Customer Reviews

After All These Years

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I quite by accident discovered Eddy Arnold's latest and perhaps last CD, "After All These Years". I have been his fan all my life. Though his 87 years shows in his aging voice, he can still deliver the heart felt lyrics of a love song, or any other song for that matter. Now, what he has lost in range and technical ability, he more than makes up with a voice full of wisdom and experience. In short, he now knows what he's singing about, and it comes through. His voice is filled with emotion and character as he sings these songs, just perfect for him at this stage of his life. He can still deliver the lyrics in a way that makes you feel the emotion he is feeling as he sings. I hope he makes more CD's. I'll buy every one. He's the best sentimental love song singer ever, even at age 87. God Bless Eddy Arnold. He truly is one of a kind.

"After All These Years"
Eddy Arnold

Is it possible that after 60 years, 100 albums and at the age of 87, Eddy Arnold has produced his greatest CD. As with Olivier and Shakespeare, "After All these Years" combines a legendary performer (Eddy Arnold) with the finest writers (Cindy Walker, Ken Lerey, Jim Weatherly and Roger Miller). His once smooth velvety baritone has matured into a deep bass filled with emotion. Eddy Arnold is not just a singer. He is a performer of music. He makes you feel the lyrics.

Eddy Arnold's greatest forte is love songs. One might wonder what Mr. Arnold could add to a love song that he hadn't already in his illustrious recording career. Like Fonda in "On Golden Pond" Arnold delivers a masterful performance on "If I had lived my Life Without You" and "After all these Years". This is not puppy love. He sings about a mature love. A love that can be only understood after a lifetime relationship. (Eddy has been married to his lovely wife Sally for 64 years)

At a time that our love ones are overseas, "I'm Gonna Be Home" is simply heartbreaking and brings special meaning with lyrics "Gonna be walking through the door, gonna be wrestling with the kids, I know it might not be tomorrow, who knows what might be tomorrow, I just pray, I'm gonna be home."

He will make you sad as he longingly sings "If Only" and "When I Dream". Make you smile with a whimsical "King of the Road".

Included on this CD is a song that Eddy co-wrote with Cindy Walker, "You Don't Know Me". By evidence of this CD "After All these Years" we know who Eddy Arnold is. Throughout all musical genres, Eddy Arnold is the greatest performer of songs of the heart.

We realize with sadness when Eddy performs his swan song "To Life", this is his final studio recording.

"Cherish this music and cherish this man. We will not see his like again." (Robert Oermann 2005 from linear note)

Steve McKenna
August 2005

I listen to this album over and over. His singing reminds me of times gone by. Eddy does a superb job on each song. It's not a young Eddy Arnold, but it's the best of Todays Eddy Arnold.

At 87, it's not surprising that Eddy Arnold doesn't sing as good as he did when he was 47 doing "What's He Doing in My World?" and "Make Me World Go Away." What is surprising is how good he does sound! He actually sounds better on this CD than the previous two or three CDs done a few years ago. I'm so glad Eddy and RCA dedided to do this CD.

The songs are reflective, befitting a man at the end of his career. Eddy sings in a deeper voice now and the songs are tailored for a lower range and in fact, a couple of them are too low. The best song on the CD is the opening song, "Old Porch Swing", which poignantly describes several generations of a family. "I've Been Down Some Roads" is a strong cut and "After All These Years" and "To Life" are touching odes to a long life. "Don't She Look Good" is a fun song and "When I Dream" is a very nice male version of Crystal Gayle's hit, although the words "put on my makeup" should have been changed.

If you appreciate the quantity and quality of Eddy Arnold's work for 60 years (!), this is a must-own CD.

I must say I listened to this last recording by Eddy Arnold with a tear in my eye. I have been a fan of this unique artist for the last 30 years. At 87 years old - he can still sing a song - not like he did 40 years ago - but what artist can sing at his age? How many of today's stars will be around and performing when they ar 87 - probably none. This is a last recording from a great and unique singer that we will not see the likes of again.I was moved by his abilty to communicate every word of a song and still make one feel he is singing just for you. This is a must have recording.

Prime Cuts: I've Been Down Some Road, Old Porch Swing, To Life

When Nashville's critic Robert Oermann wrote in the sleeve notes: "Cherish this music and cherish this man. We will not see his like again." Indeed, those words were prophetic as Arnold just passed away just before he hit 90 years of age. Arnold is country music's juggernaut--his career spans for more than seven decades totaling a staggering 67 top 10 hits selling over 85 million records over his lifetime. In fact, Billboard has deservingly named Arnold the no. 1 country star of all time. "After All These Years," Arnold's last studio CD recorded in 2005, is presumably his 100th album. Helmed by Jack Clement and Jim Malloy this autumnal effort finds a warm, unassuming and relaxed Arnold at his nostalgic best. However, tempo wise don't expect any salacious drive in any sense of the world-- most of these tracks are string-laced ballads. Further, Arnold's voice reflects his age: often short of breath, sometimes out of tune, and at times trailing a sonic mile behind the melody.

