Customer Reviews

Classic Country: 1950-59

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First of all, the Time-Life people should be congratulated on presenting a retrospective series that transcends labels as best they can--one doesn't often find Columbia artists on the same album with RCA artists, but we have that here.

My edition of this album includes the following tracks (T-L has had to change track listings on some editions):

Patsy Cline's "Walking after Midnight"

Bobby Helms' "My Special Angel"

The Browns' (lead singer, Jim Ed Brown) "The Three Bells"

Conway Twitty's "It's Only Make Believe"

Sonny James' "Young Love"

Don Gibson's "I Can't Stop Lovin' You"

Johnny Horton's "The Battle of New Orleans"

Tennessee Ernie Ford's "Sixteen Tons"

Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line"

Jerry Lee Lewis' "You Win Again"

Ray Price's "Crazy Arms"

Hank Williams' "Hey, Good Lookin'"

Hank Snow's "I'm Moving On"

Marty Robbins' "Singing the Blues"

Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel"

As one can see, by the end of the decade, fifties country performers were having to make way for rockers such as Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis. The teeny-bopper appeal of Helms' "My Special Angel" and James' "Young Love" cannot be dismissed either. At the same time, the crossover appeal of such novelty songs as Johnny Horton's "Battle of New Orleans" and Tennessee Ernie Ford's "Sixteen Tons" present anomalies in country music history. Nonetheless, you will find real country classics here, with Patsy Cline's "Walkin' after Midnight," Hank Williams' "Hey, Good Lookin'" and Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line." Price's cover of Willie Nelson's "Crazy Arms" is a treat, as is the original version of "I Can't Stop Lovin' You"--sure, Ray Charles' cover supplants the Don Gibson version offered here, but a good song is a good song. You will not be disappointed by the album's selection, and you'll want to have ready access to this music--there's no way Hank Snow's "I'm Moving On" would make it to mainstream corporate radio now.

These recordings have excellent sound. Time-Life made many country CDs spanning different decades and time periods. I remember listening to these songs and really enjoying them. It was great to get these on a single CD.