The Epic Masters
Encyclopedia
The Epic Masters is a box set compilation
comprising ten remastered albums by Shakin' Stevens
. Released on 16 November 2009, the set contains nine albums originally released by Epic Records
between 1980 and 1990, plus an exclusive CD
of 12"
extended mixes. The set was also made available as a download through iTunes
.
and Give Me Your Heart Tonight) had made the top 3 of the UK charts during 1981 and 1982 and, as a result, his 1983 release The Bop Won't Stop was one of the earliest of Epic's albums to be transferred to the CD format. However, despite producing three Top 5 hit singles, the album itself stalled at number 21 in the charts. In response to this relative failure, Epic ignored Shaky's next two album releases (one of which was his Greatest Hits album).
By the time of Stevens' next release - 1987's Let's Boogie - compact disc had become the dominant music format and, indeed, all of Stevens' subsequent studio albums were released on CD. However, the rise of the CD happened to coincide with a decline in the Welsh rocker's popularity and, apart from a few hits compilations and a very limited release of This Ole House in the early 90s, many of Shaky's most popular recordings were to be denied a digital release for many years.
In 2003, Epic's parent company Sony BMG released a compromise three CD box set entitled Hits And More which contained most of the hits plus various selected album tracks. However, a resurgence in Stevens' popularity which began with him winning the 2005 ITV
show Hit Me Baby One More Time
resulted in the hits album The Collection reaching number 4 in the UK album charts. With Shaky's appearance at the 2008 Glastonbury Festival
helping to confirm his popularity among those old enough to remember him the first time around, Sony finally relented and authorised, for the first time, the release of all of Shakin' Stevens' original albums on compact disc.
Marketed as a 30th anniversary celebration of Shaky's first hit single "Hot Dog", The Epic Masters contains 147 digitally remastered tracks (apparently overseen by Stevens himself) spread across ten compact discs. The set includes all of the albums Stevens recorded for Epic with the exception of the Merry Christmas Everyone album (which had already been available on a remastered CD since 2005) and represents the first appearance on compact disc in their entirety of the albums Take One!, Shaky
, Give Me Your Heart Tonight and Lipstick, Powder And Paint. Each album is boosted by the addition of non-album b-sides and are housed in slip cases which reproduce the original vinyl releases. The package is completed by a bonus CD of selected 12" mixes plus a fully annotated booklet.
Apart from the Merry Christmas Everyone album, The Epic Masters contains virtually everything Shakin' Stevens released on Epic. Among the few omissions are the original single versions of "Hot Dog", "Blue Christmas
" and the number one hit "Merry Christmas Everyone
" (all previously available on several compilations). Also missing are most of the live recordings available on the B-sides of various singles. Of the extended mixes not included on The 12" CD, the most glaring omission would be the "Megamixofhits" compilation included on the "Teardrops" 12" which formed the basis of the "Hits Keep Coming" live medley from Let's Boogie. Finally, the digital remasters retained the noticeably different mixes of the number one hits "This Ole House
", "Green Door
" and "Oh Julie
" which were included on the 2005 compilation The Collection.
, the album contained a host of experienced session men, including lead guitarist Albert Lee
, pianist Geraint Watkins
, steel guitarist B.J. Cole and bassist and arranger Stuart Colman
. In April 1982 the album was re-released under the new title of Hot Dog with "That's All Right" and "Ah, Poor Little Baby" being replaced by "You And I Were Meant To Be" and "Make It Right Tonight" respectively. The Epic Masters CD also contains Stevens' first three non-album singles recorded for Epic in 1978 and 1979. This was the first release on CD of the Take One! album.
Bonus Tracks
Disc 2
" single and Stevens was rewarded with a number 2 position on the album charts. "This Ole House" replaced the song "Two Hearts Two Kisses" from the original album which is now reinstated as a bonus track on The Epic Masters CD. The album retained most of the same musicians from the Take One! album, with the addition of ace Welsh guitarist (and ex-member of Shaky's previous backing group the Sunsets
) Mickey Gee
.
Bonus Track
Disc 3
was his first (and to date only) number 1 album. Alongside three top 10 singles (the UK number 1 "Green Door
", "You Drive Me Crazy" and "It's Raining") the album also contained five of Stevens' own compositions. When the album was released in Australia
(with a slightly different track listing) it was re-titled Green Door and even received a CD release in the early 90s. However, The Epic Masters marks the album's first release on CD in its original form. The bonus track "You And I Were Meant To Be" was also included on the Hot Dog album released in 1982.
Bonus Track
Disc 4
", the album also contained another three top 20 hits. Midway through the sessions, Stevens created a new studio band with the addition of The Rumour Brass, a four piece horn section
, and only guitarist Roger McKew remaining from the previous three albums. Like the Shaky album, Give Me Your Heart Tonight was issued on compact disc with an altered track listing in Australia in the early 90s. The Epic Masters however, gives the album its first CD release in its original form.
Bonus Tracks
Disc 5
, The Bop Won't Stop signalled a move towards a more contemporary pop sound, highlighted by the top 3 single "Cry Just A Little Bit". Despite producing three other top 20 singles (two reaching the top 5), the album itself did not perform as well on the charts as Stevens' previous three albums. Nevertheless, The Bop Won't Stop became Shaky's first compact disc release in 1984. Among the bonus tracks included on The Epic Masters are "Your Ma Said You Cried in Your Sleep Last Night
" which was released as a Europe-only single in 1983, and "A Letter To You", a top 10 single released ahead of 1984's Greatest Hits compilation.
Bonus Tracks
Disc 6
who had produced the first Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets
album A Legend in 1970. However, despite the inclusion of the rocking title track and covers of Chuck Berry
and Billy Fury
songs, the album was not a total return to the traditional rock and roll sound of earlier Stevens releases. It was also the first album since Take One! not to contain any top 10 singles, although the Christmas number 1 single "Merry Christmas Everyone
" was released during this period. Perhaps as an indication of Stevens' fading popularity, Epic chose not to issue the album on compact disc when originally released in 1985 and, as a result, The Epic Masters presents the album's first official CD release.
