Customer Reviews

Columbia Country Classics, Vol. 3: Americana

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Columbia has released a series of CDs paying tribute to the Country Classics, volume 3 of which is entitled AMERICANA and contains twenty-five so called "saga songs", i.e. numbers which put to music stories of good vs. adversity.

This disk features a veritable posse of legendary artists. Johnny Cash is the most represented ("Don't Take Your Guns to Town", "Tennessee Flat Top Box", "A Boy Named Sue", "Highwayman" - the last with Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson). Others with more than one track are Marty Robbins ("Big Iron", "El Paso"), Hawkshaw Hawkins ("Twenty Miles from Shore", "Soldier's Joy"), and Stonewall Jackson ("Life to Go", "Waterloo").

Then, there are my favorites:

"The Ballad of Davy Crockett" (Fess Parker) makes me yearn for the coonskin cap I had as a kid. It'd look mighty fine at the big management meeting. (Actually, I think it was rabbit fur.) I'd probably run afoul of PETA, though. And who needs that hassle?

"Big Bad John" (Jimmy Dean) reminds me of the hero I once aspired to be. Unfortunately, real, everyday life is pretty much mundane. Besides, there are no mines locally, and sewer work doesn't have quite the same cachet.

Even though I love just about everything British (except Lemon Shandy), "The Battle of New Orleans" (Johnny Horton) is a real toe-tapper. Makes me want to dump tea into Los Angeles harbor. In your eye, Tony!

The next time I have to pay my IRS taxes, perhaps playing for them "May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose" ("Little" Jimmy Dickens) would get a more warm `n' fuzzy response. Hmm ... maybe not.

Lastly, "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" (Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys) brings to mind Ellie May sunbathing out by the CEEment Pond. Let's dwell on that vision for a long moment. Dang, Uncle Jed! (If you haven't a clue as to what I'm blathering on about here, then forget it, as you're too young to appreciate this CD anyway.)

My only regret concerning this collection of down-home favorites is that the catchy theme from "Green Acres" isn't included. Pity. I was hoping to sing along.

This CD has lots of old ballads and great country music singers. These lyrics bring back lots of memories and chuckles; also, songs that have been forgotten through they years. It's great to put this CD in the the CD player and kick back and relax or to hit the road with it! My husband and I both think it's great and so do our friends and family that have had the pleasure of listening to it! Great for anyone that likes classic western movies, too!!

This album has it all. Bring it on a road trip!

I stumbled over this CD while looking for something with "Long Black Veil" on it. What a gold mine I found with all these mostly country oldies plus a few newer ones! About all that is missing is "Summer Wine" and "Miller's Cave." Even to my tin ears, the sound is great; and I certainly enjoy listening to the original recordings rather than someone else's.

Would recommend for lovers of classic country. Lot of hard to find songs. thanks for the great price and quick delivery.

Great album, but A Boy Named Sue is censored toward the end.. a little disappointing to hear a bleep in the middle of a song.

Great CD.Has all the classic country from the era when country music was
not tainted by pop/stadium rock garbage.
This CD is a good starting point for people who are interested in learning more about the roots of country music.

I glommed onto this CD 10 years ago, when it was selling for $10-- I thought it was a bargain then, and at Amazon's price, it's even more so now! I was only looking for the hard-to-find Ballad of Paladin. I was delighted to discover it came with a whole passel of other treasures as well! (Is any record collection truly complete without Fess Parker?) A lot of these are those great old country-western ballads that people of my age pretended not to like--they were the old man's music, not rock n' roll. But secretly, we knew they were great stuff! My only caveat: the version of Big Bad John is still the "clean" one. It was 35 years later when someone alerted me that Jimmy originally cut one where he described BBJ as "one hell of a man." But hardly would play it. Les autres temps...Still, a great addition!

Enjoyed this on a cassett many years ago. Glad to find it on a CD.

Years ago while I was overseas in the army I bought this tape and have enjoyed it very much. The tape has become old and worn and since I now have a computer the that plays CDs, personal CD player, CD player in my truck, and etc. I bought it on CD so I can continue to enjoy it for years to come. Don't be fooled this CD can be enjoyed by any and everybody of all ages. I am 35 yrs. old but I also own CDs by Britney Spears, NSYNC, CCR, Backstreet Boys,the Eagles, B.B. King, Christina Aguilera, and many others and I enjoy all of them. If you enjoy the samples you well enjoy the whole album.