Customer Reviews

The Highwaymen/Standing Room Only!

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In the early 1960's, the first album I bought of the Highwaymen was "Standing Room Only." I bought it to learn "Gypsy Rover" and "Cotton Fields" on the guitar, but I quickly learned most of the others. Since I do not have the language prowess of these five gentlemen (I read that at least some were modern language majors), I never mastered "Nostalgias Tucmans" or "Pollerita", but I enjoyed listening to them just the same. Soon, I bought "The Highwaymen" primarily for "Michael", but quickly learned all of the others, includign the French and Spanish songs. I enjoyed this group's variety of instrumentation, the vocal harmony and the multitude of parts. Even though I enjoyed the stories they told in their English language folk songs, I also liked listening to the French and Spanish songs although I did not understand them. Over the years, both the albums and the record player went by the boards.

I was thrilled when this CD came out recently. The quality of reproduction was excellent. It was like having the original two albums. My wife for the first time told me that she missed the music of this group -- we've been married 32 years and I never knew that she was a fan of theirs. I also showed the Spanish songs to a friend from Central America. He told me that "Carni Vallito" is from Bolivia and was sung as well as he's ever heard it. "Nostalgias Tucmans" is from Mexico, and is normally done somewhat faster than in this arrangement. "Pollerita" is from either Venezuela or Peru.

The only thing missing is more music from this group! They recorded several other albums in the 1960's. I sincerely hope that they continue to re-release these albums two at a time as they have done this one, and as the Kingston Trio continue to do.

The Highwaymen (Dave Fisher, Steve Butts, Bob Burnett, and Chan Daniels) were a quartet of Wesleyan University undergraduates who were able to translate their rousing style into a brief period of commercial success. This CD reissues together the group's first two albums. Their 1961 self-titled debut album sold people on the basis of classic singalongs such as "Big Rock Candy Mountain," but also showcased their quieter side in ballads such as "Au Claire de la Lune" and "Cindy Oh Cindy." The quintessential Highwayman song would be "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore" which ended up being their most popular hit.

The group's second album, "Standing Room Only!" was released in 1962 and had a couple of hits with "The Gypsy Rover" and "Cotton Fields," a forgotten song written by the legendary Leadbelly that was supposed to be the B-side of a single. Add to those memorable songs some more great tracks, including "Black Eyed Susie" and "Pollerita," and you can see why the Highwaymen were a defining group in the folk scene of the early Sixties.

The Highwaymen sang traditional songs and ballads with a spirited harmony, and their reduced place in the history of the revival of American folk music is due simply to their preference to entertain audiences rather than engage in consciousness-raising. Consequently, they fall into the Kingston Trio, New Christie Minstrels, et al. category of folksingers as opposed to the politically oriented singers such Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Phil Ochs. However, once you get passed the idea that you were more likely to see the Highwaymen on "The Ed Sullivan Show" than at a civil rights protest meeting, you can enjoy their work.

Note: The group was originally named the Clansmen, because they sang a lot of Scottish and Irish songs on campus. After they were introduced to the meaning of the term outside of the northeastern part of the United States they changed their name to the Highwaymen, after the Alfred Noyes poem (which was set to music by Loreena McKennitt not too long ago).

I think I wore the grooves out in the vinyl playing these records over and over again in the 60s. Certainly I dulled several needles. I know-- those technological details date me-- but this music has definitely stood the test of time. The harmonies are lovely, the songs compelling, and the overall feeling when you listen to the music just lovely.

The Highwaymen were a phenomenon particular to their time, yet timeless and eternal.

This CD even has the original album covers and liner notes. A must-have for any folk music fan!

I have purchased the three CD's of this group that are available and loved them all. I'm hoping for further issues. In a Johann Helton web page that I accessed there is a suggestion that they are doing a Irish issue. I am waiting and hoping to obtain this if and when it is released.

I, too, bought all of the Highwaymen albums in the 1960's, and I still have them but othing to play them on! My only complaint is that they did not re-release the other albums on CD as they did their first two. I especially enjoyed the songs that they played in French and Spanish.

What could bring back memories of hay rides at the lake, than the Highwaymen and their easy style of singing. Always loved "Michael", it truly is a classic. Would be nice to have this type of sound today.

I got the first Highwayman album when I was a kid and deep into folk music. Admittedly, I never got another one, but I just about played the grooves off the record. I thoroughly enjoyed every cut on the album. It's amazing to me that my old record is still in fairly decent condition. Those five guys were straightforward about their delivery of music and presented it the way I'm sure it was intended by the songwriters. All these years later, I got this double-album CD. I heard "Standing Room Only!" for the first time and was elated at the progress the Highwaymen made with their harmony, their greatly increased prowess and expansion of intruments. The improvement in the banjo work alone is most worthy of merit. Adding the occasional autoharp was a jewel of an idea. That poor instrument is pathetically underrated. In all, it seems to me that the group relaxed a bit on the second album and enjoyed making the music even more than on the first album. anyway, I've got two gems in one neat little package. I've gotta rate this CD five stars. It's what music is all about.