Billy Joe Royal is best known, at least to rock fans, for his country-tinged mid-'60s hit "Down in the Boondocks." Penned and produced by
Joe South, "Boondocks" features a churchy echo and a born-on the-wrong-side-of-town theme that makes it an effective track even 40 years later. The song is included here, as are two other
Joe South tunes: "Rose Garden" and the organ-led "I Got to Be Somebody," which was also a hit for
Royal. The balance of the collection is made up of cover songs, including a trio of
Drifters hits ("Spanish Harlem," "Stand by Me," and "Under the Boardwalk") that are surprisingly suited to
Royal's country-soul approach. ~ Steve Leggett