Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great folk music from the early sixties, September 14, 2002
Do not confuse the folk singers of the sixties featured on this set with the country superstars Cash, Jennings, Nelson and Kristofferson who also recorded and toured using the Highwaymen name.These original Highwaymen are best remebered for Michael row the boat ashore (sometimes just titled Michael), a number one hit in Britain, America and other countries around the world, which begins this set. Cotton fields, originally written by Leadbelly, was a top twenty hit for the Highwaymen, though others have also charted with this song, including the Beach boys. Another famous song is The first time ever I saw your face, a massive seventies hit for Roberta Flack. It was written by folk singer Ewan MacColl about Peggy Seeger who later became his wife. The version here is very folky, true to the original. There are several other well known songs here, including Big rock candy mountain and The gypsy rover. Even the obscure songs here are worth hearing. The general feel of the album is easy-going but upbeat - the sort of album that you can play as background music, but has plenty to offer if you give it dedicated attention. In particular, there is their very amusing song, titled Number one, about themselves. It shows that having a number one record will get you a lot of attention but doesn't guarantee further success. Many of the tracks here are more interesting than Michael - if you like sixties folk music, the Highwaymen are well worth a listen.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
60s nostalgia...., August 3, 1999
By A Customer
Anyone at least in their teens in the 1960s should remember "Michael" (rowing the boat ashore) by the unfortunately under-recorded folk group, The Highwaymen (not to be confused by the much later C&W group led by the likes of Johnny Cash et al). This composite CD is taken from various of their LPs from the 60s, and represents a worthwhile trip back to old territory for many baby-boomers. They don't make music like this anymore today I am afraid!
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Somehow, they seem better now than they did back then..., October 13, 2001
When I became a folk movement fan in the late l950's, beginning with The Kingston Trio and progressing to Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Cisco Houston, Phil Ochs, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Joan Baez, et. al.. "The Highwaymen" were OK, but not really special. At the time, they seemed tamer than the roots artists or the urban protest singer-songwriters. About a year ago, however, I got this album and I really like it. The singing and picking now seems more skillful than I recall from the old days. The variety of material is impressive. It is also true, as another reviewer says, that the group was the first to value Buffy St. Marie's songwriting skills. They really were able to do good performances of many songs other than "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore" which suffers from over-familiarity. My favorite song on here, however, is "Number One" a wistful, ironic look back at the group's early success and later struggles. The guys who could write that song and put it on their greatest hits CD deserve admiration for their sense of humor and modesty, if nothing else. This collection is worth having in the house, if you like folk music and especially if you remember the times in which the performances were created. It is just plain fun to hear.I bought every one of the Kingston Trio's albums immediately upon release all those years, and owned none by The Highwaymen. Now I think this CD holds up as well as any done by Nick, Bob, Dave and later, John Stewart. Thirty-five years too late, I finally became a fan of The Highwaymen, due to this album.
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by The Highwaymen 
