Customer Reviews

Garth Brooks

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This was Garth's first CD, and an outstanding debut for a man who would become one of music's most popular singer/songwriters.
He was 27 at the time, but looks like a kid on the cover photo, and he has described this CD as "innocent", which in some ways it is; there is a freshness to the music, and a sweetness in the lyrics.

The songs:
"Much Too Young" (Taylor/Brooks) was Garth's first hit single, and is about a rodeo cowboy, "the white line's getting longer and the saddle's getting cold", and is one of the terrific "story" songs on this CD.
"Not Counting You", is one of the few up-tempo songs, and is the only one penned by Garth alone. The words are a clever example of writing in negatives: "There's no exception to the rule / I've never been nobody's fool / I've never lost at love not counting you". It was the second of the singles from this CD, and one of my favorite tracks.
Two others that were singles have become signature songs for Garth: "If Tomorrow Never Comes" (Blazy/Brooks), a beautiful, meaningful ballad, and "The Dance" (Tony Arata), another lovely ballad with Bobby Wood on piano shining in a truly wonderful musical arrangement.
"Everytime That it Rains" (Stefl/England/Brooks) "And through the dance we both stumbled and with the buttons we fumbled", and "Cowboy Bill" (Bastian/Berghoff) are two more "story" songs that draw one in with their well-told tales, and Garth's great interpretations.

This is intelligent, finely crafted, high-quality country music, and Garth's smooth and rich vocals, and the superb musicianship of his band makes this one of the most auspicious "firsts" I've ever heard, and an essential CD in my collection. Total time 33'30.

Garth Brooks' self-titled debut album is a strong one. Garth's debut single, the rodeo song "Much Too Young To Feel This Damn Old", was my favorite song by Garth until "The Dance" superseded it. "The Dance", which on the surface sounds like a relationship song but is actually a celebration of life, was written by Garth's friend Tony Arata, who would go on to write some other great songs which Garth recorded. The love ballad "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and the honky-tonk song "Not Counting You" were the other hit songs from "Garth Brooks". Other highlights are "Everytime That It Rains", "Nobody Gets Off In This Town", and Garth's remake of the classic Charley Pride song "I Know One". Garth went on to make quite a few great albums, but his debut album, in my opinion, is a classic.

Garth Brooks' self-titled 1989 debut is one of, if not the best release from the multi-million selling country superstar. None of the ten tracks can be mistaken for anything but country. If his pop-crossover experiment "Chris Gaines" made you sick and longing for the country Garth, just listen to this album and remember why country fans fell in love with him and his music. You probably already know the hit singles "If Tomorrow Never Comes," "The Dance" and "Much too young (to fell this damn old)," and the album's other seven songs live up to the same standards these do, especially "Not Counting You," "Alabama Clay," and "Every time that it Rains," songs that, if released as singles, would undoubetly gone straight to no. 1. If you had to choose one of Garth's releases to own, this would be the one.

Like many Garth fans, I didn't buy GARTH BROOKS until after his second CD, NO FENCES, was a huge hit. From that time on, though, his debut CD has been my favorite. In fact, I think it's one of the best country CD's I've ever heard. This CD's two biggest hits were IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES and THE DANCE - both are superb ballads that have remained two of his most beloved songs (both of highlights of his 1998 DOUBLE LIVE CD). However, my favorite song on the CD (and perhaps the best song he's ever done) is MUCH TOO YOUNG. It's a terrific story about the rough and tumble life of a rodeo cowboy, and it reminds me a lot of George Strait's hit Amarillo By Morning. Other great up-tempo songs on this album include NOT COUNTING YOU, I'VE GOT A GOOD THING GOING, and the humorous NOBODY GETS OFF IN THIS TOWN. All of the elements that would make Garth a star are on this CD. Plus, it's his most purely country CD. Highly recommended for fans of Garth, country music, and well-written songs.

Garth Brooks' self-titled debut album is a strong one. Garth's first single, the rodeo song "Much Too Young To Feel This Damn Old", was my favorite song by Garth until "The Dance" superseded it. "The Dance", which on the surface is a relationship song but is actually a celebration of life, was written by Garth's friend Tony Arata, who would go on to write some other great songs which Garth recorded. The love ballad "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and the bouncy honky-tonk song "Not Counting You" were the other hits from the record. "Everytime That It Rains", "I've Got A Good Thing Going", "Cowboy Bill", "Nobody Gets Off In This Town", and "I Know One"(the classic Charley Pride song) are also strong songs. Garth would get away a bit from his traditional country sound on some of his later records, but with the exception of the pop-oriented In The Life Of Chris Gaines, he never made an album that absolutely flopped. Garth has made a lot of strong albums since his debut, but his debut album, in my opinion, is a classic.

