(2-CD set) Mississippi-born Donley released barely a dozen singles in a career that spanned not much more than five years, but almost every one of those singles contains at least one classic of rock'n'roll, R&B or - primarily - swamp pop. This extraordinary double CD set brings together nearly every recording that Jimmy made in the last two years of his life. All were either produced by or posthumously acquired by the Texas record producer Huey P Meaux, and all are presented here - some in stereo for the first time - from freshly made transfers of the original tapes, still stored in what was once Meaux's studios in Houston.
The As and Bs of all of Jimmy's Tear Drop singles are here on Disc One, along with several demos that Meaux overdubbed and released after Donley's death.
These singles include 'Think It Over', 'Please Mr Sandman', 'Loving Cajun Style', 'I'm To Blame' and other swamp pop standbys that can still be heard regularly in jukeboxes and on the radio throughout South Louisiana.
Disc Two will be a treat for even the most ardent Donley completists - nearly 30 home demos, including songs that Donley never recorded commercially, revivals of Louisiana R&B classics by Cookie and the Cupcakes and Fats Domino and the original versions of several hits that Jimmy wrote for his friend and fan Fats. A few of these have been released before - but the vast majority have not. The booklet features a plethora of label shots and many rare lyric manuscripts, in Jimmy's own handwriting never seen before.
Disc one:
1. A WOMAN'S GOTTA HAVE HER WAY - as Kenny James
2. PLEASE MR. SANDMAN - as Kenny James
3. HONEY STOP TWISTIN'
4. HELLO REMEMBER ME
5. SANTA, DON'T PASS ME BY!
6. THINK IT OVER
7. FOREVER LILLIE MAE
8. BABY, HEAVEN SENT ME YOU
9. LOVING CAJUN STYLE
10. YOU'RE WHY I'M SO LONELY
11. LET ME TOLD YOU
12. JUST A GAME
13. I REALLY GOT THE BLUES
14. FORGET THE PAST
15. I'M LONESOME WITHOUT THE BLUES
16. I'M TO BLAME
17. LOVE BUG
18. STRANGE, STRANGE FEELING
19. MY FORBIDDEN LOVE
20. SANTA'S ALLEY (INSTRUMENTAL)
21. FORGET THE PAST
22. I'M LONESOME WITHOUT THE BLUES
23. I'M TO BLAME
24. LOVE BUG
25. STRANGE, STRANGE FEELING
26. FORBIDDEN LOVE
Disc two:
1. MESSAGE TO HUEY/A WOMAN'S GOTTA HAVE HER WAY - Pee Wee Maddux & Jimmy Donley
2. PLEASE MR SANDMAN
3. HONEY STOP TWISTIN'
4. SANTA! DON'T PASS ME BY
5. THINK IT OVER
6. FOREVER LILLIE MAE
7. LOVING CAJUN STYLE
8. LET ME TOLD YOU
9. JUST A GAME
10. I REALLY GOT THE BLUES
11. WHAT A PRICE
12. STOP THE CLOCK
13. SPARE ME THE DETAILS
14. MATHILDA
15. ROCKIN' BICYCLE
16. IF THAT'S THE WAY YOU WANT IT
17. LITTLE CAJUN
18. THE DOMINO TWIST A.K.A.DANCE WITH MR. DOMINO
19. ROSE MARY
20. IT'S YOU I'M MISSING
21. OUR LAST GOODBYE
22. DON'T FALL IN LOVE
23. DON'T YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU
24. I NEED YOU
25. I STILL CARE
26. IF I KNEW YOU DIDN'T KNOW BETTER
27. TWO SIDES TO THE STORY OF LOVE
28. BABY, AIN'T THAT LOVE
29. IT'S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE
30. I'LL KEEP ON MOVIN