The Dixie Cups: Rosa Hawkins, Barbara Hawkins, Joan Marie Johnson.
Includes liner notes by Mark Marymont.
Collectables doesn't have the best reputation in collectors' circles, as many of their early releases were rather shoddy and poor sounding. However, 1999's The Very Best of the Dixie Cups: Chapel of Love is not only an excellent compilation -- with outstanding sound and informative, well-designed liner notes -- it's probably the best single-disc Dixie Cups compilation available. Containing both sides of all five of the group's charting singles alongside other worthy tunes and two previously unreleased bonus tracks (a negligible alternate take of the minor hit "People Say" and an outstanding a cappella version of the spooky classic "Iko Iko" that shows off the girls' New Orleans roots to their best advantage), the album is thorough without getting bogged down in arcane. All but three tracks are in stereo, a great improvement over the sometimes-muddy mono mixes found on many budget compilations, and Chapel of Love: The Very Best of the Dixie Cups should be useful both for devoted fans and casual listeners who want to own the classic title track. ~ Stewart Mason

• Released: 2/2/1999
• Format: CD
• Genre: Rock