Bonus Tracks
Disc 7
", was to become Shaky's last top 10 single in the UK. The version of the song included on The Epic Masters is the single mix and not the one included on the original album release, which was apparently an earlier recording that was issued in error by Epic Records. The second half of the album consisted entirely of a 23 minute medley of Shaky's hits recorded at the London Palladium
in December 1986. The album received a full CD issue on its original 1987 release.
Bonus Tracks
Disc 8
Bonus Tracks
Disc 9
's PWL Studios. In total five singles were released from the album, although the last of these, "My Cutie Cutie", only managed to limp to number 75 in the UK singles chart. Although the singles were released by Epic, the album itself was issued by Telstar Records
and was supported by a TV advertising campaign. The Epic Masters edition also contains Stevens' last single for Epic, 1992's "Radio". Recorded with the help of Queen
drummer Roger Taylor
, "Radio" was released in support of The Epic Years, a greatest hits collection which effectively brought to an end Shaky's 14 year relationship with the label.
Bonus Tracks
Disc 10
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
comprising ten remastered albums by Shakin' Stevens
Shakin' Stevens
Shakin' Stevens, also known as "Shaky" is a platinum selling Welsh rock and roll singer and songwriter who holds the distinction of being the UK's biggest-selling singles artist of the 1980s . His recording and performing career began in the late 1960s, although it was not until 1980 that he saw...
. Released on 16 November 2009, the set contains nine albums originally released by Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
between 1980 and 1990, plus an exclusive CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
of 12"
12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
extended mixes. The set was also made available as a download through iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
.
Background
Although one of the most popular acts of the 1980s, Shakin' Stevens' major period of success came just before the emergence of the compact disc as a major format. Three of Stevens' albums (This Ole House, ShakyShaky (album)
Shaky is an album released by Shakin' Stevens in 1981.Released at the peak of his popularity, Shaky was the first and, to date, only UK number 1 album for Shakin' Stevens. The album features three top ten singles, most notably Green Door, which enjoyed a month at number one during the summer of 1981...
and Give Me Your Heart Tonight) had made the top 3 of the UK charts during 1981 and 1982 and, as a result, his 1983 release The Bop Won't Stop was one of the earliest of Epic's albums to be transferred to the CD format. However, despite producing three Top 5 hit singles, the album itself stalled at number 21 in the charts. In response to this relative failure, Epic ignored Shaky's next two album releases (one of which was his Greatest Hits album).
By the time of Stevens' next release - 1987's Let's Boogie - compact disc had become the dominant music format and, indeed, all of Stevens' subsequent studio albums were released on CD. However, the rise of the CD happened to coincide with a decline in the Welsh rocker's popularity and, apart from a few hits compilations and a very limited release of This Ole House in the early 90s, many of Shaky's most popular recordings were to be denied a digital release for many years.
In 2003, Epic's parent company Sony BMG released a compromise three CD box set entitled Hits And More which contained most of the hits plus various selected album tracks. However, a resurgence in Stevens' popularity which began with him winning the 2005 ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
show Hit Me Baby One More Time
Hit Me Baby One More Time
Hit Me, Baby, One More Time was a 2005 reality show first aired by ITV on British television and later, as a new version, by NBC in the United States; both were presented by Vernon Kay. During each programme, five former pop stars sing their biggest hit along with a cover version of a contemporary...
resulted in the hits album The Collection reaching number 4 in the UK album charts. With Shaky's appearance at the 2008 Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
helping to confirm his popularity among those old enough to remember him the first time around, Sony finally relented and authorised, for the first time, the release of all of Shakin' Stevens' original albums on compact disc.
Marketed as a 30th anniversary celebration of Shaky's first hit single "Hot Dog", The Epic Masters contains 147 digitally remastered tracks (apparently overseen by Stevens himself) spread across ten compact discs. The set includes all of the albums Stevens recorded for Epic with the exception of the Merry Christmas Everyone album (which had already been available on a remastered CD since 2005) and represents the first appearance on compact disc in their entirety of the albums Take One!, Shaky
Shaky (album)
Shaky is an album released by Shakin' Stevens in 1981.Released at the peak of his popularity, Shaky was the first and, to date, only UK number 1 album for Shakin' Stevens. The album features three top ten singles, most notably Green Door, which enjoyed a month at number one during the summer of 1981...
, Give Me Your Heart Tonight and Lipstick, Powder And Paint. Each album is boosted by the addition of non-album b-sides and are housed in slip cases which reproduce the original vinyl releases. The package is completed by a bonus CD of selected 12" mixes plus a fully annotated booklet.
Apart from the Merry Christmas Everyone album, The Epic Masters contains virtually everything Shakin' Stevens released on Epic. Among the few omissions are the original single versions of "Hot Dog", "Blue Christmas
Blue Christmas
"Blue Christmas" is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. The heart-broken tale of unrequited love during the holidays had long been considered a Christmas staple of country music, having been recorded first by Doye O'Dell in 1948 and popularised by Ernest Tubb the next year...
" and the number one hit "Merry Christmas Everyone
Merry Christmas Everyone
"Merry Christmas Everyone" is a popular festive song by the Welsh singer-songwriter Shakin' Stevens.Written by Bob Heatlie and produced by Dave Edmunds, this was Shakin' Stevens fourth, and most recent, number one on the UK singles chart...
" (all previously available on several compilations). Also missing are most of the live recordings available on the B-sides of various singles. Of the extended mixes not included on The 12" CD, the most glaring omission would be the "Megamixofhits" compilation included on the "Teardrops" 12" which formed the basis of the "Hits Keep Coming" live medley from Let's Boogie. Finally, the digital remasters retained the noticeably different mixes of the number one hits "This Ole House
This Ole House
"This Ole House" is a popular song written by Stuart Hamblen, and published in 1954.-Background:Hamblen was supposedly out on a hunting expedition when he and his fellow hunter, actor John Wayne, came across a tumbledown hut in the mountains, many miles from civilization...
", "Green Door
Green Door
" Green Door" is a 1956 popular song with music composed by Bob Davie and lyrics written by Marvin Moore. The lyrics describe a nondescript establishment, with a green door, behind which "a happy crowd" play piano, smoke and "laugh a lot", and inside which the singer is not allowed.-Possible...
" and "Oh Julie
Oh Julie
"Oh Julie" was a UK number one single for one week for Shakin' Stevens in January 1982. It was also his biggest global hit.It is Stevens' third number-one single and his first as a writer. The B-side, "I'm Knockin'", was also written by Shakin' Stevens and both tracks benefit from arrangements...
