Customer Reviews

Kris Kristofferson - All Time Greatest Hits

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Kristofferson's delivery of his classic compositions sounds intensely personal yet universal at the same time. Most of these tracks come from his debut album: Me And Bobby McGee that was covered by Janis Joplin and Gordon Lightfoot amongst others, the romantic masterpieces Help Me Make It Through The Night and For The Good Times that have seen umpteen cover versions and the glorious Sunday Morning Coming Down that has also been interpret by a vast array of singers. The lugubrious songs Casey's Last Ride and Darby's Castle are less famous but equally moving.

There is also his later country-gospel classic Why Me that spent ages on the US charts and the beautiful ballad with Rita Coolidge, I'd Rather Be Sorry. My other favourites include Jesus Was A Capricorn and Loving Her Was Easier. Kristofferson's limited vocal range and talking style ensured that other artists made hits of his compositions, but his earthy tones have a charm of their own, while his tales of losers came long before Tom Waits. This is a great album if you're into authentic rebel country and singer/songwriter folk music. All Time Greatest Hits is a classic of ageless songs, done with feeling.

As such a consistently successful songwriter, and a sporadically successful performer, Kristofferson's "Greatest Hits" necessarily mixes his own few chart entries with his original versions of songs made famous by the talent of others (450 and counting!). But even as Ray Stevens, Roger Miller, Janis Joplin, Johnny Cash, Ray Price, Sammi Smith, and Willie Nelson took his songs up the charts, it was Kristofferson's unique lyrical voice that provided the fuel, and that lyrical voice is never heard more clearly than in his own recordings.

Among the eighteen tracks are three of Kristofferson's own hits, "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)," "Josie" and "Why Me" (his only #1 as performer). Also included are numerous roughly voiced originals of songs popularized by others. His LP debut take of "Me and Bobby McGee," shows off the weary, hobo flavor missing from Joplin's later hippies-on-the-road reading. Similarly, the cracking vocal and occasional flat note of "Help Me Make It Through the Night" reveals a desperation unmatched by the many subsequent covers.

A career as prosperous as Kristofferson's can't possibly be covered in a mere eighteen tracks. This is further complicated (on an album of the songwriter's performances) by songs he wrote but never released on his own. Early titles like "Viet Nam Blues" (Dave Dudley) and "Your Time's Comin'" (Faron Young) seem to be missing from Kristofferson's performance catalog, and though he recorded "Please Don't Tell Me How It Ends" (a hit for Ronnie Milsap), it doesn't appear here. The Grammy-winning duet with then-wife Rita Coolidge, "From the Bottle to the Bottom" is also missing, though the inclusion of "I'd Rather Be Sorry" amply shows off the power of their work together.

But discussing what's missing really misses the point. What's here are prime examples of Kristofferson's art, both as a singer and a songwriter. This disc is a great introduction to his work, and a good place to start exploring the rest of his (very much in print) catalog. What would be really nice is a companion volume collecting others' hit performances of these songs.

4-1/2 stars, if Amazon allowed fractional ratings.

Kris was never blessed with a great singing voice but his voice is good enough on his own songs, which he sings with a conviction and honesty sometimes (but not always) lacking in cover versions by others. In that way, he may be compared with Bob Dylan, another outstanding songwriter with vocal limitations. As somebody who regards the human voice as the most important musical instrument of all, I cannot say that Kris is one of my favorite singers, but he has just enough to make me want to listen to his music every now and again. Perhaps it is the desperation with which he sings Help me make it through the night, or his attempt to find spiritual answers in Why me lord.

So on this compilation you will find his original recordings of songs that have become classics across several different genres of music, including pop, rock, country, soul, R+B and reggae. The most successful song of all is Help me make it through the night, which has charted for several different singers. Sammi Smith was first, selling two million copies in the USA, topping the country charts and reaching the top ten in the pop charts. John Holt, a fine reggae singer, took it high up the British charts. Another popular song, For the good times, was a country hit for Ray Price and a pop hit for Perry Como. Among the other singers who have been successful with his songs are Janis Joplin (Me and Bobby McGhee), Johnny Cash (Sunday morning coming down), Waylon Jennings (The taker) and Brenda Lee (Nobody wins), but this is by no means a complete list.

This, then, is a fine collection of music by an outstanding songwriter who, despite his vocal limitations, is worth an occasional listen.

I bought this CD for the "Lord Help Me Jesus" track (which I love), but discovered I also love many of the other tracks. I really love this CD!

This has to be one of the best collections of songs that KK has ever put together. I had it in an albumn, but things are now in cd's. I am glad I found it, again, and will suggest it to others who enjoy this type of music.

Good and Very Fast service. CD is wonderful and just like new. I will certainly order from this vendor again.

my wife was very happy to get this cd, she didn't think it was still available.

When the time comes ya gotta get drunk and cry about how bad life sucks, ain't nobody better to listen to.

Great music, words and don't forget the unique gravel voice that is Kristofferson's trademark. The lyrics are amazing and describe situations that all too often we all have found ourselves in. I can't believe I am just discovering this huge talent all these years later.

The CD is great! Includes all the songs I remember, plus a great writeup on the history behind the music. Very happy with it!