Here are the three albums the inimitable Mrs. Patsy Cline was able to make before her death in 1963. They are essential and masterful. You probably already have this material if you like music, but I thought I'd throw it up for those of you who don't. If you've never read about this powerful gal, take a minute to get into her weird story, then dissolve your soul in her perfect music.
This is her first. Perhaps not as strong as the two that would follow it (and featuring the fine Anita Kerr singers rather than the stellar Jordanaires), it nonetheless yielded the unforgettably great single, "Walking After Midnight." It also contains one of her best songs, and certainly one of my absolute favorites, "Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray." Let's be clear: it's a fucking good record.
Her second. Every track is a winner, with special mention going to "Crazy," an honest-to-God eternal masterpiece on every level, from production to inflection. Witness a master singer and interpreter of material just totally firing a teardrop rainbow more perfect than a hundred angels right into the face of God, and behold the tears of a deity as he's forced to admit the imperfection of all his works next to a little ditty called "Crazy."
(This is pretty much common knowledge, but in case you didn't know, Willie Nelson wrote "Crazy." Compare his demo to her delivery to see the difference between good and divine, decent and genius.)
Showcase also finds Cline and her excellent crew (now including the Jordanaires on vocals) developing her version of the "Nashville Sound," something so lush and sophisticated that it's hard to comprehend. Like I said, all the songs are dynamite and purty ribbons, but another track needs to be singled out: "I Fall To Pieces." An undisputed masterpiece. Jesus Christ, you guys, she is a great singer.
Her last album before her wildly tragic airplane crash in 1963, offering up another serving of sterling country pop, including the excellent "Heartaches," some incredible Hank Williams covers, "Anytime," "Strange," and "She's Got You," a personal favorite. Oh dang, all, these are some sumptuous, delightful little masterpieces, delivered by a charming Giant & Genius of Country music. Irreplaceable, Impossible to Replicate.
PATSY CLINE (1957)
SHOWCASE (1961)
SENTIMENTALLY YOURS (1962)
4 comments:
thanks, friend, for this reminder that the obvious choices are not to be ignored because of their obviousness. studied cline a bit at school but never got around to securing the recordings. solid gold.
j.
Thanks for sharing. These are great!
I've loved Patsy Cline for a long time (second, in my book, only to Willie Nelson. Check out his version of San Antonio Rose to hear the difference between divine and good!). I've never heard all three of these albums in there entirety, though, and I really enjoyed the experience. She wasn't just a singles gal, huh? She really was an album artist, with no filler at all.
Anyway, thanks for this! And everything else.
Thank you for these! I've lived off various Greatest Hits for years, but somehow I never thought to check out the individual records.
Seen this?
http://qualitybootz.blogspot.com/2010/10/patsy-cline-nashville-1960-usaf.html
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