Customer Reviews

Sixties Hits

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4 star:		(2)
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Now, don't look at the song listing and say to yourself "Man only ONE top ten hit, must not be that good."

Well, you will be suprised. Carl Smith continued making some of the best Country Music ever to be recorded long after his hit making days were over.

All songs are the original recordings, and have been remastered to sound crystal clear.

Now my Carl Smith collection is almost complete. I have The Essential, The Sixties Hits, and Curb Records The Best Of. All we need now is a comilation of his late 50's hits and a cd reissue of his gospel lp from the mid fifties.

Sorry, couldnt resist that comment...But the collection here is all SUPERB, all good (perhaps with only one or two exceptions), but the gems here are not to be missed, very vital part of country music history.

I'm really afraid Carl is getting to be under-rated, when he's been a big part of the country music backbone throughout the 1950s-60s. I've been playing this one over and over and over, since it includes so many strong recordings I grew up with, and they are strong, they hold up extremely well over time.
I'm talking about: "In the Back Room Tonight", "Take My Ring Off of Your Finger", "When It's Over"....
If you ever listened to counrty radio in the 60s you would know these by heart. These are evergreens, they are perfectly executed country records, without bending to that pseudo-pop "Nashville sound". These are true true country classics. (and yes they do remind me of hearing the radio in a 1963 Chevy Impala, but it's not just the nosalgia factor at work) these recordings are truely quality works. I am admittedly a Carl Smith fan, and grew up with all his 1950s records, and these ongoing years were never a let down.
Even producing some surprises.
But most importantly in all this----I want back up somerhing mentioned in a review by JESS JESS.
---And that is: there is one record on here that is a knockout, beyond knockout, ("You Ought to Here Me Cry"). Dont miss this recording.
Well, while everyone knows Patsy Cline doing "Crazy" and Faron Young doing "Hello Walls"...true classic records..I strongly will hold this record of "You Ought to Hear Me Cry" right up with those other two.
That one single alone is worth getting this CD, trust me. Carl managed to make that (Willie Nelson Composition) song his own, every bit as much as Patsy and Faron.
Carl was not missing a beat on these classics. Listen, and you will buy it!!!

This is a great album which has absolutely superb sound. I'm nothing short of impressed with the mix; and all of the numbers are stereo with the exception of "Things that Mean the Most". This album covers Carl Smith's era of the 60's, when the "nashville Sound" was in full swing. As one other reviewer so rightly pointed out, Carl didn't play that game....he stayed true to the Honky Tonk sound. And after you hear the tracks on this album, it will surprise you that only 2 made it to the Top Ten. Despite that, country music owes a huge debt of gratitude to Carl for staying true to his sound, and for disregarding the orchestral shreiking sounds which dominated the country charts at the time. The album starts out with "Ten Thousand Drums" which is in the same vein as Johnny Horton. You'll recognize many of these songs as they were later covered by other artists, to include none other than George Strait ("Deep Water") and Charlie Walker ("Good Deal Lucille"). Personally, I think Carl's finest track on the disc is "You ought to Hear me Cry" or possible "Triangle". In any case, you need this album.

Great sounds -- very reminiscent of Johnny Horton style.Seemed to cover all the best he had done during that period.As one who just loves that sound, I have played it over many times.

I have no words to really express how I feel about country music. However I will say, that it is by far the very best music around. I mean we can find some good in all kinds of music. And I do listen to all kinds of music. But no one, and I mean no one tells the real truth about life in a song like these men and women tell in country music. That is why I say, a word of expression is very hard to find, I have just completely ran out of words. I have been listening to country music since I was about the ages 4-10 and over into adult life. Some of my friends are really shocked when they find out that I listen to country. But really that is all I know. My Daddy played it all the time when I was very small, and I will never forget it. I truly love it, and the most important factor of it all most of them songs tells my Life's story right down to the 'T'.This is one of the greatest singers of all times, And I do feel that he was true as one guy said; Under-Rated.Carl Smith was a super great singer, I remember all to well my Daddy had an old green panasonic radio in the 'Bath-room window, as where he kept it, and he would always play this country radio station, with Carl Smith would be played alot. It seem like the D.J. could not play other country songs. But Carl Smith was for sure going to be played. This CD here brings back a lot of memories of when I was just a young teenager. It is awesome great music. The main thing about country music is that you have to pay attention to the songs, Because you can always find something that they are writing about, that may reflect about ourself. Thank God for music, and for sure Thank him for country music.

Carl Smith, from Maynardsville,TN had 69 Billboard hits from 1951 to 1972. 21 of the 24 tracks herein made the charts. That statistic is taken directly from Joel Whitburn's bible-"TOP 40 Country Hits. This listener learned something new in preparing this review: "Country Bumpkin" (the CMA single of the year in 1974) and "The Lord Knows I'm Drinking" (another #1) were both recorded by CAL Smith. We can always learn anew about country! The bottom line here is that "The 60s Hits of Carl Smith" is a perfectly safe choice for fans of traditional country fare.