Flower Power Time Life 10 CD set

As someone who was in his teens and twenties when these songs were released, they bring back memories of happy, carefree times before more adult responsibilities set in. I enjoy listening to about 75% of this collection, and considering the low cost per song (about 77 cents) this is a great buy. The liner notes for each of the five cases (2 discs per case) gives background not only about the songs but also about the societal changes that shaped many of these songs.

I do have a few complaints, though. The time length of each song is not listed, yet they found space for the artist, record label, and year published. In at least one case this omission is disturbing. Don McLean's American Pie fades away to an end at 4:09; the original recording was about 8:37. Call this one -- American Pie Lite. That alone makes this collection not one for purists.

It comes in a cardboard box that could use a clasp to keep the cover from flopping open, thus preventing one or more cases from falling out when stored upright.

Bought this for my hubby's 60th birthday...great gift for an "oldie but goodie"...he LOVES it and I enjoy it too!

Look, I love late 60's/early 70's rock music a lot. I love the friendly atmosphere, the songwriting talents, and the free spiritual creativity in the music. But I'm beginning to have a SERIOUS problem with these kind of boxsets and compilations.

It's just the same songs over and over again. It makes me sad to think there's so many record companies out there who want you to hear ALL these overplayed songs on one nice little collection, and while the songs are good, the musicians who made these songs deserve a LOT more respect than just having one or two of their big hits exposed. These musicians probably spent years creating music in an attempt to give us joy and happiness, and we deserve to give them an equal amount of respect by checking out some of their other, more official studio or live albums. NOT just the hit songs on a compilation. Here's some examples-

- The Moody Blues. They have seven classic albums, and each one is worth owning. Very consistently enjoyable albums they are.
- Canned Heat. A band that has a LOT more to offer than just one or two hits. Check out some of their live stuff to get a great experience.
- Seals & Crofts. These guys have a lot of beautifully-written and highly melodic songs that never became popular. Granted, some of their stuff is out of print, but some of their regular albums can be purchased here on amazon.
- Todd Rundgren. This guys is a creative genius- NOT a two or three-hit wonder kind of artist who does sugary ballads.
- Emerson, Lake and Palmer. These guys have a certain chemistry with the way they mix keyboard jams, unusual drumming and pretty vocals all together with some synthesizers thrown in for good measure.
- The Blues Image. Check out one of their first three albums to hear lots of melodic genius songwriting and neat electric guitar playing.
- Manfred Mann's Earth Band. These guys are *so* much better than "Blinded by the Light". That song stinks. A very diverse band.
- Norman Greenbaum. Please, check out some of his greatest hits albums to hear a really melodic songwriter. A one-hit wonder he most certainly is not.
- The Five Man Electrical Band. Again, check out their greatest hits album to hear hidden genius songwriting.
- The Zombies. A brilliant pop band that has a LOT of great songs besides "Time of the Season" all the darn time.
- Quicksilver Messenger Service. They can be a pop band one minute, and a hard rock band the next.
- Steppenwolf. Absolutely INSANE to think these guys have only two good songs. Check out Steppenwolf 7 for further proof.
- Jefferson Airplane. No WAY these guys were two-hit wonders. Check out, oh I don't know, ANYTHING they did!
- The Hollies. Some of the best harmonies ever made.
- Mott The Hoople. Again, consistently enjoyable glam rock/hard rock band. They had more than two hits people.
- Procol Harum. The most underrated pop band ever created. I love about seven or eight of their albums. Pick up at least one of them, such as A Salty Dog.

And the list goes on and on. Respect the older musicians please, and don't settle with just compilations. Just because you grew up with these songs *doesn't* mean they're the ONLY memories you need. You can start having memories again tomorrow, and spend the rest of your lives with NEW memories and fresh feelings to re-live again one day.

I got this CD set for my Husband's birthday. He loves it! He was there in the L.A. & Hollywood of the 60's and then to Vietnam on our Navy's river boats. He lived it all.
In his own words, This music brought back memories that are so powerful to a Vietnam Vet. I know the Flower Generation loved it as they sent their message of Love through the music and created the era with this music as it's spokesman. It also helped the guys who had to be in South East Asia to have something to hang on to. They listened to the music on the radio and the tapes of the day as it brought them back home for a little while. Some of the songs still have that special meaning of "shipmates" long gone now but it has the power to bring back wonderful memories that still make his throat tight.
No matter if you were a Hippie or a 19 year old sailor patroling the Rung Sat in a patrol boat, this music has it all for people who lived through those turbulent times in America's history. It's worth twice the price! Thanks Time Life.

it's a damned good start!

One hundred and seventy-five of the greatest hippy songs from the late-1960s and early-1970s will have you saying "I've heard this on the radio" numerous times and also loving the lesser-known songs.

The best part of this collection is the "Summer of Love" cd - twenty hits from 1967 that are among some of the greatest tunes in pop music history - one-hit wonder or not (and for not being born until nearly a decade after the Summer of Love, I knew almost every song!).

My only disappointment with this compliation is that it includes songs from the early-70s and that the same artists were featured a few times while others were not included (which, to me, suggests a bit of laziness on the part of Time Life. In the past, their compliations have included a wide array of singers and groups). From what I've read, the hippie movement was hanging on by the proverbial thread in the early-70s (thanks to Manson the Moron and the wonderful Rolling Stones' Altamonte escapade, effectively cancelling out the good Woodstock did in August), and the music of the early-70s just did not match the spirit of the late-60s (just my two cents).

In any case, it's great to have classics such as Canned Heat's "On the Road Again," Deep Purple's "Hush" (yes, from the early-70s!), and songs from The Yardbirds, The Spencer Davis Group, and Traffic in my music collection (the only thing missing was Steve Winwood's participation in the very short-lived mega-group Blind Faith). It's also a pleasure to hear anything by Spanky and Our Gang.

The five stars are for putting together so many songs in one collection and making some lesser-known songs available to the public, thereby giving those songs a second life. - Donna Di Giacomo