Complete Releases 1953-62 (CD) – The Drifters

The Drifters were one of the most successful and enduring groups on the R&B and soul scene, re-inventing themselves in different line-ups over the years to enjoy a lengthy chart career. This 71-track 3-CD collection focuses on the first decade of that career, when the group initially featured Clyde McPhatter as lead singer, before he embarked on a solo career, and the group went through several incarnations before Ben E. King became the featured vocalist during the latter years of the period covered. It comprises every record they released during that time, on which The Drifters received a label credit or on which they certainly performed (as on three titles released as Clyde McPhatter solo singles) – it also features a couple of rarities done under other names by Drifters line-ups. It includes 28 US chart entries, with 23 R&B hits, five of them No. 1s, as well as 19 pop hits, and naturally features classics like “Money Honey”, “Dance With Me”, “Save The Last Dance For Me”, “When My Little Girl Is Smiling” and “Up On The Roof”. It provides a comprehensive, definitive, and thoroughly entertaining overview of the important formative years of one of R&B’s great vocal groups.

Track List

1. Money Honey Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
2. The Way I Feel Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
3. Politica Night McPhatter Clyde and the Drifters
4. Lucille Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
5. The Drifters Honey Love Feat. Clyde McPhatter
6. Warm Your Heart the Drifters Feat. Clyde McPhatter
7. Oh What a Dream Ruth Brown ; Her Rhythmakers
8. Please Do Not Freeze Ruth Brown ; Her Rhythmakers
9. Bip Bam the Drifters Feat. Clyde McPhatter
10. Someday You’ll Want Me to Want You the Drifters Feat
11. Somebody Touched Me Ruth Brown ; Her Rhythmakers
12. White Christmas the Drifters Feat. Clyde McPhatter and Bill
13. The Bells of St. Mary’s the Drifters Feat. Clyde McPhatter (
14. What’cha Gonna Do? Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters (Atlantic
15. Gone Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters (Atlantic 1055) 1955
16. Everyone’s Laughing Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters (Atlantic
17. Hot Ziggety Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters (1070 Atlantic)
18. Adorable (Atlantic 1078) 1955
19. Steamboat (Atlantic 1078) 1955
20. Old Man River Ruth Brown ; Her Rhythmakers (Atlantic 1082) 1
21. Ruby Baby (Atlantic 1089) 1956
22. Your Promised to Be Me (Atlantic 1089) 1956
23. Soldier of Fortune (1101 Atlantic) 1956
24. I Gotta Get Myself a Woman (Atlantic 1101) 1956
25. Fools Fall in Love 1957
26. It Was a Tear 1957
27. Hypnotized 1957
28. Drifting Away from You 1957
29. I Know 1957
30. Yodee Yake 1957
31. Drip Drop 1958
32. Moonlight Bay 1958
33. There Goes My Baby 1959
34. Oh My Love 1959
35. Try Try Baby Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
36. There You Go Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
37. Dance with Me 1959
38. (If You Cry) True Love True Love 1959
39. Do Not Dog Me McPhatter Clyde and the Drifters
40. This Magic Moment 1960
41. Baltimore 1960
42. Let the Boogie Woogie Roll Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
43. Lonely Winds 1960
44. Hey Senorita 1960
45. Save the Last Dance for Me 1960
46. Nobody But Me 1960
47. I Count the Tears 1960
48. Suddenly There’s a Valley 1960
49. My Lady Sadie 1960
50. Honky Tonky 1960
51. Souvenirs 1960
52. Some Kind of Wonderful 1961
53. Honey Bee 1961
54. Please Stay 1961
55. No Sweet Lovin ‘ 5) 1961
56. Sweets for My Sweet 1961
57. Loneliness or Happiness (Atlantic 2117) 1961
58. Room Full of Tears (Atlantic 2127) 1961
59. Somebody New Dancin ‘With You 1961
60. When My Little Girl Is Smiling 1962
61. Mexican Divorce 1962
62. Stranger on the Shore 1962
63. What to Do () 1962
64. Sometimes I Wonder 1962
65. Jackpot 1962
66. Up on the Roof 1962
67. Another Night with the Boys 1962
68. Gee Harmony Grits (Bill Pinkney’s Original Drifters) (End January
69. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town Harmony Grits (Bill Pinkney’s
70. Chew Tobacco Rag Johnny Darrow (With the Original Drifters)
71. The Spider Walk Johnny Darrow (With the Original Drifters)