbook". All three shows are included in their entirety for the first time on this new set.

Suffice to say had the choice title for this set been left up to me I would have made one small alteration, because this is Bill Haley at his very best and features his "Warner Brothers Years and Much More!"

Track Listing:
CD 1:
1. Happy Homer 2.Candy Kisses 3.Tamiami (instrumental) 4.I Almost Lost My Mind
5.Love Letters Letters In The Sand 6.Blueberry Hill 7.Kansas City 8.Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
9.Rock Around The Clock 10.Stagger Lee 11.Blue Suede Shoes 12.Hot To Trot (instrumental)
13.I'm In Love Again 14.My Special Angel 15.Crazy Man, Crazy 16.Shake, Rattle And Roll
17.Bouquet Of Roses 18.This Is The Thanks I Get (For Loving You) 19.I Don't Hurt Anymore
20.Anytime 21.Singing The Blues 22.Cold, Cold Heart 23.Detour 24.Afraid
25.One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart 26.No Letter Today 27.The Wild Side Of Life
28.There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder

CD 2:
1. Hawk 2.Chick Safari 3.So Right Tonight 4.Let The Good Times Roll, Creole 5.Jack In The Box
6.Pistol Packin' Mama 7.Honky Tonk (instrumental) 8.Flip, Flop And Fly 9.Spanish Twist
10.My Kind Of Woman 11.Riviera (instrumental) 12.War Paint (instrumental) 13.See You Later, Alligator
14.A.B.C. Boogie 15.Panic (instrumental) 16.I've Got News For Hugh (instrumental) 17.Don't Mess Around
18.The Wobble 19.This Is Goodbye, Goodbye 20.Train Of Sin 21.Altar Of Love 22.Helena (instrumental)
23.Yakety Sax (featuring Boots Randolph) 24.Mish-Mash 25.Let The Girls Sing

CD 3:
1.Stop, Look And Listen 2.Burn That Candle 3.Dim, Dim The Lights 4.There's A New Moon Over My Shoulder
5.Pepito (instrumental) 6.Haley A Go Go (instrumental) 7.Tongue-Tied Tony 8.Jealous Heart 9.Rock On Baby
10.That's How I Got To Memphis 11.Ain't Love Funny 12.Jingle Bell Rock 13.Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
14.Flip, Flop And Fly 15.What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry 16.Tenor Man 17.Tandy 18.Caroline's Pony (instrumental)
19.Dance Around The Clock 20.Up Goes My Love 21.White Parrakeet / Travelin' West (instrumental)
22.Midnight In Washington (instrumental) 23.You Call Everybody Darling 24.One Phone Call (instrumental)
25.You're Too Much (instrumental) 26.Little Meanie Jeannie (instrumental) 27.Cottonfields 28.Tally Ho Rock (instrumental)
29.Double Mint Rock And Twist (instrumental)

CD 4:
1.Shake, Rattle And Roll 2.Dance Around The Clock 3.Rip It Up 4.Night Train (instrumental) 5.Guitar Boogie (instrumental) 6.Razzle Dazzle 7.You Are My Sunshine 8.Rock A Beatin' Boogie 9.Skinny Minnie 10.Johnny B. Goode 11.Kansas City 12.Rock Around The Clock 13.When The Saints Go Marching In 14.Rudy's Rock (instrumental) 15.Rock The Joint
16.Fingers On Fire (instrumental) 17.See You Later Alligator 18.Wipe Out (instrumental) 19.There Goes My Everything
20.Alabama Bound 21.Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On 22.Rock Around The Clock

CD 5:
1.Shake, Rattle And Roll 2.Honky Tonk (instrumental) 3.Dance Around The Clock 4.Hey Momma 5.Almost Persuaded
6.Yakety Sax (instrumental) 7.Framed 8.Next Time 9.Crazy Man Crazy 10.See You Later Alligator
11.Lullaby Of Birdland (instrumental) 12.Twist Marie 13.One-Two-Three Twist 14.Down By The Riverside Twist
15.Queen Of The Twisters 16.Caravan Twist (instrumental) 17.I Want A Little Girl 18.Whistlin'and Walkin' (instrumental)
19.Florida Twist (instrumental) 20.Eight More Miles To Louisville 21.Rip It Up

CD 6: THE OUTTAKES:
1.Happy Homer (take 1) 2.Love Letters Letters In The Sand (take 1) 3.Hot To Trot (take 9) 4.Hot To Trot (Overdub take1) 5.Hot To Trot (Overdub take 5) 6.Anytime (take 1) 7.Singing The Blues (take 1) 8.Detour (take 2)
9.One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart (take 1) 10.No Letter Today (take 1) 11.Hawk (take 2)
12.Chick Safari (take 1) 13.Chick Safari (take 4) 14.Chick Safari (take 6) 15.Chick Safari (take 7) 16.Chick Safari (take 9)
17.So Right Tonight (take 1) 18.So Right Tonight (take 5) 19.Let The Good Times Roll, Creole (take 1)
20.Tenor Man (take 1) 21.Tenor Man (take 2) 22.Tenor Man (take 3) 23.Tenor Man (take 4)
24.Dance Around The Clock 25.Midnight In Washington (instrumental) (take 1) 26.Midnight In Washington (inst.) (take1)
27.Tandy 28.You're Too Much (take 2) 29.One Phone Call 30.Way Down In The Bottom Of My Heart 31.Trouble In Mind
32.Caldonia (take 1) - 33.Caldonia (take 2)

Bill Haley: "The Warner Brothers Years And More" - Bear Family Records Cat no:WWBCD6157

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