" which were included on the 2005 compilation The Collection.
Take One! (1980)
Erroneously dated in the box set as being released in October 1979, Take One! wasn't in fact released until February 1980, after the "Hot Dog" single had become Shaky's first UK hit single. Produced by Mike HurstMike Hurst (producer)
Mike Hurst is an English musician and record producer.-Biography:...
, the album contained a host of experienced session men, including lead guitarist Albert Lee
Albert Lee
Albert William Lee, born 21 December 1943 in Leominster, Herefordshire, England, is an English guitarist known for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique. Lee has worked both in the studio and on tour with some of the most famous musicians which stretch through a very wide of genres...
, pianist Geraint Watkins
Geraint Watkins
Geraint Watkins is a rock and roll pianist and accordionist backing artistes such as; Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Paul McCartney, Roy St. John and Shakin' Stevens...
, steel guitarist B.J. Cole and bassist and arranger Stuart Colman
Stuart Colman
Stuart Colman into a well-known musical family, took up piano and bass guitar, and enjoyed his first taste of success when he joined Pinkerton's Assorted Colours in 1966. Three years later, the group evolved into The Flying Machine and their first single under that name, "Smile A Little Smile For...
. In April 1982 the album was re-released under the new title of Hot Dog with "That's All Right" and "Ah, Poor Little Baby" being replaced by "You And I Were Meant To Be" and "Make It Right Tonight" respectively. The Epic Masters CD also contains Stevens' first three non-album singles recorded for Epic in 1978 and 1979. This was the first release on CD of the Take One! album.
- "Lovestruck" (Barton)
- "Hot Dog" (OwensBuck OwensAlvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
/Dedmon) - "Is A Bluebird Blue?" (Dan PennDan PennDan Penn is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and sometime guitar player who co-wrote many soul hits of the 1960s including "Dark End of the Street" and "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" and "Out of Left Field" & "Cry Like A Baby"...
) - "That's All Right" (Nelson/Burch)
- "Without A Love" (J & I. Isle)
- "Shame Shame Shame" (McCracklin/Geddins)
- "Shotgun Boogie" (Tennessee Ernie FordTennessee Ernie FordErnest Jennings Ford , better known as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American recording artist and television host who enjoyed success in the country and Western, pop, and gospel musical genres...
) - "I Got Burned" (Ral DonnerRal DonnerRal Donner was an early American rock and roll musician. He scored several pop hits in the US in the early 1960s, and had a voice similar to Elvis Presley's. His best known song is his 1961 top ten hit, "You Don't Know What You've Got ".-Biography:Ralph Stuart Donner was born in Chicago, and sang...
) - "I Guess I Was A Fool" (Buddy HollyBuddy HollyCharles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
) - "Ah, Poor Little Baby" (Koury/Falk)
- "Little Pigeon" (Whit)
- "Do What You Did" (Thurston HarrisThurston HarrisThurston Harris was a male American singer, briefly popular in the early to mid 1950s.-Career:Harris first appeared on record as the featured vocalist recording with the Lamplighters in 1953 one of the many groups on the early R&B scene in South Central Los Angeles, during that time. The group...
)
Bonus Tracks
- "Apron Strings" (Weiss/Schroeder) (B-side of "Hot Dog")
- "Treat Her RightTreat Her Right (song)"Treat Her Right" is a soul music song, with a standard twelve-bar-blues structure. Written by Roy Head and Gene Kurtz, it was recorded by Roy Head and The Traits and released on the Back Beat label in 1965. The song reached number two in the United States on both the Billboard pop and R&B charts...
" (Roy HeadRoy HeadRoy Head is an American singer, best known for his hit "Treat Her Right."-Career:Head achieved fame as a member of a musical group out from San Marcos, Texas known as The Traits. The group's sponsor landed their first recording contract in 1958 with TNT Music in San Antonio, Texas while they were...
/Jean Kurtz) (Single) - "I Don't Want No Other BabyNo Other Baby"No Other Baby" is a song written by Dickie Bishop and Bob Watson, originally recorded in 1957 by Dickie Bishop and The Sidekicks. Early cover versions were recorded by The Vipers and Bobby Helms ....
" (Dickie Bishop/Bob Watson) (B-side of "Treat Her Right" and "Spooky") - "Endless Sleep" (J. ReynoldsJody ReynoldsJody Reynolds was an American singer and guitarist. His biggest hit single was "Endless Sleep", which reached #5 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 7, 1958. He wrote it in a single afternoon in 1956 in Yuma, Arizona...
/D. Nance) (Single) - "Fire" (Bruce SpringsteenBruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
) (B-side of "Endless Sleep") - "SpookySpooky (classic song)"Spooky" was originally an instrumental song performed by saxophonist Mike Sharpe , written by Shapiro and Harry Middlebrooks, Jr., which first charted in 1967 hitting #57 on the US pop charts. Its best known version was created by The Classics IV when guitarist James Cobb and producer Buddy Buie...
" (Buddy Buie/James Cobb/Harry Middlebrooks/Mike Shapiro) (Single)
Disc 2
This Ole House (1981)
The first of the hugely successful trio of Stuart Colman produced albums, This Ole House was originally released under the title of Marie Marie in October 1980. However, the album initially failed to make the charts but was re-issued and re-titled in March 1981 after the success of the "This Ole HouseThis Ole House
"This Ole House" is a popular song written by Stuart Hamblen, and published in 1954.-Background:Hamblen was supposedly out on a hunting expedition when he and his fellow hunter, actor John Wayne, came across a tumbledown hut in the mountains, many miles from civilization...
" single and Stevens was rewarded with a number 2 position on the album charts. "This Ole House" replaced the song "Two Hearts Two Kisses" from the original album which is now reinstated as a bonus track on The Epic Masters CD. The album retained most of the same musicians from the Take One! album, with the addition of ace Welsh guitarist (and ex-member of Shaky's previous backing group the Sunsets
Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets
Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets were a rock and roll group formed in Cardiff, Wales in 1969. Although most notable now for their lead singer Shakin' Stevens, who went on to become one of the UK's most popular artists of the 1980s, the band released several records and toured extensively throughout...
