Customer Reviews

Cowboy Songs

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I agree with the other customer reviewer from Colorado who liked this disc. I've been searching for a disc that has most of the great old cowboy classics, with none of the stupid comic songs that most producers apparently consider de rigeur and with the clean sound of a modern recording. This is a great collection, with great singing and some interesting but not perverse interpretations. I only wish that they had left out "Rawhide" (the theme for a TV western) and "Chasing Down the Sun" (a new piece) and added a couple more of the true classics. At the very least, "Cool Water" should be here, as could "Blue Shadows on the Trail", both of which have been recorded by Riders in the Sky. By the way, this disc is a collection of tracks from other, full-price Rounder discs, so let me hasten to add that Rounder is to be thanked for doing us all a favor by making this mostly classic collection available at a bargain price from their budget subsidiary.

This is a fine collection of classic cowboy songs selected from the various Rounder recordings of Riders in the Sky. Many of the songs are sung in the tradition of the Sons of the Pioneers, with all the heart-felt sincerity of their great songs and their quiet end-of-the-day, round-the-campfire quality. "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," "Red River Valley," "Home on the Range," and "Streets of Laredo" hark closest to that tradition, sung slowly and in mellow harmony with backup from Woody Paul's achingly yearning violin. There's harmonized yodeling here, as well, as in "Cattle Call," sung in danceable waltz time.

Meanwhile, "Don't Fence Me In" is an homage to the bright cheerfulness of Gene Autry. The album also contains their own rendering of Autry's "Back in the Saddle Again" with some high-speed yodeling. The haunting, driving treatment of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" makes the imagery in the lyrics so vivid you may feel a shiver. And there's a wonderful energetic rendering of "Rawhide" with whip cracks, whistles, and shouts. "I Ride an Old Paint" is performed as an old-time barndance waltz, with long gliding cowboy yips and yee-haws. Altogether it's an entertaining range of songs, tugging at your heart one minute and making you smile from ear to ear the next. The only thing I can say bad about this album is that if there were twice as many songs, it wouldn't be too many.

I first found this CD in a "budget" section. I live in Arizona where you would expect any cowboy music to be a best seller. This is actually a very talented group from Appalacia on the east coast - so they have very definite folk talents and are top notch with the vocals and fiddle work.

The selection of tunes is the epitome of cowboy music, and as I said, it's all done very well. This is a very clean recording with all of the better known cowboy songs. If you're looking for a good launch into cowboy music, this is a very good choice. Again, I must emphaisize that the selection and quality are extremely good - so consider the price a real deal! These guys are good - and a lot of fun!

I definitely would recommend adding this CD to your ecclectic collection. It summarizes cowboy music and the cowboy mentality which I feel I have a little bit of. Extremely good for the confirmation of being single- it's okay to be alone!

This group is 'muy bueno'! And the collection of songs on this CD is outstanding. My wife even likes this CD. My 2 favorites are 'Cattle Call' and 'I Ride an Old Paint' but there isnt a bad song on the CD, very unique.

I'm a cowpuncher not a cowboy and I love this CD. I just wish they didn't call it Cowboy Songs.

Cowboy Songs by Riders in the Sky is a CD filled with lots of fun Western classics. After a day of trail riding, this CD keeps that cowboy feeling going, even for us city folks, long after the glow of the ride is over! It inspires you to sing along and feel like you are still out in the great outdoors, while you yodel along with these captivating renditions. The quality of the recording sounds as if you are in the same room with the performers, playing only for you. It's a great buy!!

I bought this cd to teach my daughter's girl scout troop some cowboy songs, and they loved it as well as the adults. Yippy Yi Yay!

This cd is light hearted and FUN!

We love this CD. My son who discovered the magic of Cowboys at age 4 just loves this CD and we as his parents love it too because it is grown-up music and not kid music. My kids have memorized most of the tracks on this album and we all really enjoy listening to it on car trips. He brought it in to kindergarten to share and his teacher liked it so much she wanted her own copy to play in her class in the future. Great tunes!