Them
The Story Of Them Featuring Van Morrison
Label ©  Deram
Release Year  1997
Length  2:24:41
Genre  Rock
Personal Star Rating [1-5]  
  Ref#  T-0175
Bitrate  ~186 Kbps
  Other  
  Info  
    Track Listing:
      CD1:
      1.  
      		 The Story Of Them (Parts 1 & 2)  
       7:20  
      2.  
      		 Don't Start Crying Now  
       2:05  
      3.  
      		 Gloria  
       2:38  
      4.  
      		 Philosophy  
       2:37  
      5.  
      		 One Two Brown Eyes  
       2:35  
      6.  
      		 Baby Please Don't Go  
       2:41  
      7.  
      		 Here Comes The Night  
       2:47  
      8.  
      		 All For Myself  
       2:48  
      9.  
      		 One More Time  
       2:49  
      10.  
      		 Little Girl  
       2:26  
      11.  
      		 I Gave My Love A Diamond  
       2:50  
      12.  
      		 Go On Home Baby  
       2:33  
      13.  
      		 My Little Baby  
       2:02  
      14.  
      		 Mystic Eyes  
       2:43  
      15.  
      		 Don't Look Back  
       3:23  
      16.  
      		 If You And I Could Be As Two  
       2:53  
      17.  
      		 I Like It Like That  
       3:18  
      18.  
      		 I'm Gonna Dress In Black  
       3:31  
      19.  
      		 (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66  
       2:25  
      20.  
      		 Just A Little Bit  
       2:22  
      21.  
      		 You Just Can't Win  
       2:21  
      22.  
      		 Bright Lights, Big City  
       2:31  
      23.  
      		 Baby What You Want Me To Do  
       3:29  
      24.  
      		 I'm Gonna Dress In Black (Alternate Mix)  
       3:36  
      25.  
      		 One More Time (Alternate Stereo Mix)  
       2:48  
      26.  
      		 Little Girl (Alternate Version)  
       2:48  
      CD2:
      1.  
      		 The Story Of Them (Parts 1 & 2)  
       3:38  
      2.  
      		 Don't Start Crying Now  
       3:02  
      3.  
      		 Gloria  
       2:32  
      4.  
      		 Philosophy  
       2:21  
      5.  
      		 One Two Brown Eyes  
       2:21  
      6.  
      		 Baby Please Don't Go  
       2:37  
      7.  
      		 Here Comes The Night  
       3:14  
      8.  
      		 All For Myself  
       2:23  
      9.  
      		 One More Time  
       3:50  
      10.  
      		 Little Girl  
       2:09  
      11.  
      		 I Gave My Love A Diamond  
       2:06  
      12.  
      		 Go On Home Baby  
       2:25  
      13.  
      		 My Little Baby  
       3:03  
      14.  
      		 Mystic Eyes  
       3:43  
      15.  
      		 Don't Look Back  
       2:15  
      16.  
      		 If You And I Could Be As Two  
       2:42  
      17.  
      		 I Like It Like That  
       3:29  
      18.  
      		 I'm Gonna Dress In Black  
       2:45  
      19.  
      		 (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66  
       2:31  
      20.  
      		 Just A Little Bit  
       2:42  
      21.  
      		 You Just Can't Win  
       3:10  
      22.  
      		 Bright Lights, Big City  
       3:15  
      23.  
      		 Baby What You Want Me To Do  
       3:49  
      24.  
      		 I'm Gonna Dress In Black (Alternate Mix)  
       2:20  
    Additional info: | top
      Unlike nearly all of their Brit Invasion brethren, there never was a Them reunion. For at least a couple of good reasons: Lead vocalist Van Morrison's fame as a solo artist quickly transcended the acclaim he earned as a bandleader. Then, too, Them didn't really have a solid, identifiable lineup to reanimate. The ever-in-flux Belfast-based ensemble nevertheless ranks with the Animals and the Rolling Stones as fine purveyors of bullish, non-American '60s rhythm and blues. The Story of Them is the definitive account of the short-lived outfit. Fifty remarkably consistent tracks are spread out over two discs, including R&B standards ("Stormy Monday," "Turn on Your Lovelight," "I Got a Woman") and Morrison originals that laid the groundwork for his early live repertoire ("Gloria," "Mystic Eyes"). Other highlights include a powerhouse version of "Baby Please Don't Go" (with Jimmy Page soloing), fearless takes on Bob Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" (Beck fans will recognize the sample that turns up on Odelay) and Paul Simon's "Richard Cory." Morrison's grown-up work is unassailable, but there's much to be said for what he accomplished as a snot-nosed rocker. --Steven Stolder

      Review by Bruce Eder
      Long-overdue double CD, collecting all but one of the 50 songs (only "Mighty Like a Rose" is missing) the legendary British blues band left behind in the English Decca and American London vaults. The sound is a significant improvement over prior reissues -- really loud, the way it was meant to be heard -- with little touches like "The Story of Them, Pts. 1 & 2" linked together. It doesn't follow chronological order of release, but the order is entertaining, with alternate takes (stereo single mixes, American single edits, etc.) broken up between the two discs. It would have been nice to have had recording dates and personnel, but considering the fact that the band's lineup, apart from Van Morrison and bassist Alan Henderson, seemed to change every month, it's conceivable that any session information would be suspect. And one wishes for a coherent essay on the history of the band to go with the spread of photographs of the different lineups that are reprinted here.
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