Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs had HUGE hits in 1965-66 with "Wooly Bully" and "Lil' Red Riding Hood." The popularity of the song "Wooly Bully" got them signed to the MGM, and these two original albums are the first albums that they released as a major label act. Highlights on these two albums include the above hits and "El Toro De Goro (The Peace Loving Bull)," "Hanky Panky," "Haunted House" and covers of songs written by Jackie Wilson ("I Found A Love") and Johnny "Guitar" Watson ("Gangster Of Love)."

2 LPs on 1 CD: LI'L RED RIDING HOOD (1966)/WOOLY BULLY (1965).

Recording information: 1965-1966.

This disc conveniently contains the first two albums by Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs, all you need (and practically all there is) from these zany Texas rockers. Domingo "Sam" Samudio and his merry men scored a smash in 1965 with the garage-rock classic "Wooly Bully," from the debut album of the same name. Curiously, WOOLY BULLY and its successor LI'L RED RIDING HOOD are presented here in reverse chronological order, but who cares? This is a generous helping of good-time rock & roll, completely free of pretense. Perennial party favorites, Sam & the Pharaohs worked up a zesty mix of R&B, Tex-Mex, and humorously unhinged frat-rock, spiced with an unabashed dollop of novelty appeal. What they lacked in originality ("Sorry 'Bout That" and "Pharaoh-A-Go-Go" are essentially "Wooly Bully" with different--or no--words, and "Little Miss Muffet" is "Li'l Red Riding Hood" with a different storybook setting) they more than made up for in exuberance, winning charm, and sheer rock & roll elbow grease.

Genre:

• Pop / Rock

Labels:

• Collectables Records

Music Categories:

• Rock & Pop: Psychedelic

Product Groupings:

• Clearance CDs
• Collectables Records - Audio CDs