AMG Review of Greatest Hits: Still Squeaky After All These Years [Bonus Tracks]

All Music Guide

Building off of Alvin and the Chipmunks' 1999 release Greatest Hits: Still Squeaky After All These Years, this 2008 update complements the original CD with a dozen selections from its late -'90s predecessor for a total of 26 vintage slices of innocuous pop novelty kitsch. The vari-speed borne Alvin, Simon, and Theodore were all alter egos of multimedia mastermind Ross Bagdasarian. The inspiration for the names of the adolescent rodent cut-ups were actually derived from Liberty Records' personnel Al Bennett (Alvin), Si Waronker (Simon), and recording engineer Ted Keep (Theodore). Bagdasarian kept himself in the mix as their keeper and tether to the "real" world in his role as bachelor father to the trio. Counting their perpetually popular two volumes of seasonal cheer on Christmas with the Chipmunks, altogether there were 12 full-length LPs credited to the combo between 1958 and 1969, three of which landed in the charts. Typically, each LP would gather familiar pop, folk, and even a few rock & roll numbers and infuse them with a sense of carefree fun. This anthology gathers all the Top 40 entries "Ragtime Cowboy Joe," "Alvin's Harmonica," "Alvin's Orchestra," the 'chipmunk' re-recording of "Witch Doctor," and the holiday hit "Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)." Otherwise the nearly hour-long contents contain an above-average to excellent sampling of deeper album material that has not been featured on the various and sundry budget-line packages. Key among them are "Chipmunk Fun," "Whistle While You Work," and "If You Love Me (Alouette)," from their debut Let's All Sing with the Chipmunks (1959). The follow-up album from 1960 yields"Sing Again with the Chipmunks," "Coming 'Round the Mountain," "Sing a Goofy Song," "I Wish I Had a Horse," and the aforementioned "Alvin's Orchestra." "Japanese Banana" and "I Wish I Could Speak French" represent the multicultural Around the World with the Chipmunks (1961). "Chipmunk Fun" as well as the "Alvin Show Theme (Opening)" and closing "Alvin Show Theme (Tag)" are fun reminders of the #Alvin Show animated series that aired as a Wednesday night prime-time television series for 11 months (October 14, 1961 through September 12, 1962) on CBS-TV. The Chipmunks Songbook (1962) is the source for "The Alvin Twist" and "America the Beautiful," while the Fab Four remakes of "Can't Buy Me Love" and "She Loves You" can also be found on Chipmunks Sing the Beatles Hits (1964). The tunes "Do-Re-Mi" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" are from the rarer Chipmunks Sing with Children (1965), spotlighting the Jimmy Joyce Singers as the young voices in question. The sole representative of the ultra-hip Chipmunks a Go-Go (1965) is "I'm Henry the VIII, I Am." Likewise "Talk to the Animals" marks the only song off of The Chipmunks See Doctor Dolittle (1968). The last record to have been made by the senior Bagdasarian -- who passed away in 1972 -- was a gathering of cinematic music aptly monikered Chipmunks at the Movies (1969). Lastly, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" -- which first surfaced on the aforementioned Chipmunks Sing with Children -- should not be missed. All said, Still Squeaky..., Rovi