Customer Reviews

Essential Hank Snow

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hank Snow, the late Singing Ranger from Liverpool, Nova Scotia had 65 Billboard hits from 1949-1974. All were on the RCA label, which must have made it a bit easier to assemble such a worthwhile compilation. "The Essential Hank Snow" spans his golden years from "I'm Movin' On" (1949) to "Hello Love" (1974). EACH of the 20 tracks was a top 10 Billboard selection! All of Hank's 6 # 1 songs are here including the epics, "I Don't Hurt Anymore" (1954) and "I'm Moving On". Both stayed on the charts for over 40 weeks (!).What's not to like here? Personal favorites are highly subjective but this reviewer loved "Would You Mind?" from 1955, "The Wishing Well" from 1965 and the aforementioned "Hello Love". Other reviewers have helpfully noted that short of buying an expensive box set, this CD is the best way of owning a solid, if not completely inclusive selection of Snow's work. On a related note, serious country fans should pay very close attention to the "Essential" series for reliable albums of the best music from our past heroes. The EHS is good, solid classic country as its' best. It is long beyond saying that they are not making any more Hank Snows and never will again. This reviewer would also bet that Mr. Snow was a true gentleman in real life, eh.

Hank Snow. One of the most important people in country music history no doubt. I've been a Hank Snow fan for many of my 27 years and while this is a good set and serves as a decent intro to his music, there's a little bit lacking here. First of all, BMG misses all of his early, early hits from Canada that would've made for nice listening. Also, they fail to represent Hank's undying love for the music of Jimmie Rodgers (he released 2 LP's of Jimmie's music) or his love for gospel music. It's not that they didn't have enough room for it either as the CD only runs around 55 minutes and a CD can hold up to around 75-80 minutes of playing time. Yes, this works as a great intro to Hank's music, but BMG could've given a bit more such as "The Next Voice You Hear" or "Merry Go Round of Love" which are minor hits in comparison to "I'm Movin' On", "Hello, Love" and others, but are still first rate cuts.

He was a star in his native Canada for quite a few years before he exploded onto the American country music scene in early 1950 with his debut single "Marriage Vow". American audiences just loved him and before that incredible year was over Hank Snow would become a member of the Grand Ole Opry and his recording of "I'm Moving On" would top the Billboard "Top Country Singles" chart for a record-setting 21 weeks! Hank Snow would go on to become one of the biggest country acts of the 1950's and would ultimately be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1979.
"The Essential Hank Snow" chronicles his 30 year run at RCA records. This disc features 20 of his all-time best digitally remastered for your enjoyment. There are so many outstanding tunes in this collection that it is difficult to choose a favorite. I have been always partial to Hank's incredible 1962 hit "I've Been Everywhere". I also thoroughly enjoyed the rollicking "The Gal Who Invented Kissin'" from 1952, an odd mix of country and calypso that works just perfectly. Also included is "I Don't Hurt Anymore" which topped the charts for 20 weeks in 1954. Incredibly, every single one of the 20 tracks in this collection were Top Ten country hits. I enjoyed all of them.
After perusing the available options on amazon.com I have come to the conclusion that this is by far the best Hank Snow collection available. The collection comes with extremely interesting liner notes and as I mentioned earlier the remastering job is terrific. If you are a fan or a student of American popular music like I am, this disc is an absolute "must have" for your collection. Highly recommended.

What about that yo-yo in the earlier review whose criticism of Hank Snow is that someone else once told him Hank Williams was better?? Hey, I like Hank Williams, too, but what's the relevance? Anyway, to me Hank Snow was just a name until I heard "Golden Rocket" in a movie soundtrack several yrs ago (Who'll Stop the Rain) and was hooked immediately...had to hear more! Then I got this CD and it's been a fixture in my music rotation ever since. Once Hank's excellent, pitch-perfect voice gets into your head, you'll think about country singing in a whole new way. I also recommend the Jasmine CDs that have been released recently -- I think they're recordings from radio broadcasts in the 1950s and their non-studio immediacy really demonstrates what a consummate professional Hank Snow was. Buy this CD -- you absolutely won't be sorry (even if you already like Hank Williams!)

From North of the Border he came, carrying that Martin and a stack of songs. His impeccable repertoire abounded, and when his I'm Movin' On stayed on the charts for 50 weeks, Clarence knew he had arrived at the big time.

