One Hit Wonders

I highly recommend this CD to lovers of soft rock. The music contained here is soothing, relaxing, and will be a pleasant trip down memory lane to many.


"Tin Soldier" is NOT the hit version.   January 23, 2006
M. Doane (Boston, MA United States)
34 out of 34 found this review helpful

The earlier reviewer was correct in noting that the version of "Tin Soldier" here is NOT the original hit version. The hit version was originally released on Warner Brothers 7509 (45 RPM Record) in 1971 and reissued by Warner Brothers 0101 (45 RPM Record) at the very end of 1973. The version here is a new and different recording which was released on MGM 14308 earlier in 1973.


Hey not "98.6" but worth owning!   June 23, 2007
Craig Fenton (Airplaneville, New Jersey)
18 out of 18 found this review helpful

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.

It is inexcusable that the powers that be behind the CD release of "One Hit Wonders" could take a 5 Star idea and turn it into ***.

The first and not as egregious as the second error is the total playing time. With a myriad of great tunes left off the release they could have given 12-14 tracks. To think a CD holds 80 minutes and not even half is full!

As two other fine reviews stated previously (M.Doane and Jonathan Schult) the legendary "One Tin Soldier (The Legend Of Billy Jack)" by Coven is not the version the listener is in tune with. It is both misleading and disgraceful.

This sort of thing was taken one step further frequently in Europe in the late 1960's and early 1970's by offering discount compilation of hits but the original recordings were not used. Hired studio musicians performed the tunes!

The majority of news here is good. "Reflections Of My Life - The Marmalade" is one of the finest and most intense lyrical compositions ever. You could make a case that as long as its contents are found here anything else is gravy.

"Come On Down To My Boat" - Every Mother's Son reminds us older folks of the great summers past. The first note takes you back to a simpler world. We didn't have the internet or even calculators but we did have some amazing rock and roll radio.

"98.6" - Keith may be the most underrated tune on the CD. Although simplistic in its arrangement, something sticks in the brain from the initial listening.

"Monster Mash" - Bobby Pickett is a staple of every Halloween. People were laughing then and still are now, but we are still enjoying the song.

Ten solid tracks and only a couple of gripes. Not bad.


Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"




Not Coven's original   February 24, 2007
Jonathan W. Schult (Mass. Park, NY)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful

I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but the version of "One Tin Soldier" by Coven on this CD is not their original. The original Coven version was on Warner Brothers and charted in 1971 to # 26 on the Hot 100. This CD's version was a re-record (although arranged and conducted by the same person, Mundell Lowe) and released on MGM Records, and charted almost two full years later, to # 79. Five months later, the Warner single re-charted to # 73. Further, the Coven version (both, actually) are better and more impassioned than the Original Caste version, which suffers from an overstatement of "mellow". The Warner's version of "One Tin Soldier" is available on volume 7 of Rhino's "Have A Nice Day: Super Hits of the 70s"


ORIGINAL CASTE's   August 6, 2006
HUGO (HOUSTON, TEXAS United States)
12 out of 15 found this review helpful

For all the hoopla and erroneous credit the band "Coven" got in the early 70's for their much latter version, they did not release the 1st and original hit version of "ONE TIN SOLDIER". It was recorded and issued in 1969 by a Canadian group, THE ORIGINAL CASTE, and it was they who actually recorded the more definitive, superior and memorable version still played on Oldies radio stations to this day. This has caused much confusion with music fans of the song over the years. Coven recorded a "cover version" of the song which was used by Warner Brothers for their "BILLY JACK" movie at the time, as it made sense to use a band's version that was also signed to the label, therefore Coven recieved the lion's share exposure/promotion twice over for "ONE TIN SOLDIER", but their scaled down smaller band version is actually the weaker of the two. THE ORIGINAL CASTE version is more orchestrated and well balanced around Dixie's up front and centered impassioned vocal affair by far. The ORIGINAL CASTE was started as the "North Country Singers" in 1966. They changed their name to "The Original Caste" in 1969. It was a group of five people with the married couple of Bruce and Dixie Lee Innes at its core.
At first,they released two singles through DOT records, with little success. In 1969,they signed contract with the T.A. Records division of Bell Records. The single "ONE TIN SOLDIER"[composed by Lambert/Potter] and the album of same title were released.It has become a highly coveted collector's item.
They were produced by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter who became the celebrated lead songwriters/producers at Dunhill Records as they churned out hit after charting hit with various recording artists in the late 60's and throughout the first half of the 70's decade. The ORIGINAL CASTE's group leader, Bruce composed several excellent and fully loaded pop songs found on their debut album.
Title song "One Tin Soldier"[Bell/TA-186] was more popular in U.S.A.(No.34/Billboard Chart; 1969)than their next single "Mr. Monday", yet, both hit #1 in their native Canada and Japan, respectively. Many cover versions of "One Tin Soldier" had been issued subsequently. Especially, Coven made this tune appear to the US charts four times and it was used for the Original Sound Track of the Warner's Movie named "Billy Jack". The music director of this movie's soundtrack wanted to use the original version by THE ORIGINAL CASTE, but the episode was that The Coven, signed band of The Warner Records, was in haste chosen because of the movie and record company's relationship.
Bruce, Dixie & The ORIGINAL CASTE's recording era/career continued in various forms as a group and solo[Dixie]recordings for about eight years[1968-74]and the final album "Back Home"[issued 1974] was left after their original member's group were dissolved in 1972. Dixie & Bruce continued to tour with various new members until 1980.
Dixie Lee lives in British Columbia, state of Canada. Bruce resides in Sun Valley, Idaho, and keeps his music career alive by playing his inspiring folk music in local concerts, issuing his independent label recordings and also tours with an all new line up of THE ORIGINAL CASTE, circa 2005. In 2000 he discovered singer Cheryl Morrell, which led to reforming The Original Caste along with long time Original Caste bandmate Gary Carlson.
A Japanese Import reissue Cd of the ORIGINAL CASTE's first album, "ONE TIN SOLDIER", is available at www.amazon.com - I hope this finally clears up all the confusion.