Customer Reviews

Golden Throats 3: Sweet Hearts Of Rodeo Drive { Various Artists }

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

 

 

The Golden Throats series continues with celebrities singing some truly bad versions of country songs. If you are like me, you find this sort of thing hilarious. I'd like to mention a few of the "highlights". "Hey, Good Looking" is performed here by John Davidson, who makes Pat Boone sound soulful. In one of the most misguided ideas ever, Merv Griffin sings a "twist" version of "Tumbling Tumbleweeds". Broadway legend Carol Channing & country music legend Webb Pierce team up for one of the most unlikely duets of all time. And you get two versions of "I Walk the Line". Whose is worse, Leonard Nimoy's or Telly Savalas's? It's close, but Kojak beats Spock by a nose (or a lollipop). If you like the other Golden Throats volumes, you should enjoy this, especially if you have an interest in country music.

this, the third cd in the golden throats series, doesnt measure up to the inspired lunacy of the first two. its not the choice of material or the limits of using only mangled country music, its just that nothing on here matches the sebastian cabot/william shatner/sammy davis cuts of vols. 1 & 2. theres still plenty to enjoy here, if yer into that kind of thing. the hip swingin take on "hey good lookin" by john davidson which makes the rounds during martini hour at my house, the appalling attempt by louis armstrong to bray "almost persuaded" as if its from porgy & bess, the BAFFLING choice to use lorne greenes FRENCH version of "ringo", & walter brennan literally sounding like he's about to keel over in desperation for "cool water" are all phenomenally awe inspiring. one of my personal favorites is everyones favorite bomb riding yahoo, slim pickens, "interpretation" of "desperados waiting on a train", sounding like he got to the studio after a 2 week bender & handed the lyric sheet. when he cuts loose at the end with actual SINGING, your jaw will be scraping the floor. in a nutshell, (or more approriately, in an outhouse), if you love the first 2 golden throats, you'll like this, but its not essential.

Certain artists never should sing country music. Louis Armstrong and Carol Channing come to mind. On the other hand, there are many noted performers who simply should not sing. Leonard Nimoy, Goldie Hawn and Jack Palance remain standouts in this particular category. If you want celebrity vocal prowess, look no further than "Golden Throats 3: Sweet Hearts of Rodeo Drive." Along with these aforementioned entertainers, you get mind-boggling rarities such as Merv Griffin's "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," Telly Savalas' "I Walk the Line" and Lorne Greene's French interpretation of "Ringo." Order now - operators are standing by!

Okay, it mightn't be as over-the-top as the first two volumes of Golden Throats but that shouldn't cost this little gem of a cd anything less than a 5 star rating. It's ridiculously inept of course and the highlights would have to be Carol Channing's "Back Street Affair", Louie Armstrong's "Almost Persuaded" and Merv Griffin twisting up a storm on the "Tumbling Tumbleweeds Twist"... but it's all good in a bad kinda way. Once you get past the initial awfulness..that first shock of hearing Leonard Nimoy murder "I Walk The Line" ... I'm betting you'll be grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Grab a copy before it disappears totally.

If you like something a little different you will like this. Worth the price for Slim Pickens alone (Desperados Waiting for a Train).

Country music,good or bad, leaves me cold - the standout performances in this gawdawful compilation are Buddy Ebsen warbling through classic Hank Williams (Your Cheating Heart) and Lorne Greene's alien-sounding "French" version of Ringo. I am French myself, and I can tell you he speaks it with a truly unusual accent. The Wink Martindale number is a specially nauseating brand of treacle that should be avoided at all costs.

I special-ordered the item to have all three Golden Throats compilations, but would not do so again...