And when I'm looking at your big blue eyes, I start a-floating round in paradise...

Oh boy. For the most part I adore British pop. There's a thousand arguments how the English music scene towers over American pop. This ain't it.

Shakin' Stevens (nee' Welshman Michael Barratt) was the biggest thing in the UK in the 80's. Yes. You never heard of him? Well, yes, if you're in America, where Stevens crossover was more dismal than Robbie Williams, and he has been considered a flop here so far. With one sole chart single in the US, not even making the top-40, some Americans may be surprised that at the height of the second "British Invasion", fifteen of his singles made the UK top-10. A dozen of those appear on his Hits of Shakin' Stevens collection, along with a few midsize hits and a bonus track.

The best way to describe Stevens' music is retro rock. Not like the Stray Cats, of the same time period. More like Sha-Na-Na retro. Happy Days with Pat Morita retro. American Graffiti 2 retro. Shiny, sanitized, and soulless, he's one step farther than Pat Boone's 60's recordings were. Mind you, his enthusiasm for his material occasionally succeeds, such as his versions of "Green Door" and "Cry Just A Little Bit" (with it's pre-"The Way She Makes Me Feel" beat). Also "You Drive Me Crazy" and "Oh Julie" (later covered for a top-40 hit by Barry Manilow) showed a bare glimmer of promise in kitsch; however in larger doses it becomes a bit pajama-party saccharine. Most of the rest taken together as a whole sound like outtakes from a forgotten Grease 2 sequel. There are karaoke remakes such as Rosemary Clooney's "This Ole House", Dorsey Burnette's "It's Late", and Brook Benton/Dinah Washington's "A Rockin' Good Way" (with Bonnie Tyler). And I do give him props for good ear for material, if not execution, such as Irma Thomas' "It's Raining", John Fred & The Playboys' "Shirley", and the Blasters' "Marie Marie". As for a compilation, even though it is packed with enough major UK hits, there are a few explainable omissions - of the three top-10 songs missing are the #1 "Happy Christmas Everyone" and anything from his EP that hit #2 including "Blue Christmas". Of course, unless its Christmas season, they won't be missed. All in all, The Hits of Shakin' Stevens is a campy curio, but not necessarily a hidden treasure. Though if you're collecting the hits of the UK in the 80's, you can't pass Mr. Barratt by. (and for you completists, there's a Hits Of Shakin' Stevens II).

Grade: D+
Best Cuts: "Oh Julie", "You Drive Me Crazy"
Weakest Links: "This Ole House", "Marie Marie", "Why Do You Treat Me This Way", "Shirley"

"This Ole House" hit #1 in the UK.
"You Drive Me Crazy" hit #2 in the UK.
"It's Late" made #11 in the UK.
"Green Door" made #1 in the UK.
"Teardrops" hit #5 in the UK
"Oh Julie" hit #1 in the UK.
"A Love Worth Waiting For" made #2 in the UK.
"I'll Be Satisfied" made #10 in the UK.
"Marie Marie" hit #19 in the UK.
"It's Raining hit #10 in the UK.
"Give Me Your Heart Tonight" made #11 in the UK.
"Shirley" made #6 in the UK.
"Cry Just A Little Bit" hit #67 pop and #13 adult contemporary in the US, and #2 in the UK.
"A Rockin' Good Way" hit #5 in the UK.
"A Letter To You" made #10 in the UK.

Listen: "Cry Just A Little Bit" [click here to listen]

Buy: You can pick up a copy of The Hits Of Shakin' Stevens at sites like here or here.

And here's some clips....very early MTV.

First, "This Ole House"...