Customer Reviews

Hits 1979-1989

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This CD would have gotten 5 stars if it had not been for the inclusion of the syrupy "Black And White" at the end of the CD. Minus that, this is an absolute must-have for the progressive country-roots-rock lover. The massive hit "Seven Year Ache" is included of course, but the centerpieces of this compilation, in my opinion, are the roots-rockers "Hold On" and "Never Be You". "Hold On" is driven by a propulsive bass guitar that is in perfect harmony with the confident lyrics. "Never Be You", (written by Tom Petty and Benmont Tench), lets Rosanne rock out in great style. "Blue Moon With Heartache" is gorgeous, and, like most of Rosanne's work, is wonderfully written. However, one of her bigger hits is curiously and disappointingly left absent - "Runaway Train". One of the most important alt-country singer/songwriters of the 1980s, this collection remains the best calling card to anyone new to Rosanne's music. The compilations that followed were disappointing, leaving out many of her hits and album tracks. Fans will have to be content with this one and wait for the day a larger compilation including her introspective 90's work is released.

Unfortunately, Rosanne Cash's catalog has been clipped down so severely, that only five of her eleven releases remain in print. Three of which are greatest hits compliations. HITS 1979-1989, is the best of the three; RETROSPECTIVE is a close second; and SUPER HITS is third (not because of the album, but because of what happended to her catalog following its release). HITS 1979-1989 is over forty minutes of sensational music, by one of the music world's most gifted performers. Her first five albums with producer, then-husband Rodney Crowell, redifined the boundaries of Country and Rock music. From her exceptional debut RIGHT OR WRONG, there is the gorgeous "No Memories Hangin' Round", a duet with Bobby Bare. SEVEN YEAR ACHE, her second release, skyrocketted her career, and redesigned both Country and Pop music. The ultra-classic title track, "Seven Year Ache", both charted at #1 on the Country charts, and hit the top thirty in the Pop charts; that's the song that opens this magnifiscent collection. "Blue Moon With A Heartache" is poignant, a second #1, reveals Rosanne Cash's monumental strenghts in songwriting. Nobody else can compose sad songs and love ballads like she does. There's Western flavor on "My Baby Thinks He's A Train", written by Leroy Preston. SOMEWHERE IN THE STARS, is the most under-rated album in her largely out-of-print catalog. "I Wonder", also penned by Leroy Preston, was the least impressive song from that outstanding album. I wish they would have put "Ain't No Money" or "That's How I Got To Memphis" on this compliation instead. The sizzling RHYTHM AND ROMANCE, broke Rosanne Cash's three-year hiatus in 1985, produced two #1 hits. "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me" carries the listener away on waves of awesome music. She crosses more boundaries by taking Tom Petty's "Never Be You" to #1. Her magnifiscent "Hold On", is included, thank goodness; the song is terrific. KING'S RECORD SHOP produced four #1 singles; two of which are on this collection. The marvelous "The Way We Make A Broken Heart" written by John Hiatt, and Johnny Cash's "Tennessee Flat Top Box" featuring terrific guitar work. She brings The Beatles "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" to brand new heights, making it her tenth #1. "Black And White" which closes the album is beautiful. No collection can ever capture the magic of Rosanne Cash's music as well as the original albums. The albums she released after this album: INTERIORS, THE WHEEL, and 10 SONG DEMO are life-changing musical experiences. For the ten years both SUPER HITS and this outstanding collection cover; Rosanne Cash's music changed history. Hopefully Song Music will re-issue these magnifiscent recordings, to let the world hear that gorgeous voice singing some of the best music the world has seen in her twenty years of performing.

I've never really considered myself a major Rosanne Cash fan, but after hearing this collection, I'm quite impressed. It's a nice collection of soft rock ("Seven Year Ache","Hold On","I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me", "Never Be You"), country ("No Memories Hangin' Around"), & rockabilly ("My Baby Thinks He's a Train","I Don't Want to Spoil the Party","Tennessee Flat Top Box"), with a couple of ballads mixed in. But my favorite is the beautiful acoustic, Tex-Mex flavored "The Way We Make a Broken Heart". I just wish they had included my second favorite, "Couldn't Do Nothin' Right".