) Mickey Gee
Mickey Gee
Michael Richard 'Mickey' Gee was a rock and roll guitarist who played alongside some of the most prominent Welsh musicians of the last forty years.He died on 21 January 2009 in Cardiff from emphysema.-Career:...
.
- "Hey Mae" (Rusty & Doug Kershaw)
- "Baby If We Touch" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "Marie Marie" (Dave AlvinDave AlvinDave Alvin , is a guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has been one of the leading proponents of 'roots' or 'American' music, bringing together elements of rock-and-roll, blues, rural and tejano music....
) - "Lonely Blue Boy" (Weisman/Wyse)
- "Make It Right Tonight" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "Move" (Green/McNabb jnr)
- "Slippin' and Slidin'Slippin' and Slidin'"Slippin' and Slidin" is an R&B/rock song performed by Little Richard. The song is credited to Little Richard, Edwin Bocage , Al Collins, and James Smith....
" (Richard PennimanLittle RichardRichard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
/Eddie BoEddie BoEdwin Joseph Bocage was an American singer and New Orleans-style pianist. Schooled in jazz, he was known for his blues, soul and funk recordings, compositions, productions and arrangements...
cage/Albert CollinsAlbert CollinsAlbert Collins was an American electric blues guitarist and singer whose recording career began in the 1960s in Houston and whose fame eventually took him to stages across the US, Europe, Japan and Australia...
/James Smith) - "Shooting Gallery" (Brian HodgsonBrian HodgsonBrian Hodgson is a British television composer and sound technician. Born in Liverpool in 1938, Hodgson joined the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in 1962 where he became the original sound effects creator for the science fiction programme Doctor Who...
/Tony Colton) - "Revenue Man" (D. Young)
- "Make Me Know You're Mine" (Schroeder/Hill)
- "This Ole HouseThis Ole House"This Ole House" is a popular song written by Stuart Hamblen, and published in 1954.-Background:Hamblen was supposedly out on a hunting expedition when he and his fellow hunter, actor John Wayne, came across a tumbledown hut in the mountains, many miles from civilization...
" (Stuart HamblenStuart HamblenStuart Hamblen , born Stuart Carl Hamblen, was one of American radio's first singing cowboys in 1926, and later became a Christian songwriter, temperance supporter and recurring candidate for political office....
) - "Nobody" (Wayne Carson Thompson)
Bonus Track
- "Two Hearts Two Kisses" (Jesse StoneJesse StoneJesse Stone was an American rhythm and blues musician and songwriter whose influence spanned a wide range of genres...
/Otis Williams) From "Marie Marie" LP
Disc 3
Shaky (1981)
Originally released in September 1981 at the peak of Stevens' popularity, ShakyShaky (album)
Shaky is an album released by Shakin' Stevens in 1981.Released at the peak of his popularity, Shaky was the first and, to date, only UK number 1 album for Shakin' Stevens. The album features three top ten singles, most notably Green Door, which enjoyed a month at number one during the summer of 1981...
was his first (and to date only) number 1 album. Alongside three top 10 singles (the UK number 1 "Green Door
Green Door
" Green Door" is a 1956 popular song with music composed by Bob Davie and lyrics written by Marvin Moore. The lyrics describe a nondescript establishment, with a green door, behind which "a happy crowd" play piano, smoke and "laugh a lot", and inside which the singer is not allowed.-Possible...
", "You Drive Me Crazy" and "It's Raining") the album also contained five of Stevens' own compositions. When the album was released in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(with a slightly different track listing) it was re-titled Green Door and even received a CD release in the early 90s. However, The Epic Masters marks the album's first release on CD in its original form. The bonus track "You And I Were Meant To Be" was also included on the Hot Dog album released in 1982.
- "Mona LisaMona Lisa (Nat King Cole song)"Mona Lisa" is a song written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for the Paramount Pictures film Captain Carey, U.S.A. . It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for 1950. The arrangement was by Nelson Riddle and the orchestral backing was played by Les Baxter and his Orchestra...
" (Jay LivingstonJay LivingstonJay Livingston was an American composer and singer best known as half of a songwriting duo with Ray Evans that specialized in songs composed for films. Livingston wrote the music and Evans the lyrics....
/Ray EvansRay EvansRaymond Bernard Evans was an American songwriter. He was a partner in a composing and songwriting duo with Jay Livingston, known for the songs they composed for films...
) - "You Drive Me Crazy" (Ronnie Harwood)
- "I'm Knockin'" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "It's Raining" (Naomi Neville)
- "Don't She Look Good" (Joey SpampinatoJoey SpampinatoJoey Spampinato was a founding member and bass player of NRBQ. He was also one of the band's lead singers and chief songwriters. Before NRBQ he played in several bands, including The Seven of Us, which in 1967 while in Miami, Florida, met another band, The Merseybeats USA. The bands merged to form...
) - "Green DoorGreen Door" Green Door" is a 1956 popular song with music composed by Bob Davie and lyrics written by Marvin Moore. The lyrics describe a nondescript establishment, with a green door, behind which "a happy crowd" play piano, smoke and "laugh a lot", and inside which the singer is not allowed.-Possible...
" (Bob DavieBob Davie (songwriter)Bob Davie is an orchestra leader, pianist, and composer of popular music.He composed the song "The Green Door", and led the orchestra which backed Jim Lowe on the best-selling version of the song in 1956.- References :...
/Marvin Moore) - "Don't Bug Me Baby" (Luallen/Bragg)
- "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles" (Don GibsonDon GibsonDonald Eugene "Don" Gibson was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson penned such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s.-Biography:Don Gibson was...
) - "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a LetterI'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter"I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" is a 1935 popular song with music by Fred E. Ahlert and lyrics by Joe Young. It has been recorded many times, and has become a standard of the Great American Songbook....
" (Fred E. AhlertFred E. AhlertFrederick Emil Ahlert was an American composer and songwriter. He received a degree from Fordham Law School, but instead of pursuing a legal career he began work as an arranger, initially for Irving Aaronson and his Commanders and then for composer and band-leader Fred Waring...
/Joe YoungJoe YoungJoe Young was a lyricist. He was born in New York. Young was most active from 1911 through the late-1930s, beginning his career working as a singer and songplugger for various music publishers. During World War I, he entertained the U.S...
