Customer Reviews

Cowgirl's Prayer

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COWGIRL'S PRAYER does more than provide the transition between 1992's all acoustic AT THE RYMAN and 1995's extraordinary atmospheric classic WRECKING BALL. Emmylou Harris' first record after leaving Warner/Reprise was also her most experimental since EVANGELINE, and contains one of the best interpretive song sets of her career. The arrangements given to these songs are brilliantly unique, and the vocals display the skill and variety of Emmylou Harris' talent as one of the greatest vocalists in music history. COWGIRL'S PRAYER is a complex and georgeous recording that will appeal to all fans whether they love PIECES OF THE SKY and BLUEBIRD, or WRECKING BALL and RED DIRT GIRL.

"A Ways To Go" with its fantastic introduction has been a favorite from my first listen. Harris' lead vocal perfectly captures the songs determination, and the arrangement fits beautifully. Emmylou Harris co-wrote "The Light" with Kieran Kane, the song is enchanting. Featuring a gut-string guitar, acoustic bass, pedal steel, drums, and percussion, the musicians give the song an other-worldly feel, helped by an incredible lead and harmony vocal from Harris. The main character of "High Powered Love" needs just that, a real lover. The song rocks, really well, with a lead vocal to match. There isn't a piano or a string section on "You Don't Know Me", yet its a gorgeous ballad, with its beautiful mix of guitars, acoustic bass, pedal steel, and harmony. The ache in the song is tangible, with her magnificent vocal performance, further proof that few can sing love songs as well as Emmylou Harris. Harris' own composition, "Prayer In Open D" is the best song on the album, which includes songs from acclaimed songwriters like Lucinda Williams, Leonard Cohen, Jesse Winchester, David Olney, and Eddy Arnold. I don't know the right words to describe "Prayer In Open D", its one of those songs that has to be heard, its so powerful. It's one of her finest songs, along with "Boulder To Birmingham" and "A River For Him", a beautiful confessional song rich in imagery and emotion with an exceptional vocal. This is an experience not to be missed. "Crescent City" is remarkable, the full arrangement with the fiddle, and accordion, not to mention Harris' vocal add extra character to make this the definitive version. "Lovin' You Again" might not have the structure of a hit ballad, but has more emotion within its minutes than ten radio ones put together. The main reason is Harris' phenomenal lead vocal that takes the listener through a variety of emotions in a no-win relationship. It takes a while to click, but when it does it amazing. The one moment in Emmylou Harris' pre-WRECKING BALL discography that offers the best preview of that legendary album is "Jerusalem Tomorrow". Entirely word-spoken (except for the ending harmony) the song is spine-tingling, Harris thoroughly captures the character of a desert showman, and the haunting arrangement works perfectly. "Thanks To You" is a terrific uptempo song with a lively performance. The acoustic "I Hear A Call" can be breath-taking, it features reflective lyrics and a marvelous arrangement of acoustic guitars, bass, percussion, piano, dobro, fiddle, and double bass. The final song on the album "The Ballad Of A Runaway Horse" is a beautiful finale to this phenomenal album. Eleven songs that stand out brilliantly against mainstream country. Sad songs that are about more than heartache, eleven beautifully arranged and performed cuts that showcase Emmylou Harris as one of music's most valuable and talented artists.

Emmylou Harris' 1993 album COWGIRLS PRAYER is often overlooked, especially since 1995's WRECKING BALL was such a success. And its a shame, WRECKING BALL sure deserves the honor, but many people miss out on this one, which is a shame because this is a beautiful album start to finish. This album has a very ethereal feel to it, her voice is in top form. Hands down the best cut is the closing "Ballad of a Runaway Horse". Both that and "Jerusalem Tomorrow" are haunting tales which Emmylou delves right into, the storyteller. She handles "Ballad" quite well, it was written by Leonard Cohen. Another great song is the Tony Arata written "I Hear A Call", which is pretty inspirational. However the saddest song is probably "Prayer In Open D", which will always be one of my favorite Emmylou Harris songs, its so heartbreaking. Other highlights include "Lovin You AgaiN", "Crescent City", "You Don't Know Me", "The Light", and "A Ways To Go". This was essentially her last pop country album, country radio wouldn't play her. Their loss totally, she's too good for them. Don't miss this one!

This CD blew me away the first time I heard it and continues to be one of my favorites. Prayer in Open D makes me tear up every time I hear it. It will be played at my memorial service. Excellent production and musicians. Emmylou is in fine voice. This was her last "pop-country" album due to the lack of air play. Country radio can't appreciate a maturing artist. This is one I would want on a deserted island or a long space-ship ride.

This gem of an album opens with the most moving song A Ways To Go, a deeply spiritual number with a gripping melody. The Light, a slow, sad love song with an ultimate message of hope, follows it. Then on to High Powered Love, a brilliant blend of witty lyrics and vocal passion and You Don't Know Me, an achingly beautiful number that sounds almost devotional in its tenderness. This one reminds me of one of Joan Baez's early folk songs, Lady Mary, on one of her 1960s albums.