Granted, this CD was the first Rosanne Cash greatest-hits album, but even at its relatively early release date, it left out MAJOR hits (like the #1 songs "If You Change Your Mind" and "Runaway Train" and the Top-10 hits "Second To No One" and "Ain't No Money") and included forgotten, relatively low-charting songs like "No Memories Hangin' Around" and "Black and White."

Too much is missing from this CD to make it a good representation of Cash's hits. If you want a really great hits collection, pick up "Blue Moons and Broken Hearts," available from Raven Records. It has remastered sound (this CD doesn't), and it includes many more (but sadly not all of the) hits.

I Have Been Listening To Rosanne Since I Was A Little Kid. The First Song I Heard From Her Was The Number 1 Hit "Seven Year Ache". From There She Has Had Ten Number 1 Hits Including: "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me", "The Way We Make A Broken Heart", "Tennessee Flat Top Box", And "I Don't Want To Spiaol The Party. Rosanne's Father Is The Legandery Johnny Cash. This Record Was Produced By Then Husband Rodney Crowell.

Rosanne Cash was easily the greatest thing to happen to country music in the 1980's(or since then for that matter). Even if she isnt(and never was) REALLY a country singer. However, when you make music this good, who cares? She was truly the most original, distinctive country artist since, well...her father.

I really love this CD! Anything by Rosanne has to be good but these songs are really great...Seven Year Ache is one of my favorites, along with I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me, Hold On and Never Be You. Basically all the songs on here are great! So go buy this CD and you won't be disappointed by Cash's work :)

This album has a lot of good songs on it. Most of them are downers however. But if you've got a man going through a midlife crisis listen to "Seven Year Ache" a few times in a row, It'll help.

"I ran into that heartache just like a wall. And act like nothing happened to me, nothin' at all....."
Blue Moon With Heartache


Rosanne Cash is to country music what Diana Krall is to jazz. Sometimes traditional, often elegant, and occasionally heartbreaking, her lyrics and vocals convey a depth of emotion we don't get to hear that often.

While her music the past decade has become even more refined and introspective, this compilation of her earlier hits has work which makes it an absolute must for those who love great music. Even the catchy melodies cannot mask the emotional insight of some of these songs.

Cuts such as "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me" and "The Way We Make a Broken Heart" are so great to listen to it may be the third or fourth time around before you start hearing the anguish of the words and the sadness just beneath the surface. Even fun songs such as The Beatles' "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party" are tinged with melancholy and hurt in Cash's hands.

Tunes like "I Wonder" and "Black and White" show the direction Cash's music would eventually take beginning with her "Interiors" album. If I could pick one song to define what Rosanne Cash and her music are all about, however, I would pick "Blue Moon With Heartache."

Anyone who has ever known heartbreak and shut down for a time in its wake will feel as though this were an anthem written and sung just for them in their darkest hour. It is one of the most beautiful songs about lost love and loneliness ever written or sung.

You don't have to love country music to enjoy Rosanne Cash. You only have to have a heart and love great music. If you are not familiar with this most gifted of female music artists you are urged to start here and move forward to Cash's newer and ever interesting work. A must have.

Rosanne Cash has always had a strong but mellow voice and always has had variations of emotion in every song. There is sometimes a dark side to her singing also which is why I like her singing. One of her best known songs, "Seven Year Ache", is a good dance tune and it shuffles right along throughout the whole song. The Beatles classic "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" is a good song as Rosanne does a fine job on it. The songs like "Blue Moon With Heartache", and "Black And White" really show a dark side to Rosanne's singing. "Hold On", "I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me" and "Never Be You" show how Rosanne can put hurt in her music and you can really feel it when she sings the lyrics of her songs. The song "The Way We Make A Broken Heart" sounds like Cha Cha music and is probably a good song to dance to. Her father Johnny Cash had a hit with a song she recorded and she did not know he recorded it until she started to record it. It is "Tennessee Flat Top Box" and it sounds as good today as it did when her dad recorded it long ago. Like I said before Rosanne Cash has a strong but mellow voice but is pleasant to the listening audience. A Good CD for any Rosanne Cash Fan.