What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul

Monroe Brothers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 20, 2000)
• Original Release Date: June 20, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rounder Select
• ASIN: B00004TDOK
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #286,484 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. My Long Journey Home

2. What Is Home Without Love

3. What Would You Give In Exchange?

4. Nine Pound Hammer is Too Heavy

5. Little Red Shoes

6. On Some Foggy Mountain Top

7. Drifting Too Far From The Shore

8. New River Train

9. This World Is Not My Home

10. Watermelon Hangin' On That Vine

11. On The Banks Of The Ohio

12. Do You Call That Religion?

13. God Holds The Future In His Hands

14. In My Dear Old Southern Home

15. You've Got To Walk That Lonesome Valley

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This 15-song set kicks off a projected 4-volume series issuing the complete 1936-1938 duet recordings of future bluegrass founder Bill Monroe and his guitarist brother, Charlie. Volume 1 captures the duo when, as an obscure regional act, they were still feeling their way musically. Nonetheless, they nailed their first popular record, the eerily moralistic gospel number "What Would You Give in Exchange?" on their first session. This collection of 1936 material also includes their bestselling recordings of "New River Train," "This World Is Not My Home," "Drifting Too Far from the Shore," and "Roll On Buddy," which helped make those songs standards in the years before World War II. The Monroes' flair for synthesis was particularly outstanding because their repertoire blended material they'd heard in church or on records, discovered in shape-note hymnbooks, or appropriated from the repertoire of their favorite band, the Prairie Ramblers. While Bill's bluegrass concepts were still fermenting during these years, he built his future on the solid, successful foundation of his work with Charlie. --Rich Kienzle

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Available at last!, June 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul (Audio CD)

If you're familiar with this music, you don't need me to tell you how stunningly great it is. If you're not, and you're the least bit inclined towards bluegrass or old-time country, this CD will change your life. The Monroe Brothers inspired and influenced virtually everyone who came after them, and the quality of their harmonies and musicianship has never been surpassed. The remastered sound is terrific too. This is the first volume in a projected four-volume series - may the other three come quickly!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important and influential recordings available at last!, July 20, 2000

By 

Robert Meador (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul (Audio CD)

This forthcoming 4-volume set has been long awaited, and it is thrilling to finally have this material available on CD. Many know how influential Bill Monroe and bluegrass music has subsequently been, but this material was equally influential on country music in the late 30s. Many of the stars of country grew up listening to and being inspired by these recordings. It's easy to see why-- just listen to the combination of Bill Monroe's blistering mandolin work (which single-handedly rescued the mandolin from increasing obscurity) and the unearthly and haunting quality of the harmonies. Few other brother acts of the time made music as unforgettable as this. To use one of Bill Monroe's favorite expressions, this is 'powerful' stuff!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST HAVE!!, October 6, 2005

By 

Benjamin Crowe "Philosophy Professor" (Utah) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What Would You Give in Exchange for Your Soul (Audio CD)

If you're at all a fan of folk music, bluegrass, or early country - and if you have any appreciation for the Monroe Bros.' achievement in music - you need this album. Rounder has done us all a great service by remastering and rereleasing these seminal cuts from the late 1930's. This is volume 1 of a 2 volume set - which will hopefully include other volumes in future. This volume includes some of the most important songs ever recorded in the "brother duet" genre - "What Would You Give?", "What Is Home Without Love?", and "Drifting Too Far from the Shore" are my personal favorites - but literally every single track is good. Fans of Bill Monroe's later work will recognize some of these tunes. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.