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Ritchie Valens - Come On, Let's Go (1959)

Track listing:
Volume 1
  1. That's My Little Suzie 1:52
  2. In a Turkish Town 2:17
  3. Come on, Let's Go 2:01
  4. Donna 2:30
  5. Boney Maroney 2:46
  6. Ooh! My Head 1:48
  7. La Bamba 2:08
  8. Bluebirds over the Mountain 1:46
  9. Hi-Tone 2:06
  10. Framed 2:13
  11. We Belong Together 1:57
  12. Dooby Dooby Wah 1:56
  13. Stay Beside Me 2:22
  14. Cry Cry Cry 2:14
  15. Big Baby Blues 1:55
  16. Paddi-Wack Song 2:24
  17. My Darling Is Gone 2:36
  18. Hurry Up 1:51
  19. Little Girl 2:21
  20. Now You're Gone 2:56
  21. Fast Freight 2:00
  22. Ritchie's Blues 1:31
  23. Rockin' All Night 2:23
  24. Cry Cry Cry (With Claves) 2:49
  25. That's My Little Suzie (Stereo) 2:00
  26. La Bamba (Stereo) 2:05
Volume 2
  1. We Belong Together 2:23
  2. Come on, Let's Go 2:17
  3. In a Turkish Town 2:09
  4. Dooby Dooby Wah 2:25
  5. Ritchie's Blues 1:37
  6. Bluebirds over the Mountain 1:01
  7. Blues With Drums 2:59
  8. I Got a Gal Named Sue 2:49
  9. Donna 1:50
  10. Blues Instrumental 2:21
  11. Cry Cry Cry 2:54
  12. Stay Beside Me 2:40
  13. Malaguena 2:15
  14. Blue Slow 3:06
  15. In a Turkish Town (Mono) 3:36
  16. Bluebirds over the Mountain (Mono) 2:44
  17. Cry Cry Cry (Mono) 3:08
Volume 3
  1. Bob Keane Intro (Side 1) 1:57
  2. Come on, Let's Go 3:20
  3. Donna 3:05
  4. Summertime Blues 2:58
  5. From Beyond 3:55
  6. La Bamba 4:36
  7. Bob Keane Intro (Side 2) 0:20
  8. Rhythm Song 1:15
  9. Guitar Instrumental 1:56
  10. Malaguena 3:24
  11. Rock Little Darlin' 1:29
  12. Let's Rock & Roll 1:48
  13. Cry Cry Cry (Take 2) 2:03
  14. Donna (Take 1) 1:54
  15. Dooby Dooby Wah 3:57
  16. That's My Little Suzie 2:28
  17. Ooh! My Soul (Early Test Fragment) 0:45
  18. La Bamba (Band Track) 4:18
  19. Donna Commercial 1:38

Notes


Considering Valens died about seven months after his first recording session, it's amazing that enough material exists to piece together a three-CD, 62-song box set. It's also amazing that, despite a fair amount of inevitable filler, it's truly a worthwhile collection, recommended to anyone with a deep interest in '50s rock. Besides everything from his two LPs and the In Concert at Pacoima Jr. High set (which was actually only half live, anyway), there're a couple dozen home demos and studio outtakes; these are fragmentary and unpolished compared to the official stuff, but the enormous heart in his singing and guitar playing always shines through. While serious collectors probably already have most or all of this, it's never been packaged so thoroughly and thoughtfully: The 64-page booklet includes a long biographical essay and lots of photos, and a 12-page supplemental insert gives more technical notes about the recordings and session musicians.