The Best of Norma Jean

Norma Jean

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 8, 2000)
• Original Release Date: February 8, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Collector's Choice
• ASIN: B00003W0XD
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #282,275 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Though considered a country footnote--she's the woman Dolly Parton replaced in Porter Wagoner's show--Norma Jean was, along with Loretta Lynn, the bridge between Nashville female pioneers Kitty Wells and Patsy Cline and the late-1960s crop led by Dolly and Tammy Wynette (Norma's "Then Go Home to Her" is a Tammy template). Her voice had a creaminess that might have carried crossover potential in a later era, but it still broke, tore, and twanged in all the right places, and she had full command of both modes. She toyed with provocative titles ("Let's Go All the Way"), lived and loved in sin ("Pursuing Happiness"), endured bleak consolations ("Put Your Arms Around Her"), had a mind of her own ("Don't Let That Doorknob Hit You"), assayed one of the most bizarrely sentimental tunes in Nashville history ("The Shirt"), bared a proto-feminist streak ("Heaven Help the Poor Working Girl"), and contributed a convincing female trucker song ("Truck Drivin' Woman"). What more could you want? --John Morthland

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NORMA JEAN IS A TRUE COUNTRY QUEEN!!, August 18, 2002

By	"Tee" (LA) - See all my reviews

I love this lady!! She is without question one of the top five most outstanding "hard country" female singers of alltime - with Kitty Wells, Loretta Lynn, Sara Carter of the Carter Family and I'll let you pick the fifth slot. Norma Jean does not get the credit she deserves in country music history possibly because like most country stars who were regulars on syndicated TV Shows during the 1960's ("The Porter Wagoner Show", of course) she didn't get as much radio airplay (old rivals, TV vs. radio, I guess) as she deserved and only five of her songs were top twenty hits. But the public loved her and bought her albums which always did much better on the Billboard charts than the singles (the album charts were based on sales, singles based on radio airplay) including her 1966 "Pretty Miss Norma Jean" LP which went to #3 - very rare for a woman to hit the album chart that high at the time. This album contains all 21 of Norma Jean's Billboard-charted singles, 1964-1971. She remained on RCA until 1973 but was too hard country during the early 70's "countrypolitan" era for big hits although she released fine music to the end of her RCA contract. I would have loved to heard some of her "flop" RCA singles on this disc from that period like "That Songwritin' Man", "Hundred Dollar Funeral", and "I Know An Ending" as they were outstanding performances. But the hits here are great. Another thing that probably scared off country radio from playing too much Norma Jean she was one of the very few women singers at the time unafraid to record songs that cast her in an adulterous light, ie: "Conscience Keep an Eye on Me", "The Game of Triangles", "Then Go Home to Her", and "You Changed Everything About Me But My Name". Those outstanding tracks are here plus her signature song "Let's Go All the Way" (despite it's title, not really a risque' song) and other NJ favorites like "Put Your Arms Around Her", "I'm A Walking Advertisement for the Blues", "Heaven Help the Working Girl", etc. Norma Jean is so great she had other country stars writing her songs to record (ie: Liz Anderson, Jeannie Seely, Bill Anderson) and those hits are included here. Much as I loved this CD the packaging could have been better, the liner notes were clearly written by someone unfamiliar with her and probably with country music. (Also that writer errs stating Norma Jean recorded a 1978 album for Bearsville when that was a soul music artist who also went by the name Norma Jean). Still, I am thrilled to have this pretty miss singing away on my car CD and I sure wish her great old RCA albums would find their way to this format as well!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DON'T OVERLOOK THIS ONE, August 28, 2001

By	A. M. Smith (RICHMOND, VA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

We all loved "Pretty Miss Norma Jean" on the Wagoner show and wondered how that squeaky-voiced, big-haired Dolly What's-Her-Name would fare as her replacement. Well, although Dolly went on to bigger things and Norma Jean languished in the shadows, this collections bears witness to her immense talent. Her full-throated delivery of solid no-nonsense country material still stands up today. There's really not a bad track on this CD.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Norma Jean, January 25, 2001

By	Erica (Dallas) - See all my reviews

I recently got to see Norma Jean perform in person. She was great. It is amazing how she can smile the whole time she is singing.She is as beautiful today as she was years ago.I am 28 years old and have been a fan every since my mom and dad played her records.I have this CD too and it is great.If your a Norma Jean fan definately go see her in concert!

Erica