Customer Reviews

Fire on the Mountain

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What an unbelievable, trend setting album. At a time when the Rock-Country (Southern Rock) music was coming into its own, this was the benchmark album that all others would come to be measured against. The unique blend of rock and country on this CD is exceptional.

Beginning with "Caballo Diablo", a story about a horse and a man's quest to tame him this album moves through songs of attitude (Long Haired Country Boy), songs of barroom mischief (Trudy), of feelings for home (Georgia) and wanting to roam (Feeling Free), of the 'redneck coaliton' (The South's Gonna Do It Again) to some bluegrass covers with drums (Orange Blossom Special) this CD is terrific.

In my opinion this is Charlie's best project. It stands with fond memories in my youth and as I've grown older it has not diminished. A first class project that showed what southern rock is supposed to be all about. A top notch band with great songs can only mean one thing - a top notch CD.

Add this to your collection even if you don't like Southern Rock or Charlie Daniels, as long as you like music you will enjoy the eclectic nature of this project.

The Charlie Daniels Band has seen its ups and downs over the years, but none of it matters to the fans who own this album (sorry - CD). Every song is crafted perfectly, music to lyrics, the words obviously came first. Don't even bother putting it in the home CD changer, just plop it in the car stereo, back out of the garage - hopefully top down - get on the first highway or abandon country road you can find and turn the volume to one notch above bearable. Even if you are sixty-five you'll be singing along like a sixteen year old on the way to pick up his date on the first night his parents let him use the car. This damn CD is simply the best driving music ever written. Don't tell me about your favorites until you've heard mine, it's cost me at least ten speeding tickets already and it's worth it

This is a classic southern rock album, there isn't a bad song on it. From the hard driving Caballo Diablo to the blues rock No Place to Go, CDB's southern roots are evident. This is a CD that was meant to be listen to turned up loud, while you sing along. The spirit of early seventies, southern rock isn't expressed better than it is here.

In the world of Southern Rock, this album tops the charts. Charlie Daniels does a great job blending blues, country, rock, and the wonders of the south on this album. The re-release of "Trudy" and "Georgia" are by far perfected compared to their original release on the album "Charlie Daniels". For those just getting into The Charlie Daniels Band, this album is a great place to start. A definite must for fans of Southern Rock and Country Rock.

CHARLIE DANIELS BEST ALBUMS ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON CD.

Released in 1974, this is the fourth album from the Charlie Daniels Band, and the fifth from Charlie Daniels overall. It is also the first (oldest) Daniels album that is available on CD. It is 42 minutes long and the sound quality is fairly good, but not perfect.

This was the major break through for Charlie Daniels. His previous albums hardly got any airplay, until his third album, Honey In The Rock, with Uneasy Rider. Also, the FM radio stations would play No Place To Go. I remember the first few times I heard it, and tried to figure out who the band was (Allman Brothers? Marshall Tucker? Quicksilver?).

With Fire on the Mountain, Daniels hit it big with The South's Going To Do it Again. Sort of Daniels' and southern rock's answer to Peter, Paul and Mary's, I Dig Rock and Roll Music.

Long Haired Country Boy was also a mild hit. It has one of my favorite lines: "the early morning sun shines/through the bubbles in my beer". Also getting airplay was Caballo Diablo, a rocking country song.

Fire on the Mountian also included live versions of Orange Blossom Special and No Place to Go (at 11 minutes) for the Southern Boogie fans.

Like many of his later albums, Fire On the Mountain would be a regurgitation of earlier works. Trudy and Georgia were also on Daniels first album (called Charlie Daniels). No Place to Go was on Honey in the Rock and Orange Blossom Special was a concert standard for Daniels and was on other live compilations featuring Daniels and other southern rock bands.

For many this is the first Daniels album because the first four have been forgotten (almost lost). In the late seventies, they were re-issued, but with different covers and titles. Honey in the Rock was re-issued as Uneasy Rider and Way Down Yonder was re-issued as Whiskey. None of these are available on CD.

Daniel's first hit, Uneasy Rider, was a spoken word number about a long haired hippy type getting a flat tire in front of a redneck bar, and how he had to fight his way out once the rednecks realized he had long hair. In a nasty turn, he made a remake of Uneasy Rider, called Uneasy Rider 88 on Homesick Heroes. In this updated version, Daniels accidently winds up in a gay bar, and he brags about how he beat up the fags.

Charlie Daniels was in his thirties before he formed his first band. Prior to this he tried writing for others (Elvis did one of his songs), was a studio musician (played on some of Dylan's records) and was a producer (Youngbloods). With the Charlie Daniels Band, he did southern rock for nearly a decade before going more country. He has a "museum" in Nashville, which is the back part of a store in the downtown area, a few doors down from Hooters.

Daniels Band was probably the second Southern Rock band (after the Allman Brothers). He added some more country to the sound (the Allman Brothers were more blues and jazz oriented). He also added the ridiculous big fat good old boy personna with the ridiculous oversized cowboy hat. He had some good songs and added some depth ot the music with his guitar playing and fiddle.

to me this is the ultimate CDB cd, with stand out tracks like, long haired country boy, trudy, georgia, the south's gonna do it, orange blossom special, to be honest they are all stand out tracks!!! if you like old lynyrd skynyrd, or the allman bros. or even marshall tucker, do yourself a favor and get this cd!!!, true southern boogie!!

I bought this album (I agree - sorry CD)when it was brand new and have kept it ever since....

Saw the CDB right after his came out and have been hooked ever since...

Fire on the Mountain is a GREAT album. But this CD version sounds pretty awful. Charlie's back catalogue is criminally in need of restoration. A lot of his best albums arent even in print, and the ones that are like this one suffer from horrible digital transfers. Fortunately i also own this on vinyl, and it sounds 1000 times better. Until someone remasters these great albums, do yourself a favor and just get the actual LP.

This album is an insane blend of seventies country and the blues jams of the Allman Brothers Band. Even the cheesy Trudy is a gem. From the first wailing notes of Caballo Diablo to the last licks of Orange Blossom, this album is on fire! Charlie knows how to jam on the guitar and fiddle!

In this writer's opinion, CDB carried the live southern rock flag when the Allman Bros. went on a slide in the mid-70s. Sure, there were Skynyrd and MTB, and they had their own nice little grooves. But for double-drummers/ dual guitar leads/swirling B3/gritty vocals and hard rockin boogies, nothing in this era tops CDB. No Place Left to Go is one of the best southern rock anthems ever. Charlie has taken some different paths since (haven't we all?), but those were some good times.