"The Ballads Of The Platters" by THE PLATTERS – US Federal and Mercury Record Label 45-Single and LP Hits Between 1955 and 1961 (March 2013 GERMAN Bear Family 33-Track CD Compilation of Jurgen Crasser Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...The Magic Touch..."

The Doo Wop and Vocal Group Tradition had few genuine superstars and even fewer who crossed over into the Pop arena. 

But manager and songwriter Buck Ram's carefully honed and beautifully produced Vocal Group THE PLATTERS (with the sweetest pipes in Tony Williams and Zola Taylor out front) were both, and across its huge near ninety-minute playing time, this gorgeous sounding Bear Family CD shows why they were so big, back in the smooching day. 

After a short stint with Federal Records between 1953 and 1955 (despite being non-charters, two of those sides are featured here - the A&B of their rare debut 45-single "I'll Cry When You're Gone") - The Platters hit the ground running and charted a huge 21 tracks between 1955 and 1967 on the American R&B singles lists - four of which went to Number One (same for any other territories around the world too). 

This 2013 set sticks to the Federal and Mercury Recordings and so begins in 1953 and ends with 1961's "I'll Never Smile Again" (doesn't include the four they charted on Musicor between 1966 and 1967). So, there's a lot of smoke getting in people's eyes, twilight times, my prayers and great pretenders to get through, so let's have at the Four Guys and Their One Dish...

Released in Germany 26 March 2013 - "The Ballads Of The Platters" by THE PLATTERS on Bear Family BCD 17326 AR (Barcode 5391523910095) is a 33-Track CD Compilation of Federal and Mercury Recordings Remasters that plays out as follows (89:44 minutes): 

1. Smokes Gets In Your Eyes - November 1958, US 45-single on Mercury 71383, A-side) - No. 3 R&B

2. Only You (And You Alone) - June 1955, US 45-single on Mercury 70633, A-side) - No. 1 R&B

3. I'll Cry When You're Gone - 1953, US 45-single on Federal 12164, A-side) 

4. I Need You All The Time - 1953, US 45-single on Federal 12164, B-side to "I'll Cry When You're Gone")

5. Tell The World - July 1954, US 45-single on Federal 12188, B-side of "Love All Night" - Reissued December 1955 on Federal 12250

6. Why Should I  - 1956 US Debut LP "The Platters" on Mercury MG 20146

7. The Great Pretender - November 1955 US 45-single on Mercury 70753, A-side - No. 1 R&B

8. I'm Just A Dancing Partner - November 1955 US 45-single on Mercury 70753, B-side of "The Great Pretender" 

9. (You've Got) The Magic Touch - February 1956 US 45-single on Mercury 70819, A-side - No. 4 R&B

10. Winner Takes All - February 1956 US 45-single on Mercury 70819, B-side of "(You've Got) The Magic Touch"

11. My Prayer - June 1956 US 45-single on Mercury 70893, A-side - No. 1 R&B

12. Heaven On Earth - June 1956 US 45-single on Mercury 70893, B-side of "My Prayer" - No. 13 R&B 

13. You'll Never, Never Know - August 1956 US 45-single on Mercury 70948, A-side - No. 9 R&B

14. It Isn't Right - August 1956 US 45-single on Mercury 70948, A-side - No. 10 R&B

15. On My Word Of Honor - November 1956 US 45-single on Mercury 71011, A-side - No. 7 R&B

16. One In A Million - November 1956 US 45-single on Mercury 71011, A-side - No. 7 R&B

17. I'm Sorry - January 1957 US 45-single on Mercury 71032, A-side - No. 15 R&B

18. Glory Of Love - 1956 US Debut LP "The Platters" on Mercury MG 20146 in Mono

19. Remember When - 1956 US Debut LP "The Platters" on Mercury MG 20146 in Mono

20. In The Still Of Night - 1956 US Second LP "Volume Two" on Mercury MG 20216 in Mono 

21. My Dream - June 1958 US 45-single on Mercury 71320, B-side to "My Old Flame" - No. 7 R&B

22. Only Because - August 1957 US 45-single on Mercury 71184, A-side - also 1960 US LP "Encores!" on Mercury/Wing MGW 12112 

