Them “Them (Historia de la Musica Rock)” 1982. No. 45 in the Spanish Historia de la Musica Rock, sold as a companion to a rock encyclopedia in the early 80s, one release every week, for about two years. Joe was in Spain last week and picked up this comp (on Decca): most of the tracks were hits, or at least are super-familiar (and loved) to me – one of my favorites is “Gloria” (spectacularly covered by Patti Smith in ’75), written by Van Morrison and recorded by Them in ’64. It originally was the b-side to another Them great (also on this comp), “Baby Please Don’t Go” (a traditional American blues song, popularized with Big Joe Williams‘ recording in 1935).  “Gloria” is considered one of the greatest singles of all-time and received a Grammy Hall of Fame award in ’99. It would appear on Them’s first LP The Angry Young Them (1965). Both tracks are garagey, rocking. Other garage-rock tracks (my preference) on the comp are the rockabilly-leaning “Don’t Start Crying Now” (1964) and the wild, harmonica-forward “Mystic Eyes” (also written by Morrison and appeared on their first LP, #33 US). Not as garagey but I also like the super-creepy and bluesy (and Byrds-esque) “I’m Gonna Dress in Black” (1965) as well as the more mellow 60’s pop (but still a bit garage) “Here Comes the Night” – written by Bert Berns – which was a hit for Them in ’65, going to #2 in the UK and to #24 in the US. “Turn On Your Love Light” has also has a 60’s pop feel – it’s a cover of Bobby Bland‘s 1961 r&B hit single (I am most familiar with Grateful Dead’s version, a song they played in concert frequently – in 1969 at Woodstock they played it for over 45 minutes). I’m not a big fan of Them’s cover of Screamin’ Jay” Hawkins “I Put a Spell On You” – they went loungey…plus it’s impossible make that song better than the original. But overall this record is a solid compilation of Them’s material before the band began its disintegration in ’66.