) - "This Time" (Chips MomanChips MomanLincoln Wayne "Chips" Moman is an American record producer, guitarist, and songwriter. As a record producer, Moman is known for recording Elvis Presley, Bobby Womack, Carla Thomas, and Merrilee Rush, as well as guiding the career of the Box Tops in Memphis, Tennessee during the 1960s...
) - "Baby You're a Child" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "Don't Turn Your Back" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "Let Me Show You How" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "I'm Lookin'" (Shakin' Stevens)
Bonus Track
- "You And I Were Meant To Be" (Shakin' Stevens) (B-side of "It's Raining")
Disc 4
Give Me Your Heart Tonight (1982)
The last of the Stuart Colman produced albums, 1982's Give Me Your Heart Tonight was Shaky's third top 3 album in two years. As well as the self-composed number 1 single "Oh JulieOh Julie
"Oh Julie" was a UK number one single for one week for Shakin' Stevens in January 1982. It was also his biggest global hit.It is Stevens' third number-one single and his first as a writer. The B-side, "I'm Knockin'", was also written by Shakin' Stevens and both tracks benefit from arrangements...
", the album also contained another three top 20 hits. Midway through the sessions, Stevens created a new studio band with the addition of The Rumour Brass, a four piece horn section
Horn section
In music, a horn section can refer to several groups of musicians. It can refer to the musicians in a symphony orchestra who play the horn . In a British-style brass band it refers to the tenor horn players. In popular music, it can also refer to a small group of wind instrumentalists who augment a...
, and only guitarist Roger McKew remaining from the previous three albums. Like the Shaky album, Give Me Your Heart Tonight was issued on compact disc with an altered track listing in Australia in the early 90s. The Epic Masters however, gives the album its first CD release in its original form.
- "Josephine" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "Give Me Your Heart Tonight" (Billy LivseyBilly LivseyBilly Livsey is an American songwriter, keyboardist, and producer from Nashville, Tennessee. He has worked for many musicians including Tina Turner, Kevin Ayers, 801, Gerry Rafferty, Five Star, and Kenny Rogers.-References:*...
) - "Sapphire" (Jack Hammer)
- "Oh JulieOh Julie"Oh Julie" was a UK number one single for one week for Shakin' Stevens in January 1982. It was also his biggest global hit.It is Stevens' third number-one single and his first as a writer. The B-side, "I'm Knockin'", was also written by Shakin' Stevens and both tracks benefit from arrangements...
" (Shakin' Stevens) - "I'll Be Satisfied (Berry Gordy jrBerry GordyBerry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
/Tyran Carlo) - "Vanessa" (Billy SwanBilly SwanBilly Lance Swan is an American songwriter and singer, best known for his 1974 single, "I Can Help".-Life:Swan was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. As a child, he learned drums, piano and guitar, and began writing songs...
/Dennis LindeDennis LindeDennis Linde was an American singer and songwriter whose work was primarily in country musicHe is best known for writing the 1972 Elvis Presley hit, "Burning Love"...
) - "Boppity Bop" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "Don't Tell Me We're Through" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "Shirley" (John FredJohn FredJohn Fred was a blue-eyed soul, Cajun swamp pop and bubble-gum pop performer from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, best known for the song, "Judy in Disguise ".-Career:...
/Tommy Bryan) - "You Never Talked About Me" (Doc PomusDoc PomusJerome Solon Felder, better known as Doc Pomus , was a twentieth-century American blues singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lyricist of many rock and roll hits. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the category of non-performer in 1992. He was also inducted into...
/Mort ShumanMort ShumanMort Shuman was an American singer, pianist and songwriter, best known as co-writer of many 1960s rock and roll hits, including "Viva Las Vegas"...
) - "Too Too Much" (Stuart Leathwood/Gary Sulsh)
- "(Yeah) You're Evil" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "Que Sera, Sera" (Jay Livingston/Ray Evans)
Bonus Tracks
- "I'm For You" (Shakin' Stevens) (B-side of "Shirley")
- "Thinkin' Of You" (Shakin' Stevens) (B-side of "Give Me Your Heart Tonight")
- "Don't Be Late (Miss Kate)" (B-side of "I'll Be Satisfied")
- "Lawdy Miss Clawdy (live)" (from "Shakin' Stevens Special Edition EP")
Disc 5
The Bop Won't Stop (1983)
Produced mainly by Christopher NeilChristopher Neil
Christopher Neil is a British record producer, songwriter, singer and actor.He has worked with Celine Dion, a-ha, Dollar, Paul Nicholas, Kim Criswell, Morten Harket, Mike + The Mechanics, Johnny Logan, Marillion, The Moody Blues, The Other Ones, Paul Carrack, Rod Stewart, Gerry Rafferty, Cher,...
, The Bop Won't Stop signalled a move towards a more contemporary pop sound, highlighted by the top 3 single "Cry Just A Little Bit". Despite producing three other top 20 singles (two reaching the top 5), the album itself did not perform as well on the charts as Stevens' previous three albums. Nevertheless, The Bop Won't Stop became Shaky's first compact disc release in 1984. Among the bonus tracks included on The Epic Masters are "Your Ma Said You Cried in Your Sleep Last Night
Your Ma Said You Cried in Your Sleep Last Night
"Your Ma Said You Cried in Your Sleep Last Night" is a song performed by American singer Kenny Dino. It was Dino's only hit on the Billboard Top 40, debuting on that chart December 4, 1961 and peaking at number 24.- Doug Sheldon version :...
" which was released as a Europe-only single in 1983, and "A Letter To You", a top 10 single released ahead of 1984's Greatest Hits compilation.
- "The Bop Won't Stop" (S. Tatler)
- "Why Do You Treat Me This Way?" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "Diddle I" (Hogberg/Lawton)
- "Don't Be Two Faced" (Tom BeeTom BeeTom Bee is the CEO and Founder of , the first Native American owned record label.Adopted at birth, Tom Bee was born and raised in the reservation border town of Gallup, New Mexico...
) - "Livin' Lovin' Wreck" (Otis BlackwellOtis BlackwellOtis Blackwell was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist, whose work significantly influenced rock 'n' roll...
