Best of Joe Ely [Original recording remastered]

Joe Ely | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 21, 2000)
• Original Release Date: November 21, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Mca Nashville
• ASIN: B000051Y1M
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,429 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

He's never had a Top 10 single, none of his albums have gone platinum, and yet Joe Ely has carved a unique--and influential--niche for himself during nearly 25 years as a solo performer, most of them spent on MCA. His incomparable stories overflow with humanity and humor, not to mention an idiosyncratic West Texas perspective. He was "alt country" before the genre existed and can be justly credited as a fountainhead of that movement. This generously programmed set may not matter to hardcore Elyphiles who have everything he recorded. To the newcomer, however, these 20 songs--dating back to his first MCA album (Joe Ely, 1977) and ending with his last (Twistin' in the Wind, 1998)--are a compelling introduction, the music reflecting Texas's rich musical stew. Numbers like "She Never Spoke Spanish to Me" and "Me and Billy the Kid" wear well, and the inclusion of material from his two stunning live albums for MCA (Live Shots, 1980, and Live at Liberty Lunch, 1990) conveys his onstage presence. One may always quibble with selections on best-ofs, but short of a box set, this is an effective first look at his enduring vision. --Rich Kienzle

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Joe Ely Primer, February 5, 2001

By 

Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Best of Joe Ely (Audio CD)

This is the first domestically released Joe Ely anthology, and the only one to cover everything from his 1977 self-titled debut through 1998's Twistin' In the Wind. If you're unfamiliar with this Texas country-rocker, this is an excellent place to start.

In 1972 Joe Ely, Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore recorded their only album together as the Flatlanders and the album went nowhere. But over the next three decades each artist has garnered critical praise as a solo performer, though none has achieved more than cult status with the record buying public. Between the three of them, they wrote all but "Long Snake Moan" taken from Live Shots recorded while Ely was the opening act for the Clash. Though they don't perform with Ely on record, Hancock wrote eight of these songs, including "She Never Spoke Spanish To Me," "Suckin' a Big Bottle of Gin" and the wonderful "West Texas Waltz," and Gilmore wrote "Dallas" and co-wrote "Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown."

Ely is also an excellent songwriter as well, penning "Fingernails" (the greatest song Jerry Lee Lewis never wrote!), "Me and Billy the Kid" and "All Just To Get to You." Ely's first two albums (represented by the first seven tracks) are an exciting blend of country, rock, honky-tonk and Tex-Mex. Steel guitar player Lloyd Maines provides much of the band's muscle along with Ponty Bone on accordian on the second album. By the release of his 1981 album, Ely was more rock than country and Live Shots which came out the same year is an amazing live album. Ely didn't release another album until 1984's Hi-Res, where he virtually abandoned any connection to country music. "Cool Rockin' Loretta" is the only thing worth having from that album.

After another recording hiatus, Ely returned in the late Eighties with two albums on the Hightone label. This period is represented by "Settle for Love" and "Me and Billy the Kid." Ely's two most recent albums--Letter To Loredo and Twistin' In the Wind--find him adding flamenco to the mix (and the return of Lloyd Maines to the band). The only surprise is that there is nothing included from 1992's Love and Danger.--"The Road Goes on Forever" would have been an obvious choice.

Being limited to a single disc anthology, this collection draws from nine of his ten studio albums, and two of his three live albums and provides the listener with an excellenet overview of an underrated artist. When you decide you need more, BGO has recently released his first two classic albums as a two-fer. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First US Compilation, November 29, 2000

By 

T. C Lane (Marina, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Best of Joe Ely (Audio CD)

This is Joe Ely's first compilation in the US. It covers all his MCA albums as well as one song from a 1987 HighTone release. Ely's unique style of Country, Rock, Blues and Tex-Mex lends his songs a unique flavor. A great songwriter he also is smart enough to use the talents of equally fine songwriters like Butch Hancock "Tennessee's Not The State", and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, "Dallas", on his albums. Hancock, Gilmore and Ely were members of the legendary Flatlanders, who made one classic album in 1972 (in print called "More A Legend Than A Band" on Rounder Records). At 20 songs and 78 minutes this is a great introduction to anyone who has a passing interest in Ely's music. But it also will serve the Ely fan. No, there are no new songs or unreleased tracks here, but it does a fine job of wrapping up Ely's 23 years of solo work. One could always quibble: I miss "Jericho" from 1978's Honky Tonk Masquerade and either one of his 2 Robert Earl Keen covers from 1992's Love and Danger: "Road Goes on Forever" or "Whenever Kindness Fails", but those are minor omissions. And besides those songs are on Ely's 3 best studio albums, which are all in print: Joe Ely (77), Honky Tonk Masquerade (78) and Love and Danger (92). Those 3 albums plus this compilation filling in the gaps are essential in starting your Ely solo collection. With fine up-to-the-minute liner notes by John Morthland and good, clear sound, this turns out to be one of 2000's best reissues.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Legend, November 2, 2006

By 

Cowboy on the Ocean (West Texas Native) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Best of Joe Ely (Audio CD)

Joe Ely has truly become a full blown music legend - and not just in West Texas, but all over. His unique sound, with Texas influence, will only leave you wanting to hear more and more, again and again.

No matter if he is singing with the Flatlanders, Butch Hancock, or by himself, Ely will never fail to create a music masterpiece - and this album is proof of that. I own enough "Greatest Hits" albums to know that the not all the songs are truly "Great."

However, that is simply not the case here with Joe Ely. While some will have their favorites, all will listen to every song on the CD and never had the desire to skip any song. If you are new to Joe Ely or a long time fan, this is a must own CD for you.