Even relative to some other mid- to late-'60s Dutch groups (like the Outsiders, Les Baroques, and Q 65), the Ro-d-y-s have a fairly low profile beyond their native Holland, even to collectors of 1960s Continental European rock. But the group did release quite a few records on the large Philips label between 1966 and 1969, including nine singles and two LPs. Stylistically, they favored, like many Dutch groups, a very British-influenced sound with a slightly raw and sardonic edge.
At various points, their songs (all written by lead singer and guitarist Harry Rijnbergen) incorporated prominent streaks of mod rock, soul, and late-'60s British pop-psychedelia, the lyrics often informed by archly phrased anti-establishment youth viewpoints. Some idiosyncratic Continental influence also seeps in with some of the unusual choices of instrumentation within rock arrangements, including xylophones, whistles, bicycle bells, bagpipes, and accordions. When the Ro-d-y-s broke up at the end of the 1960s, some of the members, including Rijnbergen, were in another Dutch band, Zen.
by Richie Unterberger
Tracks
Disc 1
1. You Better Take Care Of Yourself - 2:24
2. Wheels, Wheels, Wheels - 2:03
3. Take Her Home - 2:33
4. Only One Week - 1:59
5. Just Fancy - 2:59
6. Gods Of Evil - 3:04
7. Nothing To Change A Mind - 2:28
8. Stop Looking On A Deadlock - 2:49
9. Sleep Sleep Sleep - 3:04
10.Show Me By Candlelight - 2:30
11.Anytime - 3:10
12.Dr. Sipher - 3:15
13.Ungorgettable Girl - 2:52
14.Everytime A Second - 3:28
15.Earnest Vocation - 4:55
16.Isn't It A Good Time - 2:13
17.Winter Woman - 4:25
18.Looking For Something Better - 2:57
19.Get Me Down - 2:53
20.Wayfaring Stranger (Traditional) - 3:28
21.Take Me Down To Riverside - 2:48
22.Let Me Try To Cry - 4:05
All compositions by Harry Rijnbergen except where noted
Tracks 19-22 as Zen
Disc 2
1. Tomorrow - 2:30
2. Hitch-Hiking - 2:34
3. Bad Babe - 2:10
4. My Woman Has Got Loose - 2:33
5. Waiting For A Cloud Burst - 3:33
6. When You Hear This Song - 3:16
7. Just Go On - 2:51
8. Destination - 3:00
9. I Still Got You - 2:00
10.Let's Try - 2:25
11.Wrong Shoe - 2:10
12.Flowers Everywhere - 2:52
13.Love Is Almost Everywhere - 3:10
14.Robinetta - 3:01
15.No Place Like Home - 4:21
16.Easy Come, Easy Go - 2:36
17.Look For Windchild - 2:35
18.Let It Be Tomorrow - 2:14
19.Peace Ants - 3:52
20.Rock 'n' Roller (Niels Lingbeek, Harry Rijnbergen) - 4:34
21.Mysterious Ways (Niels Lingbeek, Harry Rijnbergen) - 4:21
All compositions by Harry Rijnbergen except where stated
Tracks 20-21 as Harry Rijnbergen
Ro-D-Ys
*Harry Rijnbergen - Guitar, Vocals
*Joop Hulzebos - Guitar, Keyboards
*Wiechert Kenter - Bass, Trumpet, Vibraphone
*Bennie Groen - Drums
*Dick Beekman - Drums
*Annet Hesterman - Vocals
With
*De Schuyt - Organ
*Jan Vennik - Saxophone