) - "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love)A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love)"A Rockin' Good Way " is a song first recorded by The Spaniels in 1958.. In 1960, the song was recorded as a pop and R&B duet by Dinah Washington and Brook Benton. The single was the second pairing for both Washington and Benton...
" (Brook BentonBrook BentonBrook Benton was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when he scored hits such as "It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Endlessly", many of which he co-wrote.He made a comeback in 1970...
/Clyde OtisClyde OtisClyde Otis, born in Prentiss, Mississippi, , was an American songwriter and producer best known for his collaboration with singer Brook Benton, and for being one of the first African American A&R executive for a major label.According to the music licensing organization Broadcast Music Inc., Otis is...
/Luchi DeJesus) Duet with Bonnie TylerBonnie TylerBonnie Tyler is a Welsh singer, most notable for her hits in the 1970s and 1980s including "It's a Heartache", "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".-Early life:... - "Brand New Man" (Mickey GeeMickey GeeMichael Richard 'Mickey' Gee was a rock and roll guitarist who played alongside some of the most prominent Welsh musicians of the last forty years.He died on 21 January 2009 in Cardiff from emphysema.-Career:...
) - "Cry Just A Little Bit" (Bob HeatlieBob HeatlieBob Heatlie is a Scottish songwriter and produced and has worked Music industry creating songs for the chats and also television.-Background:...
) - "As Long As" (S. Markwick/S. Stevens)
- "A Love Worth Waiting For" (Gary Sulsh/Stuart Leathwood)
- "Love Me Tonight" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "It's Late" (Dorsey BurnetteDorsey BurnetteDorsey Burnette was an early Rockabilly singer. With his younger brother, Johnny Burnette, and a friend named Paul Burlison, he was a founder member of The Rock and Roll Trio.-Background and early career:Dorsey Burnett was born on December 28, 1932 to Willie May and Dorsey Burnett Sr...
)
Bonus Tracks
- "It's Good For You (Baby)" (Shakin' Stevens) (B-side of "It's Late")
- "Your Ma Said You Cried in Your Sleep Last NightYour Ma Said You Cried in Your Sleep Last Night"Your Ma Said You Cried in Your Sleep Last Night" is a song performed by American singer Kenny Dino. It was Dino's only hit on the Billboard Top 40, debuting on that chart December 4, 1961 and peaking at number 24.- Doug Sheldon version :...
" (Schlaks/Glazer) (B-side of "Cry Just A Little Bit" 12") - "A Letter To You" (Dennis Linde) (Single)
- "Come Back And Love Me" (Shakin' Stevens) (B-side of "A Letter To You")
Disc 6
Lipstick, Powder And Paint (1985)
Lipstick, Powder And Paint saw Shaky reunite with fellow Welshman Dave EdmundsDave Edmunds
David 'Dave' Edmunds is a Welsh singer, guitarist and record producer. Although he is primarily associated with Pub rock and New Wave, and had numerous hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, his natural leaning has always been towards 1950s style rock and roll.-Early bands:As a teenager Edmunds first...
who had produced the first Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets
Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets
Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets were a rock and roll group formed in Cardiff, Wales in 1969. Although most notable now for their lead singer Shakin' Stevens, who went on to become one of the UK's most popular artists of the 1980s, the band released several records and toured extensively throughout...
album A Legend in 1970. However, despite the inclusion of the rocking title track and covers of Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
and Billy Fury
Billy Fury
Billy Fury, born Ronald William Wycherley , was an internationally successful English singer from the late-1950s to the mid-1960s, and remained an active songwriter until the 1980s. Rheumatic fever, which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his death...
songs, the album was not a total return to the traditional rock and roll sound of earlier Stevens releases. It was also the first album since Take One! not to contain any top 10 singles, although the Christmas number 1 single "Merry Christmas Everyone
Merry Christmas Everyone
"Merry Christmas Everyone" is a popular festive song by the Welsh singer-songwriter Shakin' Stevens.Written by Bob Heatlie and produced by Dave Edmunds, this was Shakin' Stevens fourth, and most recent, number one on the UK singles chart...
" was released during this period. Perhaps as an indication of Stevens' fading popularity, Epic chose not to issue the album on compact disc when originally released in 1985 and, as a result, The Epic Masters presents the album's first official CD release.
- "Lipstick, Powder And Paint" (Jesse Stone)
- "Bad Reputation" (Gordon Campbell)
- "Don't Lie To Me" (Chuck BerryChuck BerryCharles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
) - "I'm Leaving You" (Gavin Povey/Vincent Laurentis)
- "The Shape I'm In" (Lee Cathy/Otis Blackwell)
- "Don't Knock Upon My Door" (Billy FuryBilly FuryBilly Fury, born Ronald William Wycherley , was an internationally successful English singer from the late-1950s to the mid-1960s, and remained an active songwriter until the 1980s. Rheumatic fever, which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his death...
) - "Turning Away" (Tim KrekelTim KrekelTim Krekel was an American rock musician and country music songwriter from Louisville, Kentucky.- Early life :...
) - "Love You Out Loud" (Gerald Milne)
- "As Long As I Have You" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "With My Heart" (B. Roberts/D. Edwards/S. Stevens)
- "Ain't It A Shame (You Win Again) (Roger Dexter)
- "So Long Baby Goodbye" (David Alvin)
Bonus Tracks
- "Teardrops" (Shakin' Stevens) (Single) featuring Hank MarvinHank MarvinHank Brian Marvin is an English guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist for The Shadows. The group, which primarily performed instrumentals, was formed as a backing band for vocalist Cliff Richard...
on lead guitar - "You Shake Me Up" (Gary Sulsh/Stuart Leathwood) (B-side of "Teardrops")
- "Breaking Up My Heart" (Bob Heatlie) (Single)
- "I'll Give You My Heart" (Shakin' Stevens) (B-side of "Breaking Up My Heart")
Disc 7
Let's Boogie (1987)
Split into a studio side and a live side, 1987's Let's Boogie was Stevens' first album release for two years. Using a variety of producers, four of the five studio tracks were released as singles, one of which, "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?
"What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?" is a song written by Joseph McCarthy, Howard Johnson and James V. Monaco in 1916. It was released in 1917 by Ada Jones and Billy Murray on Victor 18224....
