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Various Artists

On The Dancefloor With A Bop! - 36 Tunes To Bop The Blues Away!

Review by Gary Hill

This various hits collection is pretty effective. While there are some tracks that have some different leanings, overall this is old-school rock and roll. I have to admit that by the time I got through this I was a little sick of the word, "bop," but that comes with the territory. I should mention that several of the track reviews here were taken from earlier reviews for the sake of consistency as these same tracks were on those other albums.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023  Volume 5 More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

Track by Track Review
Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps - Dance To The Bop
I love the killer rocking groove on this tune. It's a lot of fun.
Billy Prager & His Caravans - Do It Bop

The sound quality on this isn't as good as that on the opener. This is packed full of energy, though. The instrumental jamming is positively on fire. The vocal line doesn't win me over quite as well, though.  

Al Ferrier & His Bopping Billies - Let's Go Bopping Tonight
Another fun rock and roller, this has some hints of rockabilly. I dig the guitar solo quite a bit.     
Billy Harlan - I Wanna Bop
The guitar sound on this is meaner, and this rocker is all the better for it. I like the piano work, too.
Macy Skipper - Bop Pills
I'm not crazy about the doo wop styled vocals. This old-time rock and roller is a step down for me. I do like the drumming on it, though.
Bill Hayes - Bop Boy
Now, this is more like it. The guitar riffing at the start of this is mean and tasty. The cut works out to a bouncing kind of groove that is all classy rock and roll. That guitar really screams at times on here.
Ronnie Pearson - She Bops A Lot
To some degree the piano steals this one. It's another high energy, old-school rock and roller that works well.
Dub Dickerson - Boppin' In The Dark
There is more of a rockabilly angle to this cut. It's not as strong as some of the rest for me. Still, it has its moments. The main one for me is the guitar solo.
Doug Amerson & His Dude Cowboys - Bop, Man, Bop
Another that's not among my favorites, this has a good energy. I like piano and violin solos. I'm not as crazy about the vocal arrangement, though.         
Wanda Jackson - Honey Bop
It's a bouncy groove that is so much fun. It's also very unusual.
Vern Pullens - Bop, Crazy Baby
Rockabilly is on the menu here. This has a good energy and some style, but it's not among my favorites here.
Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps - Bluejean Bop
This is another fun romp. It starts less intense and works into more rocking zones from there.
Don Willis - Boppin' High School Baby
Echoey sounds are on the menu here. This works pretty well, but it's mainly successful for the variety it brings.
King Victor- Boppin' Bobbie Jean
I really dig the old-time rock and roll groove on this. I'm not as taken with the backing vocals. The are two doo-wop for my tastes. I really like the guitar solo, though.
Leroy & The Continentals - Continental Bop
Not a big change from a lot of the rest here, this manages to work well, anyway.           
Eddie Bond & The Stompers - Boppin' Bonnie
There is some killer guitar work on this number. It has a great swinging groove, too.         
Jack Earls & The Jimbos - Let's Bop (take 3)
The guitar sound on this is unusual and quite classy. I am not a fan of the tune as a whole, though. It's not the worst thing here, but it's certainly not among the best.
Sidney Jo Lewis - Boppin' To Grandfather's Clock
Echoey vocals lend an usual air to this cut. The musical arrangement is stripped down. This is a little strange, but also pretty cool. It brings some definite variety, too.      
Mike Fern & The Del Royals Orchestra - A-Bomp Bop
Screaming vocals get things going here. The track fires out from there with an arrangement that's based on powerhouse rock and roll mixed with jazz elements.
Paul Anthony - Bop! Bop! Bop!
More mainstream old-school rock and roll, I think the saxophone solo on this thing really elevates it.  
Little Jimmy Dempsey - Bop Hop
Rockabilly and rock and roll merge on this high energy tune. It's a lot of fun.   
The Jodimars - Dancin' The Bop
I like this one a lot. It has a good energy and groove to it. The vocal arrangement works particularly well, and the saxophone brings something special.
Alvadean Coker & The Cokers - We're Gonna Bop
There is a real down-home country angle to this cut. It's definitely not one that works all that well for me.
Brad Suggs & The Swingsters - Bop Baby Bop
More vintage rock and roll, this is definitely a step up from the last tune.
Edwin Bruce - Rock Boppin' Baby
There is a mysterious, dramatic element to the start of this that really serves it well. This is an old-school rock and roller that works so well. It's one of my favorites here.
Carl Perkins - Boppin' The Blues
Classy old-time rock and roll is on the menu here. Carl Perkins is a legend, so it should be no surprise that this is a highlight of the set.   
Bash Hofner & The Perl Wranglers - Rockin' And A-Boppin'
With some jazz in the mix, particularly on the guitar solo, this is another strong tune. It's an old-school rock and roller, but you probably figured that.
The Rock-A-Teens - Lotta Boppin'
Another winner, this is the kind of thing the Stray Cats made a living doing years later. In fact, this sounds quite a bit like them to me.   
Ray Scott & The Four Recorders - Bopping Wig Wam Willie
Northing all that special, this is a pretty standard rock and roller.      
Alvis Wayne - Swing Bop Boogie
With more country music in the mix, this works pretty well. It's not a highlight, but not the worst thing here, either. There is some weird warbly texture to some of this. It does include some cool guitar work.
Larry & His Rocking Montclairs - Crazy Bop
This driving instrumental jam is on fire. It has a lot of jazz in the mix. The only real problem is that the recording isn't the best here. Still, as fiery as this cut is, that's a fairly minor complaint.        
Lew Williams - Bop Bop Ba Doo Bop (Classroom Hop)
This is a fun, high energy rocker. It's one of the stronger tunes here.
Brenda Lee - Rock The Bop
This bluesy rock and roller is solid stuff.      
Simon Crum - Bop Cat Bop
Another with plenty of jazz in the mix, this has some killer horn work.
Bop Street - Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps
With a little skit at the start of the tune, this has a little balladic bit before it launches into the rocking jam from there. While not one of my favorites, this works pretty well.
The Tune Rockers - No Stoppin' This Boppin'
The closer is an energized number.

 

 

 
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