The Ballads Of Charlie Rich [Import]

Charlie Rich | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 10, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Bear Family
• ASIN: B002NXX7PC
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #442,046 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. School Days (undubbed)

2. My Heart Cries For You (undubbed)

3. Apple Blossom Time

4. Time And Again

5. Who Will The Next Fool Be

6. Stay

7. It's Too Late (undubbed)

8. Now Everybody Knows

9. Unchained Melody

10. Sittin' And Thinkin'

11. Juanita (undubbed)

12. Ain't It A Shame

13. I'm Making Plans

14. I Said Baby

15. How Blue Can You Be

16. There Won't Be Anymore

17. Every Day

18. The Loneliest Days (vocal/piano only)

19. I Need Your Love

20. Don't Put No Headstone On My Grave

See all 33 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Nearly 15 years after his death, Charlie Rich remains a hero to country and rockabilly collectors. Forget about the slick, over-produced hits of the 1970s and '80s. This collection goes way, way deeper in revealing the soul of Charlie Rich. Sam Phillips, the founder of Sun Records, commented on numerous occasions that he never recorded a more talented singer/songwriter/musician than Rich. Musicians who worked with Rich still talk about the effortless way he crossed genres and brought jazz, blues and rock into what might otherwise have been a routine country session.

Charlie Rich had it all - Presleyish good looks, a spectacular voice, and piano chops so fine he could have made his living playing on other people's sessions. This generous album of ballads, compiled from three different label affiliations during the earliest years of Rich's career, showcases the finest features of his composing and vocal talent. Considered by many to be the finest white soul singer of his time, Charlie Rich really lets it fly on this exceptional compilation. As usual, BEAR FAMILY RECORDS digs deep into the vaults and brings together a stellar combination of known, semi-known and utterly obscure selections from Rich's earliest work. We've even managed to unearth some previously unissued tracks. The package includes detailed musical commentary and original biographical notes by Sun and Rich historian, Hank Davis.

This collection will be a treat for Charlie Rich's loyal legion of followers, and will also win some new fans and collectors into the camp of this legendary Arkansas musician.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charlie Rich, March 5, 2009

By 

Mike Burrows - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Charlie Rich (Audio CD)

The music on this CD is from The early years of Charlie Rich. These are great songs he recorded before 1970, before he became a country superstar! You can really hear what a great voice he had. In my opinion, he was the best and really should be in the Country and Western Music Hall of Fame!!!!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Charlie Rich Amazon Treasure, January 30, 2010

By 

Michael A. Lilly "maldelus" (Charlotte Hall, MD (USA)) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Ballads Of Charlie Rich (Audio CD)

I have always been a Charlie Rich fan and was overjoyed to find "The Ballads of Charlie Rich." When I first heard "Big Boss Man" and "Memphis and Arkansas Bridge" which aren't on this album, I had to delve further into Charlie's recording years. I wasn't disappointed. I now find I have to obtain his Sun years Box Set. Especially enjoyed on this album is "River, Stay Away From My Door."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "...Time And Again...I Get Lonely...", July 31, 2011

By 

Mark Barry, Reckless Records, London (UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Ballads Of Charlie Rich (Audio CD)

Charlie Rich was always going to be a contender for this clever Bear Family series of compilations. He not only equalled Elvis Presley when he wrapped his superb voice around a smoocher, Charlie also penned his own tunes. Besides - rocker or ballad - if ever an artist deserved serious reappraisal, then Arkansas' "Silver Fox" is the number one contender...

But I would have to admit that even as a rabid fan of Charlie Rich and this great reissue label, "Ballads" on Bear Family BCD 16516 AR (85:40 minutes) disappointed me ever so slightly. Don't get me wrong - if you're new to the great man then there's going to be stuff on here that will make you tingle and wonder how you lived without it, but I personally found the track selections too 'ordinary' and too many made me want to reach for the fast-forward button. Why is this...

A whopping 18 of these 33 cuts come from Bear Family's own 1998 3CD box set "The Sun Years 1958 - 1962" - all 18 of which were Previously Unreleased studio outtakes at the time. This is both good and bad news. One or two are masterful - genius even - like the stunning "Time And Again" (lyrics above) - but too many are ordinary in comparison and it's easy to see why they were left in the can.