", was to become Shaky's last top 10 single in the UK. The version of the song included on The Epic Masters is the single mix and not the one included on the original album release, which was apparently an earlier recording that was issued in error by Epic Records. The second half of the album consisted entirely of a 23 minute medley of Shaky's hits recorded at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
in December 1986. The album received a full CD issue on its original 1987 release.
- "Come See About MeCome See About Me"Come See About Me" is a 1964 song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label.The song became third of five consecutively released Supremes songs to top the Billboard pop singles chart in the United States...
" (Brian HollandBrian HollandBrian Holland is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland. That songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound and numerous hit records by artists such as Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops,...
/Lamont DozierLamont DozierLamont Herbert Dozier is an American songwriter and record producer, born in Detroit, Michigan. Dozier has either co-written or produced several US Billboard #1 hits.-Career:...
/Edward Holland, Jr.Edward Holland, Jr.Edward Holland, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter and record producer....
) - "Forever You" (Gary Sulsh/Stuart Leathwood)
- "A Little Boogie Woogie (In The Back Of My Mind)" (LeanderMike LeanderMichael George Farr professionally known as Mike Leander was an arranger and record producer for Decca Records in the 1960s and Bell Records in the 1970s and worked with such artists as Marianne Faithfull, Billy Fury, Marc Bolan, Joe Cocker, The Small Faces, Van Morrison, Alan Price, Peter...
/Seago/GlitterGary GlitterGary Glitter is an English former glam rock singer-songwriter and musician.Glitter first came to prominence in the glam rock era of the early 1970s...
) - "Because I Love You" (Gordon Campbell)
- "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?"What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?" is a song written by Joseph McCarthy, Howard Johnson and James V. Monaco in 1916. It was released in 1917 by Ada Jones and Billy Murray on Victor 18224....
" (Joseph McCarthyJoseph McCarthyJoseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
/Howard JohnsonHoward JohnsonHoward Johnson may refer to:*Howard Johnson's, a chain of hotels and restaurants*Howard Deering Johnson , founder of Howard Johnson's restaurants* Howard David Johnson, , American painter...
/James V. Monaco) - "The Hits Keep Coming - Live Medley '86"
"Cry Just A Little Bit" (Bob Heatlie)
"You Drive Me Crazy" (Ronnie Harwood)
"A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love)" (Brook Benton/Clyde Otis/Luchi DeJesus)
"Give Me Your Heart Tonight" (Billy Livsey)
"A Love Worth Waiting For" (Gary Sulsh/Stuart Leathwood)
"Green Door" (Bob Davie/Marvin Moore)
"I'll Be Satisfied" (Berry Gordy jr/Tyran Carlo)
"A Letter To You" (Dennis Linde)
"Shirley" (John Fred/Tommy Bryan)
"Oh Julie" (Shakin' Stevens)
"It's Late" (Dorsey Burnette)
"Marie Marie" (Dave Alvin)
"It's Raining" (Naomi Neville)
"Hot Dog" (Owens/Dedmon)
"Teardrops" (Shakin' Stevens)
"This Ole House" (Stuart Hamblen)
Bonus Tracks
- "Tell Me One More Time" (Shakin' Stevens) (B-side of "Because I Love You")
- "If You're Gonna Cry" (Gary Sulsh/Stuart Leathwood) (B-side of "A Little Boogie Woogie (In The Back Of My Mind)")
Disc 8
A Whole Lotta Shaky (1988)
A Whole Lotta Shaky, released in 1988, was a combination of newly recorded tracks sprinkled with a few older recordings. Three songs from 1981 were included ("Oh Julie", plus two tracks from the Shaky album) as well as the single mix of the previous year's "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?" (which means the same mix is now included on two discs of The Epic Masters). None of the newly recorded singles from the album reached the UK top 20, despite an attempt to bring Stevens' sound up to date by having Art Of Noise re-mix "Jezebel" for single release. That 7" mix is now included as a bonus track on The Epic Masters. Also included for the first time on this release is a new mix of "Woman (What Have You Done To Me)" and a non fade out version of "Hello Josephine".- "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?" (Joseph McCarthy/Howard Johnson/James V. Monaco)
- "How Many Tears Can You Hide" (Miller/Lyle)
- "JezebelJezebel (song)"Jezebel" is a 1951 popular song written by Wayne Shanklin. It was recorded by Frankie Laine with the Norman Luboff Choir and Mitch Miller and his orchestra on April 4, 1951 and released by Columbia Records as catalog number 39367...
" (Wayne ShanklinWayne ShanklinWayne Shanklin was an American music performer, composer, arranger, and producer....
) - "Sea of LoveSea of Love (song)"Sea of Love" is a song written by John Phillip Baptiste and George Khoury. Phillips' 1959 recording of the song peaked at #1 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the UK, Marty Wilde covered the song, and Phillips' version failed to chart there...
" (George Khoury/John Phillip BaptistePhil PhillipsPhil Phillips is an American singer and songwriter, best known for his 1959 hit, "Sea of Love".-Biography:...
) - "True LoveTrue Love (song)"True Love" is a popular song written by Cole Porter and was published in 1956.The song was introduced by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly in the musical film High Society. The Crosby–Kelly version, accompanied by Johnny Green's MGM studio orchestra using a romantic arrangement by Conrad Salinger, was...
" (Cole Porter) - "Just One LookJust One Look (song)"Just One Look" was a hit single co-written and sung by American R&B singer Doris Troy in 1963. The song peaked at #10 in the U.S. singles charts.Details vary as to how the single came to be released on Atlantic Records...
" (Doris PayneDoris TroyDoris Troy was an American R&B singer, known to her many fans as "Mama Soul".She was born as Doris Higginson in The Bronx, the daughter of a Barbadian Pentecostal minister. Her parents disapproved of "subversive" forms of music like rhythm & blues, so she cut her teeth singing in her father's choir...
/Gregory Carroll) - "Oh Julie" (Shakin' Stevens)
- "Do You Really Love Me Too" (Mark BarkanMark BarkanMark Barkan is a songwriter and producer. He was also a musical director for the television show The Banana Splits Adventure Hour. This prolific songwriter has written numerous songs including Lesley Gore's Top 5 hit "She's a Fool," the often covered "Pretty Flamingo," which was a hit single for...
