The Complete Cookies

by Andrew HamiltonApparently, Gerry Goffin and Carole King saddled the Cookies with songs they couldn't place on other artists. Maybe they should have called them "the Dumpies". Occasionally magic occurred, as it did on "Chains," and their signature song "Don't Say Nothing Bad About My Baby." But others like "Girls Grow Up Faster Than Boys," "Randy," and "They're Jealous Of Me," are less than memorable. A remake of the Drifters' "On Broadway," is one of few substantive songs on the CD, but if you're a fan of the Cookies, Goffin & King, or the Brill Buildings' songwriters, you'll find this CD essential; if not, this disc isn't for you. It's a piece of nostalgia, definitive, but it's not for everyone.