The Cold Hard Facts of Life [Import]

Porter Wagoner | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 1, 1967)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Import
• Label: Bear Family
• ASIN: B00140GX6K
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #390,340 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Men with Broken Hearts

2. I Just Came to Smell the Flowers

3. May You Never Be Alone

4. Skid Row Joe

5. Take Me Back and Try Me One More Time

6. How Far Down Can I Go?

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. The First Mrs. Jones

2. Words and Music

3. The Cold Hard Facts of Life

4. Sleep

5. Hundred Dollar Funeral

6. If I Could Only Start Over

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. The World Needs a Washin'

2. Banks of the Ohio

3. Sing Me Back Home

4. Barefoot Nellie

5. Sorrow Overtakes the Wine

6. Black Jack's Bar

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

2008 three CD set housed in a digipak, featuring six best-selling concept albums that gave the Country Music superstar Porter Wagoner a cult following: Confessions Of A Broken Man (1966); Soul Of A Convict (1967); The Cold Hard Facts Of Life (1967); The Bottom Of A Bottle (1968); The Carroll County Accident (1969) and Down In The Alley-Skid Row Joe' (1970). Seventy gripping 'slice of life' songs and recitations including such memorable Top 5 Billboard Country chart hits as 'Green, Green Grass Of Home', 'Skid Row Joe; The Cold Hard Facts Of Life' and 'The Carroll County Accident'. Features a rogue's gallery of murderers, philanderers, depressives, death-row inmates, unrepentant barflies, panhandling winos and other losers. Includes extensive notes covering these fascinating albums and Wagoner's life and career. Bear Family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful to have these in one place, April 25, 2008

By 

E. C Goodstein (Northern CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cold Hard Facts of Life (Audio CD)

Price may be discouraging. But--wonderful to have all six of these 'concept' albums by Wagoner in one place. If dour in theme, his sweet conversational voice is very adept at communicating the themes of 'Skid Row Joe' and other down and out characters. Not everything downbeat either-- at least in arrangements. Very thoughtfully put together groups of songs by top country writers too: Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Bill Anderson, Waylon Jennings only a few of the excellent writers represented-- and often by lesser known, but marvelous songs. If a few are melodramatic or border on bathos, his committment and clarity of expression are outstanding-- & of course top notch mid '60's Nashville players involved. Lot more to PW than just the affable host of Nashville TV shows standing around in Nudie suits, or the 'scorned' ex-partner of Dolly Parton. I haven't fully taken in everything on these albums-- there's much to savor!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Porter Takes on Life, February 15, 2011

By 

D. Bennett (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Cold Hard Facts of Life (Audio CD)

This 3 CD set of "hard life" songs is a very good compilation of 6 Porter Wagoner albums from the 60s. While some of the songs are about the down side of life, the interpretation and the music are great. Porter was a master of this type song (and the "up" songs as well), and all true Wagoner fans should consider adding this to their collection. Bear Family has put together some really fine compilations of music - they have one of Porter's earlier music and now this mini-set. They should seriously consider picking up where the first major set left off and doing another full box set. Porter was indeed unique -- though not as many of his records hit the number 1 spot, he had the charm and ability to work a crowd that made him one of the most popular and well like stars of his day. This set helps to show why.