It's All Relative

Pam Tillis

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 3, 2002)
• Original Release Date: September 3, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00006FN8G
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #104,290 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Tribute albums often suffer from a lack of cohesion, but not in this case. That's because the delightful It's All Relative features just one singer--Pam Tillis--and the artist she celebrates just happens to be her father, the legendary singer-songwriter-actor Mel Tillis. Daughter Pam tackles 13 of her dad's songs, some of them famous ("I Ain't Never," "So Wrong"), some of them more obscure ("Violet and a Rose," "Not Like It Was with You"). High-profile guests include Emmylou Harris, Trisha Yearwood, Dolly Parton, the Jordanaires, Delbert McClinton, Marty Stuart, Ray Benson (who produced four tracks), and Papa himself, who helps out on the rousing closer "Come On and Sing." Pam's arrangements are mostly familiar--she does "Burning Memories" in the same honky-tonk shuffle style that Ray Price used on the hit version--but she takes liberties with Price's "Heart over Mind," here done as a heartfelt ballad, and Bobby Bare's "Detroit City," played as an orchestrated, "Ode to Billie Joe"-style folk song. It all hangs together, though, making It's All Relative a success from start to finish. --David Hill

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars homage to dad, May 15, 2003

By	James E. Bagley "Jim Bagley" (Sanatoga, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

As one of country's first ladies to produce her own discs, Pamela Tillis stands tall among aging country stars' performing daughters such as Rosanne Cash, Carlene Carter (Cash's stepsister) and Lorrie Morgan. No one's better suited than Pam to do It's All Relative, a tribute to her famous singer/songwriter father Mel Tillis. Snug in her hillbilly crib (a guitar case on the floor), she was sometimes the first to hear his works in progress.

Mel's songs touch a lot of bases, as does his eldest daughter's delivery. "Mental Revenge" gets a slow, smoky blues groove (whereas Waylon Jennings charged through it on his 1967 rendition). Her playful western-style "I Ain't Never" contrasts to honky-tonk hit versions by Webb Pierce in 1959 and Mel himself in 1972 as well as the 1973 retro-rockabilly cover by John Fogerty (as The Blue Ridge Rangers). "So Wrong" recalls Patsy Cline's torch-and-twang 1962 rendition, while on "Detroit City," Pam's quiet moan "I want to go home" is one of most primal hooks in all of country music. With not a dud in sight, dad should be awfully proud.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All in the Family, January 25, 2003

By	Dennis Brislen (Omaha, Ne USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Has it really been 15 plus years since Pam Tillis had her breakthrough hit Don't Tell Me What to Do? Much has happened since then, most of it good. Tillis has recorded quality material with several mega-hits that have established her as a great talent.

With the arrival of Faith, Shania, and Leanne Womack, Pam has been played less than in her glory days. This is due more to the vagaries of Nashville than any slippage in her talent level. Indeed, if anything, she is better now than in the past. Her voice still retains its distinctive resonance and her inflection and presentation of lyrics are better than ever.

This CD love letter to her father is a tour-de force! She is as good as she has ever been on this project. She takes each Tillis song, those that were hits for her father and those that hit for others and makes them her own. Listen to Heart Over Mind and you will get the idea...she creates a new tempo and in doing so, creates a totally unique version. Ditto Detroit City.

I don't know whether or not this CD will sell well or not...I can only say what OUGHT to happen. This OUGHT to be a BIG seller. Faith and Shania are talented ladies but this CD is much better than either of their latest efforts. Go Pam Tillis...you go girl!!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent album!, September 7, 2002

By A Customer

Just got "It's All Relative" and it's wonderful. Every song on the album is hot. From "Mental Revenge" to "Detroit City" I found myself enjoying the full range of emotions. As a tribute album to Mel Tillis it's an eye opener about his music but even better it really showcases Pam Tillis -- she simply shines.