The Drifters were one of the most successful and enduring groups on the R&B and soul scene, re-inventing themselves in different line-ups over the years to enjoy a lengthy chart career. This 71-track 3-CD collection focuses on the first decade of that career, when the group initially featured Clyde McPhatter as lead singer, before he embarked on a solo career, and the group went through several incarnations before Ben E. King became the featured vocalist during the latter years of the period covered. It comprises every record they released during that time, on which The Drifters received a label credit or on which they certainly performed (as on three titles released as Clyde McPhatter solo singles) - it also features a couple of rarities done under other names by Drifters line-ups. It includes 28 US chart entries, with 23 R&B hits, five of them No. 1s, as well as 19 pop hits, and naturally features classics like "Money Honey", "Dance With Me", "Save The Last Dance For Me", "When My Little Girl Is Smiling" and "Up On The Roof". It provides a comprehensive, definitive, and thoroughly entertaining overview of the important formative years of one of R&B's great vocal groups.
- Money Honey Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
- The Way I Feel Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
- Politica Night McPhatter Clyde and the Drifters
- Lucille Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
- The Drifters Honey Love Feat. Clyde McPhatter
- Warm Your Heart the Drifters Feat. Clyde McPhatter
- Oh What a Dream Ruth Brown & Her Rhythmakers
- Please Do Not Freeze Ruth Brown & Her Rhythmakers
- Bip Bam the Drifters Feat. Clyde McPhatter
- Someday You'll Want Me to Want You the Drifters Feat
- Somebody Touched Me Ruth Brown & Her Rhythmakers
- White Christmas the Drifters Feat. Clyde McPhatter and Bill
- The Bells of St. Mary's the Drifters Feat. Clyde McPhatter (
- What'cha Gonna Do? Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters (Atlantic
- Gone Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters (Atlantic 1055) 1955
- Everyone's Laughing Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters (Atlantic
- Hot Ziggety Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters (1070 Atlantic)
- Adorable (Atlantic 1078) 1955
- Steamboat (Atlantic 1078) 1955
- Old Man River Ruth Brown & Her Rhythmakers (Atlantic 1082) 1
- Ruby Baby (Atlantic 1089) 1956
- Your Promised to Be Me (Atlantic 1089) 1956
- Soldier of Fortune (1101 Atlantic) 1956
- I Gotta Get Myself a Woman (Atlantic 1101) 1956
- Fools Fall in Love <> 1957
- It Was a Tear <> 1957
- Hypnotized <> 1957
- Drifting Away from You <> 1957
- I Know <> 1957
- Yodee Yake <> 1957
- Drip Drop <> 1958
- Moonlight Bay <> 1958
- There Goes My Baby <> 1959
- Oh My Love <> 1959
- Try Try Baby Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
- There You Go Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
- Dance with Me <> 1959
- (If You Cry) True Love, True Love <> 1959
- Do Not Dog Me McPhatter Clyde and the Drifters
- This Magic Moment <> 1960
- Baltimore <> 1960
- Let the Boogie Woogie Roll Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters
- Lonely Winds <> 1960
- Hey Senorita <> 1960
- Save the Last Dance for Me <> 1960
- Nobody But Me <> 1960
- I Count the Tears <> 1960
- Suddenly There's a Valley <> 1960
- My Lady Sadie <> 1960
- Honky Tonky <> 1960
- Souvenirs <> 1960
- Some Kind of Wonderful <> 1961
- Honey Bee <> 1961
- Please Stay <> 1961
- No Sweet Lovin ' <> 5) 1961
- Sweets for My Sweet <> 1961
- Loneliness or Happiness (Atlantic 2117) 1961
- Room Full of Tears (Atlantic 2127) 1961
- Somebody New Dancin 'With You <> 1961
- When My Little Girl Is Smiling <> 1962
- Mexican Divorce <> 1962
- Stranger on the Shore <> 1962
- What to Do (<>) 1962
- Sometimes I Wonder <> 1962
- Jackpot <> 1962
- Up on the Roof <> 1962
- Another Night with the Boys <> 1962
- Gee Harmony Grits (Bill Pinkney's Original Drifters) (End January
- Santa Claus Is Coming to Town Harmony Grits (Bill Pinkney's
- Chew Tobacco Rag Johnny Darrow (With the Original Drifters)
- The Spider Walk Johnny Darrow (With the Original Drifters)