He gave us such classics, and he lived in the "Golden Era" of country music. Had he arrived today, they would have laughed him out of the town. Shania could not even carry his guitar case to the stage for him even if her belly was not swelling and it was bare.

He never performed in later years the same song twice on his visits to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. With over 500 recorded songs he did not need too.

"In the Dodge City Yards of the Sante Fe stood a frieght made up for the East. The engineer with his oil and waste was a groomin" the great iron beast. While 10 cars back in the murky dust a boxcar door swung wide and a hobo lifted his pal aboard taking his last long ride."--from Hank Snow's "Hobo's Last Ride."

The Singing Ranger's voice long silenced now can be heard in the eerie hall's of the Ryman after the lights are turned out and the people have all gone home, or on the CDs available from Amazon---buy this one!!!---a must have for anyone who calls themselves a Country Music Fan. Hank at his finest.

I'm a fan of classic country music in general, not necessarily of Hank Snow, but I've always enjoyed his music. I received this CD for Christmas and could not be happier. From the big hits I was already familiar with ("I'm Movin' On", "I Don't Hurt Anymore") to the playful ("Rhumba Boogie", "I've Been Everywhere") to the heartfelt ballads ("A Fool Such As I", "Hello Love"), every track on this CD is wonderful listening. The avid Hank Snow devotee could probably find a more complete collection, but for the classic country listener looking to build a comprehensive music library, this is probably all the Hank Snow he'll need (unless this album whets his appetite for more).

From the first cut to the last this album of wonderful music is a delight to listen to. Hank Snow's voice is great and the quality of the reproduction is near perfect. Those of us who are younger and missed the largest part of Mr. Snow's carreer will be thrilled to hear classics that would be chart makers today like "The Wishing Well", or "Rhumba Boogie". Who has counted all the places Hank has been in "I've Been Everywhere"? Listen for your home-town or some place close, YOU'LL HEAR IT!! Overall, one of the best examples of older country music. I proudly award this recording with 5 stars.

I am 49 years old and was raised on this fine gentlemans' music. I love and buy all types of music. But ya know what? I listen to this CD at least once a week. Why? Because it makes me feel good!

I can't agree with the claim of fellow reviewer Paul Tognetti that this is the best Hank Snow collection available. Perhaps the best single-disc compilation - I'd have no argument there - but outside of a hugely expensive multi-disc box set, the 2-cd release from RCA/BMG titled "I've Been Everywhere - The Hank Snow Story" is better in terms of content (44 songs, both A- and B-sides) and liner notes.

Having said that, this is still very much a 5-star compilation which presents 20 of the 85 Country hits he registered from late 1949 to 1980 - all with the same label, RCA Victor/RCA. That includes all seven of his # 1 hits: I'm Moving On (# 1 for TWENTY-ONE weeks and 44 weeks in total on the charts from July 1950 to December); The Golden Rocket (which took over the top spot for two weeks in late 1950/early 1951); The Rhumba Boogie (which became his third straight # 1 after it made its debut on the charts in March 1951 and eventually spent EIGHT weeks at the top); I Don't Hurt Anymore (TWENTY weeks at # 1 and 41 weeks on the charts from late May 1954); Let Me Go Lover (two weeks at # 1 in early 1955); I've Been Everywhere (Two weeks at # 1 in fall 1962)' and Hello Love (one week at # 1 in spring 1974). Small wonder he was inducted in the Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1979!

The others included here were also solid hits, all detailed in the eight pages of liner notes written by the well-known Country Music journalist Edward Morris. The sound quality is excellent.

Whenever I play "90 miles an hour down a dead end street" from this man it makes me start to boogie woogie in my car. Not many Country singers make me do that. The song was released in 1963 and stuck at #2 for 3 weeks on Billboards country chart and was on the chart for a little over 4 months. Hank had too many classics to mention- Pure country classic stuff like "Millers Cave" from 1960, "Beggar to a King","I've been everywhere","The Wishing well"
and I could go on and on and on. But I always come back to "90 miles an hour" while driving and my foot always gets a little heavier on that peddle and to me that's so cool !
Note:Hank had a direct influence on the singing style and guitar style of Willie Nelson.