The Best Of

Very good vinyl with a nice flipback cover.

Rolf Harris was something of an Australian Lonnie Donegan in that he performed a variety of folk-based material, but became known in America for one big novelty hit. For Donegan that hit was "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (On the Bedpost Over Night)," while Harris' claim to fame was the Top Five "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport." To be fair to Lonnie Donegan, though, Rolf Harris recorded much more comedy material overall and can more fairly be considered a novelty act, despite occasional straight pop performances such as "Bluer Than Blue." The 20 songs on Best of Rolf Harris include his three Top 100 U.S. hits from 1963 and a number of Australian folk songs, along with silly animal and story songs that are generally more tedious than funny. The "boing-boing" sound of Harris' trademark "wobble board" occurs throughout, and a number of tracks are either live or simulated live recordings (there are no liner notes) on which the level of audience enthusiasm seems entirely out of proportion. Though much of the remainder may be disposable, "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" is still a catchy and delightful folk-pop record, and easily Harris' best.