Demystifying the “Cruisin’” confusion: How a beloved 1970s nostalgia series split into two very different worlds: one authentic, and one accidentally hilarious
If you’ve ever listened to an early American Top 40:
Say, an episode within its first year :
You’ll notice that it included ready-to-air commercials. Some of those commercials hawked a record series called Cruisin.’
That series featured hits from a given year between 1955 and 1970, along with between-song patter from period-popular disc jockeys, vintage commercials and appropriate news headlines.
Like AT40, it was a Watermark production.
Series creator Ron Jacobs, the producer for most installments of those Cruisin’ LPs, also was involved in the creation of AT40 and the production of its premiere episode.
And if you own albums called Cruisin’, and the music is not from that time period?
Or they don’t feature comic-book-style cover illustrations from artist Mike Royer?
They’re from a completely different series with the same title.
Canadian label Ruby Records Limited – not to be confused with a U.S. label called Ruby Records – launched its own Cruisin’ collection in the early 1980s.
Instead of drawings, its covers featured photos of period cars and models whose cheesecake poses might be better described as cheesy.
These were cut-rate products best bought to fill gaps in a record collection. And that’s why I bought Cruisin’ 1968, 1973 and 1975. What I didn’t know at the time was there was a reason many songs were listed on the back covers with an asterisk.
Though Ruby Records Ltd. touted the albums as the work of the original artists, tracks that lacked the asterisk were re-recordings, often inferior to the singles.
This is most apparent on Cruisin’ 1968, where all ten of the tracks are re-recordings.
Some are quite close to the singles, including Archie Bell and the Drells’ “Tighten Up,” B.J. Thomas’ “Hooked on a Feeling” and Mary Hopkin’s “There Were the Days.”
But others – notably:
- The Grass Roots’ “Midnight Confessions”
- The Association’s “Never My Love”
- And The Turtles’ “Happy Together” – lack the snap of the originals.
And no matter whether it’s original or re-recording, it’s impossible to listen to Gary Puckett and the Union Gap’s “Young Girl” without feeling queasy.
By the 1973 volume, a greater proportion of original recordings were used. The increase in quality is evident.
Of the re-recordings, the only one that is truly unfortunate is Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away.” B.W. Stevenson, Canada’s own Edward Bear, and Vicki Lawrence (on the credits misspelled as “Vickie”) fare better.
Of the six songs featured in their original records, all are good to great:
With the best being the one-two punch of New York City’s “I’m Doin’ Fine Now,”
And Gladys Knight and the Pips’ “Midnight Train to Georgia.”
Indeed, it’s a pleasure to hear a version of the latter that doesn’t fade out until the end, as Gladys vamps, “my man/his girl…”
By 1975, the re-recordings almost disappear (only two of the ten tracks). They’re the first two.
It’s almost hard to tell with Austin Roberts’ “Rocky,” a song that is memorably cheesy no matter what version you’re hearing.
The real oddity is the selection of “How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You.)” It’s neither the 1975 hit version by James Taylor, nor the 1964 by Marvin Gaye.
Instead, it’s a recording by Sam & Dave.
It’s not horrible, but it does feel dated.
The 1975 album has three hits from 1976 (one, a track from 1973 that hit the Top 10 three years later).
All three :
- The Manhattans’ “Kiss and Say Goodbye”
- Aerosmith’s “Dream On”
- And Lou Rawls’ “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine”
– are the full-length album versions rather than the trimmed singles.
“Kiss and Say Goodbye” benefits the most, to my ears. I know there are some who find the edit of “Dream On” particularly annoying and would appreciate this full-length version.
So, with the caveats that “original artists” may not mean “original recordings,” you might find something to like in the Canadian Cruisin’ collection.
Just watch for the asterisks.
Top-shelf:
From 1973:
- “Midnight Train to Georgia”
- I’m Doin’ Fine Now”
- David Essex’s “Rock On”
- The O’Jays’ “Love Train“
- Loggins and Messina’s “Your Mama Don’t Dance”
From 1975:
- Michael Murphey’s “Wildfire” (even though it’s the single version)
- And all of side two:
The Manhattans, Aerosmith, Rawls, Freddy Fender’s “Before the Last Teardrop Falls” and Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” (here, miscredited to Patti Labelle).
Decent:
Most of the 1968 re-recordings.
From 1973:
- The re-recordings of B.W. Stevenson’s “My Maria“
- Edward Bear’s “Last Song”
- And Vicki Lawrence’s “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia”
- As well as the original of Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show’s “Cover of the ‘Rolling Stone.’”
From 1975:
- Willie Nelson’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.”
Yuck:
- “Young Girl.” No matter what version.
- The re-recordings of the Classics IV “Stormy” and the Vogues’ “Turn Around, Look at Me” render already soft songs lifeless.
- And the re-recording of Dobie Gray’s otherwise classic “Drift Away,”
Question marks:
- I really have to be in a nostalgic mood to listen to either Austin Roberts’ “Rocky” or Morris Albert’s “Feelings.”
Hearing both of them bracketing the odd Sam & Dave remake is pushing my tolerance.
Which tracks might prompt you to buy a Cruisin’ collection? Which wouldn’t?
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