23. The Mystery Of You - 1960 US LP "Encores!" on Mercury/Wing MGW 12112 - 1960 US LP "Encores!" on Mercury/Wing MGW 12112

24. Helpless - December 1957 US 45-single on Mercury 71246, A-side - also 1960 US LP "Encores!" on Mercury/Wing MGW 12112

25. Twilight Time (LP Version) - 1960s US LP "The Flying Platters Around The World" on Mercury SR 60043 in Stereo 

26. You're Making A Mistake - June 1958 US 45-single on Mercury 71320, B-side of "My Old Flame" 

27. I Wish - August 1958 US 45-single on Mercury 71353, A-side 

28. No Matter What You Are - November 1958 US 45-single on Mercury 71383, A-side - No. 3 R&B

29. Enchanted - March 1959 US 45-single on Mercury 71427, A-side - No. 9 R&B

30. My Secret - November 1959 US 45-single on Mercury 71538, A-side 

31. Harbor Lights - 1960 US LP "Reflections" on Mercury SR 60160 in Stereo 

32. To Each His Own - October 1960 US 45-single on Mercury 71697, A-side 

33. I'll Never Smile Again - July 1961 US 45-single on Mercury 71847, A-side

The 36-page booklet is attached to the inside of the fetching gatefold card digipak - the world's premier archivist on R&B and Vocal Groups BILL DAHL providing Page 3 to 27 - a detailed history of this most famous of groups. 'The Mercury Discography' is put together by other famous names associated with the genres - WALTER DeVENNE, (Bear Family's) RICHARD WEIZE and LAURENCE ZWISOHN. In-between Dahl's classy storytelling there are black and white photos of our five-piece heroes holding all manner of awards including the 'Cash Box' award for sales of "The Great Pretender" in 1958. Not surprisingly the most recognisable element of The Platters - Tony Williams and his gorgeous Nat King Cole velvet sets of pipes - gets a publicity shot on Page 5 while the classic line-up smile for us on Page 11 - Herb Reed (Bass Vocals), Tony Williams (Lead Tenor Vocals), Zola Taylor (Lead Female Vocals), David Lynch (Tenor Vocals) and Paul Robi (Baritone Vocals). 

But the big news is that all tracks are the JURGEN CRASSER Remasters that turned on Bear Family's sumptuous 9CD LP-Sized Box Set "Four Platters And One Lovely Dish" in February 1994 (Bear Family BCD 15741 II - Barcode 4000127157416). These are beautifully clear and clean and I can't stress enough how it adds to the enjoyment of the listen. I know some will complain that at their not insubstantial prices, Bear really should have included the single mix everyone knows for "Twilight Time" and not the Stereo LP cut, and you can get all this stuff on a Universal Best Of CD for probably six quid or something (with a gatefold slip of paper as an inlay). But if you want the best, especially in the cause of exceptional audio, then reach for The Platters here first.

Even after all these decades, the sheer romance of this music hits home – Tony whooping up a tearful storm as you bath in the yesteryear innocence of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "The Great Pretender" and "You'll Never, Never Know". All that MONO is clear as a whistle too, so re-discoveries like "You're Making A Mistake" and "Glory Of Love" feel like eavesdropping on a different time and different place. The two early sides show why Tony made such a difference – his voice was pretty – comforting like buttered toast and scones – and you can hear the improvement by the time we reach the zenith years of 1955 and 1956 – that signature feel they got. 

"Only You (And You Alone)" has been covered by so many artists you might require a foolscap jotter to name them all, but here is the place to understand why they made so many hungry hearts smile and swoon... 

PS: in this Bear Family "Ballads" Series of CD Reissues - see also CHARLIE RICH