/Ben Raleigh) - "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" (Fred E. Ahlert/Joe Young)
- "Hello Josephine" (Dave BartholomewDave BartholomewDave Bartholomew is a musician, band leader, composer and arranger, prominent in the music of New Orleans throughout the second half of the 20th century...
/Fats DominoFats DominoAntoine Dominique "Fats" Domino, Jr. is an American R&B and rock and roll pianist and singer-songwriter. He was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Creole was his first language....
) - "Woman (What Have You Done To Me)" (Bob Heatlie)
- "Heartbeat" (Gordon Campbell)
- "Tired of Toein' the LineTired of Toein' the Line"Tired of Toein' the Line" is the name of a song written and performed by Rocky Burnette. The song became an international hit when released as a single in 1980. The song's lyrics detail an imminent breakup....
" (Rocky BurnetteRocky BurnetteRocky Burnette is an American rock and roll singer/musician and the son of rock and roll pioneer, Johnny Burnette. He is best known for his 1980 hit single "Tired of Toein' the Line."-Career:...
/Ron Coleman) - "Mona Lisa" (Jay Livingstone/Ray Evans)
Bonus Tracks
- "Feel The Need In Me" (Tilmon jr) (Single)
- "If I Can't Have You" (Shakin' Stevens/Tony RiversTony RiversTony Rivers is an English singer, best known for singing with the groups Tony Rivers and the Castaways and Harmony Grass. He also sang on albums by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Roger Daltrey, Shakin' Stevens and Cliff Richard.Rivers went to Raine's Foundation School in Bethnal Green...
) (B-side of "Feel The Need In Me") - "If I Really Knew" (Newcombe/Taggart) (b-side of "How Many Tears Can You Hide")
- "Come On Little Girl (Chrome Sitar)" (Marc BolanMarc BolanMarc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
) (B-side of "True Love") - "Jezebel" (Wayne Shanklin) (7" re-mix single with Art Of Noise)
Disc 9
There Are Two Kinds Of Music...Rock 'N' Roll (1990)
In a further attempt to update his sound, Stevens' recorded this 1990 album with producer Pete Hammond at Pete WatermanPete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman OBE is an English record producer, occasional songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting team he wrote and produced many hit singles...
's PWL Studios. In total five singles were released from the album, although the last of these, "My Cutie Cutie", only managed to limp to number 75 in the UK singles chart. Although the singles were released by Epic, the album itself was issued by Telstar Records
Telstar Records
Telstar Records was a record label founded in 1982 by Sean O'Brien and Neil Palmer with a government loan of £120,000. It was founded as a specialist compilation marketing label and had hits with a range of compilation franchises such as the Deep Heat, Kaos Theory and 100% ranges...
and was supported by a TV advertising campaign. The Epic Masters edition also contains Stevens' last single for Epic, 1992's "Radio". Recorded with the help of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
drummer Roger Taylor
Roger Meddows-Taylor
Roger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
, "Radio" was released in support of The Epic Years, a greatest hits collection which effectively brought to an end Shaky's 14 year relationship with the label.
- "Love Attack" (Steve and Heather Taylor)
- "I Might" (Gary Sulsh/Stuart Leathwood/Barrie Guard)
- "Yes I Do" (Gary Sulsh/Stuart Leathwood)
- "You Shake Me Up (Re-mix)" (Gary Sulsh/Stuart Leathwood)
- "Tell Me" (Steve and Heather Taylor)
- "Tear It Up" (Paul BurlisonPaul BurlisonPaul Burlison was an American pioneer rockabilly guitarist and a founding member of The Rock and Roll Trio. Burlison was born in Brownsville, Tennessee, where he was exposed to music at an early age. After a stint in the United States Military, Burlison teamed up with Johnny and Dorsey Burnette...
/Dorsey BurnetteDorsey BurnetteDorsey Burnette was an early Rockabilly singer. With his younger brother, Johnny Burnette, and a friend named Paul Burlison, he was a founder member of The Rock and Roll Trio.-Background and early career:Dorsey Burnett was born on December 28, 1932 to Willie May and Dorsey Burnett Sr...
/Johnny BurnetteJohnny BurnetteJohn Joseph "Johnny" Burnette was an American rockabilly musician. Along with his older brother Dorsey Burnette, and also a friend named Paul Burlison, Burnette was a founding member of The Rock and Roll Trio. He was the father of 1980s rockabilly singer Rocky Burnette.-Early life:Johnny Burnette...
) - "My Cutie Cutie" (Ronnie Harwood)
- "The Night Time Is The Right Time" (Parkhill)
- "Pink Champagne" (Steve and Heather Taylor)
- "If I Lose You" (Billy Fury)
- "Queen Of The Hop" (Bobby DarinBobby DarinBobby Darin , born Walden Robert Cassotto, was an American singer, actor and musician.Darin performed in a range of music genres, including pop, rock, jazz, folk and country...
/Willie Harris) - "Rockin' The Night Away" (Shakin' Stevens)
Bonus Tracks
- "Love Attack" (Steve and Heather Taylor) (Single version)
- "Love Won't Stop" (Shakin' Stevens) (B-side of "I Might")
- "Radio (Single version)" (Gordon Campbell/Bob Heatlie)
- "Radio (Acoustic)" (Gordon Campbell/Bob Heatlie) (B-side of "Radio" 12" )
- "Oh Baby Don't (Out Take)" (Shakin' Stevens) (B-side of "Radio")
Disc 10
The 12" CD
The tenth disc of The Epic Masters is entitled The 12" CD and is a collection of extended mixes previously only issued on Stevens' 12" singles.- "Cry Just A Little Bit (Luongo's Mix)" (Bob Heatlie)
- "Breaking Up My Heart (Extended Mix)" (Bob Heatlie)
- "A Little Boogie Woogie (In The Back Of My Mind) (Boogie Mix)" (Leander/Seago/Glitter)
- "Come See About Me (Extended Re-mix)" (Brian Holland/Lamont Dozier/Edward Holland, Jr.)
- "Feel The Need In Me (Dance Mix)" (Tilmon jr)
- "How Many Tears Can You Hide (Dance Mix)" (Miller/Lyle)
- "Jezebel (Monster Re-mix)" (Wayne Shanklin)
- "Love Attack (Extended Version)" (Steve and Heather Taylor)