It's difficult to assess this album on its own merits given the enormity of Garth Brooks' career and the 100 million albums he has now sold. This CD introduced a talented and exciting new artist to country music, and although some critics have highlighted this CD as the beginning of the end of traditional country, that simply isn't true - and I'm a Merle Haggard fan. Brooks has gone on to record a variety of music under the country banner, but he is a country artist (the disastrous Chris Gaines project aside) who has successfully combined a range of musical styles to form his brand of country music. All innovators in musical history have done the same thing, but few have encountered the criticism that Brooks has met. Conversely, none have enjoyed his number of album sales! With his self-titled debut album, Brooks stuck to a mainly traditional feel, including the Jim Reeves and Charley Pride hit I Know One, Cowboy Bill and Nobody Gets Off At This Town. There were early indications of the detours into rock ballads that he would return to regularly on future albums: Everytime That It Rains is a clear predecessor to The Thunder Rolls. Also included is the classic rodeo song (another subject he would cover many times), Much Too Young To Feel This Damn Old. The best two songs are among the highlights of his entire career: If Tomorrow Never Comes and The Dance are outstanding songs, and if they aren't exactly what Hank Williams would have regarded as country, that doesn't mean they're any less worthy. I had Merle Haggard's Roots Volume 1 as my album of the year for 2001; I would name this album as my best for 1989 and happily play it in the car next to Dale Watson, Alan Jackson, Waylon Jennings and George Jones.

Anyone who listens to country music, or any music for that matter, has by now heard the name Garth Brooks. His albums have shattered every record in the industry-from sales to hit singles-and his name has become synonymous with everything successful in country music. In a very real sense, Garth Brooks is the standard by which all other musicians in the industry are measured.

This first CD by Garth Brooks was perfectly named. "Garth Brooks", released by Capitol Records in 1989, introduced us to a new style of country music which was, until this time, unheard of-the blending of traditional country music with a pop/rock sound. The result produced a fresh sound in the industry which many artists emulated and which the fans became completely enamored with.

"Garth Brooks" is probably the most traditional country album Garth Brooks ever released. The songs feature the steel-slide guitar and the rich sounds of the fiddle. Garth's first single from the album, "Much Too Young To Feel This Damn Old", is straight out country, a song about a lost lover, and life on the road as a rodeo bronc rider. Other songs along the same lines include "Not Counting You", "Everytime That It Rains", and "I Know One". Each deals with heartache and heartbreak, and reflect on the style of country music to which most people were familiar.

But this CD also contains two songs that would become some of Garth's biggest hits. The songs, "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and "The Dance". "If Tomorrow Never Comes" is a hauntingly beautiful reflection on the precious frailty of life and the sharing of love between two people. It reminds us that we never know when our last day will be, and suggests that we take each moment to let those we love know it, because we may lose that chance forever.

"The Dance", Garth's biggest hit and signature piece, is almost a reflection of "If Tomorrow Never Comes". This song has one of the most poignant messages of truth in it that has ever been spoken, and the words express it so clearly, I won't even attempt to paraphrase:

"And now, I'm glad I didn't know,
the way it all would end, the way it all would go.
And I'm glad I took the chance,
for I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss-
the dance."

This song has become so embedded in the music industry that it has been used during memorial services and television events commemorating such tragedies as September 11th, The Oklahoma City Bombing, and countless funeral services for individuals throughout the country and around the world. It was probably this song, more than any other (save for "Friends In Low Places" off his second album), that catapulted Garth Brooks to superstardom.

For those of you familiar with Garth Brooks from his later albums, this CD will be a departure from the more "rockabilly" sound for which Garth became synonymous. However, this album ranks with anything he released later. It is a must-have for any collector or music enthusiast, and is worth listening to again and again.

As is obviously plain to see, I am a Garth Brooks fan. I saw him live in concert and he was fabulous and the show was electrifying. This, his debut album, was just a sign of things to come. Included on this new release is a song that was not included on the original release "Uptown, Downhome Good Ol' Boy", although I do own the box set of his first 6 cds..."The Limited Series", and a bonus song was included on each of the cds, including the one on this album. "If tomorrow never comes" and "The Dance" are two really beautiful ballads. Garth has a way of singing songs that not only make you want to dance, but songs like those two really touch your soul. And who cares if people argue that he became more crossover than country...music should be enjoyed for what it is...it shouldn't be labelled. This is Garth at his most country though and this album should be in any fan's collection.

Garth is the greatest he is the only country singer I know besides Hank Williams Jr that all his songs are actually happening to most of us. He is the greatest.

I cannot possibly say enough good about Garth Brooks. His music has gotten me through the tough times, and tought me appreciation of many things that I took for granted. His songs speak of the important things in life which many overlook. The Dance will always be my fovorite song and I hope it is played at my funeral. It is exactly how I feel about life and kept me hanging on so many times. From this album I also gained an appreciation of the classics like Chris Ledoux. GOD BLESS GARTH BROOKS!!!!!!!