On the plus side - "Who Will The Next Fool Be" was a 1961 7" single on Phillips International 3566 and is a balladeer's gem. There's also three goodies from the 1964 Stereo LP "Charlie Rich" on Groove Records GMS 1000 (miscredited in the booklet as GMS 1001) - "River, Stay Away From My Door", "Let Me Go My Merry Way" and "Why, Oh Why". The Lonnie Johnson/LaVern Baker/Big Joe Turner hit "Tomorrow Night" is one of 2 tracks from the "That's Rich" Stereo LP from 1965 on RCA Victor LSP 3352 - the second track is "I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore". Not surprisingly there's also three tracks from his lethal duo of Smash Records albums in the mid Sixties - "The Many New Faces Of..." from 1965 (track is "A Field Of Yellow Daisies") and "The Best Years" from 1966 (tracks are "The Best Years" and "No Home"). There are also rarities - a long-forgotten album track called "Share Your Love With Me" from a 1974 LP called "She Called Me Baby" on RCA Victor APL1 0686 (actually a 1965 recording) and two Previously Unissued outtakes "Juanita (Undubbed)" and "We Belong To Each Other" - both of which are exclusive to this set.

The 39-page booklet is the usual classy affair with liner notes by HANK DAVIS - the remastering is by MARCUS HEUMANN and the audio quality varies from session to session - the Sun outtakes are often just Piano & Vocal and sound good rather than great - while the Groove and Smash tracks sound incredible - full band with a full sound.

Niggles - you really have to say that a compilation called "Ballads" by Charlie Rich which does not include his two huge hits "Behind Closed Doors" and "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" (no matter how overplayed they may be) is somehow lacking.

To sum up - I wanted to love this CD so much and even though its total playing time is extraordinary, I'm afraid I'd dock it a star for too many dullards (quality guys, not quantity).

But even with that said, I keep going back to the good tracks - and man when he was good - he was the best...

PS: I've also reviewed "Rocks" and "It Ain't Gonna Be That Way - The Complete Smash Sessions" by Charlie Rich - see separate reviews

PPS: as of August 2011, artists in the "Ballads" series include:

1. JOHHNY BURNETTE, Bear Family BCD 17211 AR (30 Tracks)

2. JOHNNNY HORTON, Bear Family BCD 16384 AR (25 Tracks)

3. WANDA JACKSON, Bear Family BCD 16848 AR (30 Tracks)

4. CHARLIE RICH, Bear Family BCD 16516 AR (33 Tracks)

5. JACK SCOTT, Bear Family BCD 16847 AR (25 Tracks)

6. CONWAY TWITTY, Bear Family BCD 15982 AR (33 Tracks)

7. GENE VINCENT, Bear Family BCD (28 Tracks)

PPPS: both the track list and info blurb supplied by Amazon "UK" for this release are wrong. The blurb is for the "Rocks" series (this is a "Ballads" issue) and more importantly - the track list should read as follows (Amazon "USA" has the correct details):

1. School Days (Undubbed)

2. My Heart Cries For You (Undubbed)

3. Apple Blossom Time

4. Time And Again

5. Who Will The Next Fool Be

6. Stay

7. It's Too Late (Undubbed)

8. Now Everybody Knows

9. Unchained Melody

10. Sittin' And Thinkin'

11. Juanita (Undubbed)

12. Ain't It A Shame

13. I'm Making Plans

14. I Said Baby

15. How Blue Can You Be

16. There Won't Be Anymore

17. Every Day

18. The Loneliest Days (Vocal/Piano only)

19. I Need Your Love

20. Don't Put No Headstone On My Grave

21. Stay

22. We Belong To Each Other

23. It Hurt Me So

24. Cloud Nine

25. River, Stay Away From My Door

26. Tomorrow Night

27. Let Me Go My Merry Way

28. Why, Oh Why

29. I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore

30. Share Your Love With Me

31. A Field Of Yellow Daisies

32. No Home

33. The Best Years