Prayer In Open D, one of Harris' own compositions, is a spiritual masterpiece exploring the dark valleys of the soul, but with a comforting undertone of mercy and redemption. Sort of like a more intellectual Green Pastures (on Roses In The Snow), it is real gooseflesh stuff. Emmylou gives Lucinda Williams' Crescent City a splendid, lilting treatment to create a fuller, more evocative sound without sacrificing the original's poignant mood of yearning and nostalgia.

Another brilliant story song is Lovin' You Again with its captivating plot and authentic emotion, a mature and poetic love ballad. In the spoken track Jerusalem Tomorrow, Emmylou narrates a powerful and wistful tale over moody, atmospheric music. This unusual number proves that her talking is as appealing as her singing. Thanks To You has a jerky rhythm and a bluesy feel, whilst I Hear A Call is a soulful song of transcendence, one of my favourites on Cowgirl's Prayer. The playing and arrangement are sheer genius as they perfectly carry and frame her vocals.

Her haunting version of Ballad Of A Runaway Horse shows what a sympathetic interpreter of Leonard Cohen she can be. I wish Emmylou would do it more often. The inflections of her voice and her phrasing are just perfect for Cohen's music. On her Western Wall: Tucson Sessions album with Linda Ronstadt, there is a lovely version of Sisters Of Mercy.

The style on Cowgirl's Prayer is mostly traditional country as this album predates the innovative Wrecking Ball, but this is consistently captivating music, memorable and lovingly performed. It explores a wide spectrum of situations and emotions in songs of wisdom and depth. I would rate this album slightly below Wrecking Ball, Red Dirt Girl and Stumble Into Grace, but it still deserves five stars. All the music of Emmylou Harris just improves with time.

Oh, let me be the third person to give this album five stars. Lots of country singers put their faith in the Lord, but few make it as magnificently clear as Emmylou Harris in this praiseful album. "Thanks to You" could be an anthem for my own life, and Emmylou puts it just perfectly.

Emmylou Harris' 1993 album COWGIRLS PRAYER should not be missed. Often lost in the shuffle, behind heavyweight albums like WRECKING BALL, this is one of her best albums that usually doesn't get the praise it deserves. It opens with the whistful "A Ways To Go", which has a great chorus and vocal from Harris. She does an amazing cover of Eddy Arnold's "You Don't Know Me", which is one of the best versions of the song I've heard. Another standout is her cover of Lucinda Williams' "Crescent City", which was one of the singles from the album. Perhaps the best song, is the only one that Harris penned for the project. "Prayer In Open D", this is the song I want played at my funeral, it is a beautiful song that should not be missed. On these songs, her voice moves deeper into the lyric than the arrangements usually would allow, but it works with great results. "Jerusalem Tomorrow" is a haunting song, very unique and interesting to listen to. The song is not sung, but spoken. "High Powered Love" is a great uptempo tune, as is "Thanks To You". The ballad "Lovin You Again" is another highlight. She closes the album with Tony Arata's "I Hear A Call" and Leonard Cohen's "Ballad of a Runaway Horse". Overall one of her best albums (among her other great albums). Don't miss this one!

This album is a wonderful mix of country, rock, gospel, and all-around great music, grounded by Emmylou Harris' special voice. And it offers proof, w/ "Prayer in Open D," that the woman just doesn't write songs herself enough, because that is simply one of the most beautiful songs ever written. If you are an Emmylou fan and do not have this record, please get it soon!

What led me to Cowgirl's Prayer was a sampler disc from a music magazine. The disc contained Jerusalem Tomorrow. The song was so good I bought the CD a few days later. I'm sorry and humbled for missing such good music for so long. I was familiar with Ms. Harris's work from Dylan's Desire album. I also liked Last Date. She has had a sterling reputation, but I listened to very little country music. Labelling Emmylou Harris a country musician is like trying to label Bob Dylan, Carla Bley, or Miles Davis. Cowgirl's Prayer is a wonderful album, which yields something new on repeated listenings; for me, it's been more than four years.

This disc stops just short of being a religious experience. "High Powered Love" rocks with back-handed humor. "Lovin You Again" is one of the saddest and most achingly beautiful songs I've ever heard. As she does with every song she covers, Emmylou makes "You Don't Own Me" her own. The entire disc is phenomenal.

Those that knew Emmylou after 1995's magnificent "Wrecking Ball" might never hear this 1993 album, and those that gave up on her because of "Wrecking Ball" might not go back to this album. And that's a shame. It's a great collection of songs, and her voice seems to have reached a new resonance on this album. She yet again selected great songs, worked with a great team of players, and sang her little heart out. She even penned one of the most haunting and wrenching songs I've ever heard: "Prayer in Open D". Whoa! (Hear the live version on "Spyboy" too).

If you like any of Emmylou's "moods", this will fit in no matter which it is.