Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic

Discoveries of a Pop Music Archaeologist

’20 Solid Gold Hits’: 19 Studio Tracks + 1 Live One

I was about to write that the Crystal Corporation (based out of “Nashville-New York”) was a Ronco/K-Tel predecessor who put out a fairly decent repackaging of hits in 1969 entitled, 20 Solid Gold Hits:

Other offerings from Crystal

20 Solid Gold Hits!

But then I noticed that the Peter Max-inspired album design was done by Ely Besalel — the same guy who did the rainbow-and-doves-coming-out-of-a-big-detergent-box cover for Ronco’s Do It Now.  Could there be a connection?  I’m not sure if that mystery will ever be solved.

Anyway, there are a few decent tunes on this hits mix amidst the usual suspects:

  • Johnny Nash, ably supported by Lyn Taitt & the Jets, with #5 rocksteady hit, “Hold Me Tight

  • Bee Gees‘ great single, “To Love Somebody” – originally written at the request of their manager, Robert Stigwood, for Otis Redding who, alas, never had a chance to record it.

Interestingly, this album also includes a live track:  a rousing version of Dionne Warwicke‘s big 1964 hit, “Walk On By” — check out how appreciative this audience is:

Walk on By – Dionne Warwicke

[Pssst:  Click on triangle above to hear a live performance of “Walk On By” by Dionne Warwick]

Is this the same live performance?

*

LINK to 20 Heavy Hits

If For No Other Reason, The Cover

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