Kudos are in orders to producers Jack Clement and Jim Malloy as they have chosen songs most appropriate to Arnold's age and experience. Opener "Front Porch Swing," for instance, is a gentle ballad finding Arnold putting on his storytelling hat as he recounts with perspicuity the many memories transpired at the family swing. Just like watching a nostalgic movie told with care, this track conjures up bittersweet sentiments so dear to the heart. Current single "To Life," which is giving Arnold yet another hit, is an inspirational ode to the joys and tribulations of life. Listening to this single posthumously, it's always as if Arnold was eerily really singing his own eulogy. Arnold who had had recorded his share of love ballads indulges yet in another in Jim Weatherly's "If I Had Lived My Life Without You." Despite the song's beautiful sentiments, the song's chipped by Arnold's dubious delivery--his snail paced delivery and slurred enunciation tarnished an otherwise good song. Much better is the reflective "I've Been Down Some Roads" where Arnold gives the lyrics a priceless fragility and a wizened presence.

Arnold also re-visits some older chestnuts including Crystal Gayle's "When I Dream"--keeping so close to the original that he makes no attempt to remove the line "I can put my make-up on." Roger Miller's "King of the Road" gets a more zesty resurrection with Arnold keeping the lilt and carefree tone of the original. Naturally, in hindsight, it makes sense for Arnold to reprise his own biggie "You Don't Know Me." The gruffness to his aging vocals actually works in Arnold's favor: he gives his signature ballad a warmer and a more thoughtful reading than the first time he cut it.

In the bluster and hustle of today's country music where loudness seems to be equivalent to success, "After All These Years" is a breath of fresh air. This is a warm, gentle, understated affair performed by someone who had had lived and learned. Not an album to party to; but one to reflect on with Eddy Arnold one last time.

One has to be impressed with Arnold's commitment to the studio at the age of 87, and though his ear is still well-tuned for selecting material and his maturity provides a sturdy platform upon which to interpret these songs, in the end, his voice isn't fully up to the job. Producer Jack Clement employs light, mostly acoustic arrangements that allow Arnold sing without straining to be heard, but even then the faltering technique - something a younger Arnold had in spades - can be disappointing.

Arnold and Clement have picked a beautiful repertoire of nostalgic, sentimental ballads that find the singer reflecting on his lengthy life, particularly the success of his marriage. The singer digs deeply into the lyrics with the informed presence of an elder statesman, but his vocal performances drag slightly, and his pitch is often unsteady. Fans will enjoy one last opportunity to share a song with the Tennessee Plowboy, but those new to the master should start with his seminal hit works. 3-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2005 hyperbolium dot com]

This is being written on the day of Eddy's death at the age of 89 (5/8/08). How grateful we must all feel that at the age of 87, Eddy returned to the studio to make the world one more recording. This is his most emotional, tender and emotional effort. Those who didn't like this CD because it isn't the Eddy Arnold of yesteryear, really don't get it. Johnny Cash, too, was a shell of his original voice at the end of his career, but deserved and won accolades for his efforts. So, too, Eddy Arnold. Thank you, Eddy, for 60 years. This recording reminds us all of our immortality.

This could be worth a final chapter to your Eddy Arnold collection.

However, don't expect the Eddy Arnold of almost
90 to be the one we have memories of.

Maybe two cuts are good...the rest find Eddy unable to
hit the low...and some high notes.

When I think of the great Eddy Arnold I fondly recall all of those great country ballads he recorded during his heydey in the 1950's and 1960's. Tunes like "You Don't Know Me", "Make The World Go Away", "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" and "What's He Doin' In My World" are timeless classics that I still enjoy listening to today. I guess that is why I was so uncomfortable sampling Eddy's brand new 2005 release "After All These Years". I assumed that in spite of the fact that Eddy Arnold is 87 years old now he still had something left in the tank. Unfortunately for Eddy, RCA records and his loyal fans this is simply not the case. I sampled "After All These Years" because I was curious to see if the old master could pull it off. After all, I have heard any number of black artists who still sound terrific well into their 80's. But Eddy Arnold's voice is a shell of it's former self. He can no longer hold a note. There is really not one track on the entire album that I can get enthused about. To me this disc was a disaster.
According to the liner notes "After All These Years" was the 100th album that Eddy Arnold has recorded. That is certainly quite an achievement. Still, in my view it is really too bad that the decision was made to release this CD. I would avoid it at all costs. If you happen to be looking for a good collection of Eddy's hit recordings might I suggest BMG's 2003 release "Ultimate Eddy Arnold". That is a disc I am sure you will enjoy!