Customer Reviews

Best of Norma Jean

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I love this lady!! She is without question one of the top five most outstanding "hard country" female singers of alltime - with Kitty Wells, Loretta Lynn, Sara Carter of the Carter Family and I'll let you pick the fifth slot. Norma Jean does not get the credit she deserves in country music history possibly because like most country stars who were regulars on syndicated TV Shows during the 1960's ("The Porter Wagoner Show", of course) she didn't get as much radio airplay (old rivals, TV vs. radio, I guess) as she deserved and only five of her songs were top twenty hits. But the public loved her and bought her albums which always did much better on the Billboard charts than the singles (the album charts were based on sales, singles based on radio airplay) including her 1966 "Pretty Miss Norma Jean" LP which went to #3 - very rare for a woman to hit the album chart that high at the time. This album contains all 21 of Norma Jean's Billboard-charted singles, 1964-1971. She remained on RCA until 1973 but was too hard country during the early 70's "countrypolitan" era for big hits although she released fine music to the end of her RCA contract. I would have loved to heard some of her "flop" RCA singles on this disc from that period like "That Songwritin' Man", "Hundred Dollar Funeral", and "I Know An Ending" as they were outstanding performances. But the hits here are great. Another thing that probably scared off country radio from playing too much Norma Jean she was one of the very few women singers at the time unafraid to record songs that cast her in an adulterous light, ie: "Conscience Keep an Eye on Me", "The Game of Triangles", "Then Go Home to Her", and "You Changed Everything About Me But My Name". Those outstanding tracks are here plus her signature song "Let's Go All the Way" (despite it's title, not really a risque' song) and other NJ favorites like "Put Your Arms Around Her", "I'm A Walking Advertisement for the Blues", "Heaven Help the Working Girl", etc. Norma Jean is so great she had other country stars writing her songs to record (ie: Liz Anderson, Jeannie Seely, Bill Anderson) and those hits are included here. Much as I loved this CD the packaging could have been better, the liner notes were clearly written by someone unfamiliar with her and probably with country music. (Also that writer errs stating Norma Jean recorded a 1978 album for Bearsville when that was a soul music artist who also went by the name Norma Jean). Still, I am thrilled to have this pretty miss singing away on my car CD and I sure wish her great old RCA albums would find their way to this format as well!!

We all loved "Pretty Miss Norma Jean" on the Wagoner show and wondered how that squeaky-voiced, big-haired Dolly What's-Her-Name would fare as her replacement. Well, although Dolly went on to bigger things and Norma Jean languished in the shadows, this collections bears witness to her immense talent. Her full-throated delivery of solid no-nonsense country material still stands up today. There's really not a bad track on this CD.

I recently got to see Norma Jean perform in person. She was great. It is amazing how she can smile the whole time she is singing.She is as beautiful today as she was years ago.I am 28 years old and have been a fan every since my mom and dad played her records.I have this CD too and it is great.If your a Norma Jean fan definately go see her in concert!

Erica

EVERY SONG ON THIS CD IS FANTASTIC. NORMA JEAN IS THE BEST COUNTRY SINGER EVER. IT DON'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS IF YOU LIKE COUNTRY MUSIC THIS IS THE CD TO HAVE.

I got to see Norma Jean in Concert in Branson Mo. On June 29th and 30th-2001 . She is singing as great as always. If you get a chance go see her perform. she performs songs from this Cd and others.This is a C d every Country music lover should have. It d oesn't get any better than Pretty Miss Norma Jean.

Norma Jean was one of those wonderful singers who never had the hits that she deserved. Maybe it had something to do with rivalry between TV and radio, as another reviewer suggested, but I suspect it had a lot to do with the male domination of sixties country. The same reviewer nominated his favorite hard country female singers, but missed out Jean Shepard, Dottie West, Rose Maddox and Melba Montgomery as well as anybody who came later (like Dolly in her early years). Norma was a fine singer, but there have been too many greats for her to get in my top five.

Norma's biggest (and only top twenty) solo country hits were Let's go all the way, Go cat go, I wouldn't buy a used car from him and Heaven help the poor working girl. Several other songs included here just failed to make the top twenty. However, Norma's most successful record was The game of triangles in which Norma joins Bobby Bare and Liz Anderson for an amusing but sad story of a married man, his wife and his mistress.

All Norma's country hits (however small) are here, but (like other reviewers) I'd like to see some of her albums released on CD. I would choose I guess that comes of being poor, a seventies concept album about poverty. I doubt if that will ever happen, especially as some far bigger country stars are still poorly represented on CD.

This is a brilliant collection, well worth buying if you're a fan of traditional country music.

I heard Norma first time on a record in 1966 and since then I `ve been a big fan.I live in Oslo, Norway and the last years it has bees diffecult to get Normas records. Therefor I was very happy to get"Best of Norma Jean" through Amazon.Even if it is old recordings, Norma makes them totally new.
What a wonderful women and artist!!

This Collector's Choice Release is absolutely superb. Unless you have a few original 33rpm LP's, this is the only source for one of the finest voices in Country Music. Norma Jean began her career alongside the great Porter Wagoner, being his first/original female for his long-running show; she was pre-Dolly Parton, and in my opinion, by far the better singer. Her voice has the vulnerability of Tammy Wynette, the strength of a Heather Myles, and the gentleness of Leona Williams...most importantly, she predates them all! Norma's music, is not entirely unlike Buck Owen's-influenced Bakersfield sound. There are 21 songs here, inlcuing the well-known collaboration with Bobby Bare on "The Game of Triangles". Other notable standouts are, "The Shirt", "Whiskey 6 Years Old", and "Go Cat Go". There is not a bad song on this CD. The Liner Notes are excellent and its doubtful that the sound could be improved upon. Yes, it's a little pricy, but considering the limited production run, it is well worth your money and ear. (...)

Norma Jean made an indelible impression on me as a VERY young man in the early to mid sixties with her no-nonsense delivery and hard edged sound. Where Bakersfield catered more to the men on Capitol, RCA tried to compete with female singers like Norma Jean. Porter was greatly influential in getting her the RCA contract and then worked like a mine mule to get and keep her front and center both in the TV studio and on the road. That she was only able to score minor chart success was not indicitave of what she was capable of. Her range, subject matter and lessons learned under one of the most masterful band leaders in the business made her a consumate touring professional who knew how to do much more than just sing. The woman could ENTERTAIN.

One of the things that hasn't been mentioned about Norma and her recorded work was that for the majority of her early stuff she "danced with the one that brought her" and used The Wagonmasters as her back-up band. The musicianship of that group is nothing to be sneezed at either as ensemble or individualy. All in all this is an AWESOME disc and worth the money.

Norma Jean are one of the greatest hardcore/metalcore bands of our time. Especially for christians.