Customer Reviews

Flashes of Fire: Hoyt's Very Best 1962-1990 (Reis)

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

 

 

Flashes Of Fire's 25 diverse, brightly remastered tracks reach from a live '62 "Greenback Dollar" (later covered by the Kingston Trio) to 1990's whimsical "Fearless The Wonder Dog." For all the rock hits he penned (Three Dog Night's "Joy To The World" and "Never Been To Spain," Ringo Starr's "No No Song"), Hoyt Axton's albums and singles surprisingly never cracked Pop's top 40 - only Country's - though his literate, left-of-center writing was as far from mainstream country as it could get. A wide range of artists such as Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby and David Crosby were among those who covered him.

In the drug-hazy `60s and `70s, Axton's anti-drug songs never seemed square. Cheech & Chong make a cameo appearance on "No No Song." Steppenwolf's seering "The Pusher" cover powered Easy Rider's soundtrack. "Snow Blind Friend" (which Steppenwolf also did) viewed substance abuse with pity. As for Axton's country top-tenners, "Boney Fingers" showed his droll side, while "When The Morning Comes" (a duet with Linda Ronstadt) was, as its name implies, a beguiling morning-after song. A big bear of a man, Axton died at only 61 in 1999 after a career spanning writing, singing and Hollywood acting. His mom was Mae Axton who co-wrote Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel."

Axton is as important to Americana as Dylan and Springsteen and deserves all the respect and attention given him and more. Seeing any CD release of his music is a pleasant suprise but many of his best are missing from this release. If you want Hoyt's best, you've got to have - 500 Miles, Hotel Ritz, Pride of Man, So Hard To Give It All Up, The Devil, Mountain Right, Cowboys On Horses With Wings, Wild Bull Rider, and the most beautiful song he ever sang: I Collect Hearts. Other glaring ommissions include- I Love To Sing, The Way Of The World, Southbound, I Left My Gal In The Mountains and California Women.

Hoyt Axton grew up in the business of making music. With obvious regard to his mother and her song writing efforts, Hoyt carried the family music torch for several decades. It's a mystery why he never quite got his just due with Billboard charts and radio air-play. No matter, if you're interested in country, folk, story songs, or just fine music, Hoyt Axton's Flashes of Fire will not disappoint!

Wanted to hear the original music by the original artist that wrote them. Hoyt was a man of multiple talents. I'm more than satisfied with the cd.

It is fun to hear Hoyt's voice again, and the ageless lyrics I still remember. "It was Della and the dealer and a dog named Jake, and a cat called Kalamazoo". Great fun!

Hoyt Axton was able to follow the pulse of America like the Beatles followed the pulse of growing up in the 60's. He was a profound lyricist. His song "Snow Blind Friend" hits all of us who survived the dope era like no one else ever did."Sweet Misery" and "Less Than The Song (I am Singing)" are life-saving songs.

I would have given this all stars, but it is missing "Somebody Turned On the Light."

This is a terrific CD! A collection of Hoyt's "Very Best" songs from 1962-80, it contains many that have been covered by hugely popular bands like Three Dog Night and Steppenwolf, as well as many that are less well known. All are outstanding, and as for the ones that have been covered, I like Hoyt's own versions better! I highly recommend this one. It's all going on my iPod. :-)

This CD is the best collection of Hoyt Axtons that I have found. I could not find much selection in retail stores.

A good production of Axtons' classic compositions, though some of the live performance recordings are less than stellar. If you are looking for "The Pusher" that was part of the "Easy Rider" soundtrack, you need to get Steppenwolf's version--not this one.

This is an inferior product, in my opinion. Most of these songs are grade B and there are only about 3 that were hits. I paid for the whole album just to get those 3 songs!