Search - Carl Smith :: Sixties Hits

Essential, well worth the wait.

Cory L. Schwent | Bloomsdale, MO United States | 09/11/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Now, don't look at the song listing and say to yourself "Man only ONE top ten hit, must not be that good."Well, you will be suprised. Carl Smith continued making some of the best Country Music ever to be recorded long after his hit making days were over.All songs are the original recordings, and have been remastered to sound crystal clear.Now my Carl Smith collection is almost complete. I have The Essential, The Sixties Hits, and Curb Records The Best Of. All we need now is a comilation of his late 50's hits and a cd reissue of his gospel lp from the mid fifties."

Do not overlook an orchid!!!

Thomas Griffin | Houston, TX USA | 09/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sorry, couldnt resist that comment...But the collection here is all SUPERB, all good (perhaps with only one or two exceptions), but the gems here are not to be missed, very vital part of country music history.



I'm really afraid Carl is getting to be under-rated, when he's been a big part of the country music backbone throughout the 1950s-60s. I've been playing this one over and over and over, since it includes so many strong recordings I grew up with, and they are strong, they hold up extremely well over time.

I'm talking about: "In the Back Room Tonight", "Take My Ring Off of Your Finger", "When It's Over"....

If you ever listened to counrty radio in the 60s you would know these by heart. These are evergreens, they are perfectly executed country records, without bending to that pseudo-pop "Nashville sound". These are true true country classics. (and yes they do remind me of hearing the radio in a 1963 Chevy Impala, but it's not just the nosalgia factor at work) these recordings are truely quality works. I am admittedly a Carl Smith fan, and grew up with all his 1950s records, and these ongoing years were never a let down.

Even producing some surprises.

But most importantly in all this----I want back up somerhing mentioned in a review by JESS JESS.

---And that is: there is one record on here that is a knockout, beyond knockout, ("You Ought to Here Me Cry"). Dont miss this recording.

Well, while everyone knows Patsy Cline doing "Crazy" and Faron Young doing "Hello Walls"...true classic records..I strongly will hold this record of "You Ought to Hear Me Cry" right up with those other two.

That one single alone is worth getting this CD, trust me. Carl managed to make that (Willie Nelson Composition) song his own, every bit as much as Patsy and Faron.

Carl was not missing a beat on these classics. Listen, and you will buy it!!!

"

True honky tonk

Jess | Coal Country, PA | 10/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great album which has absolutely superb sound. I'm nothing short of impressed with the mix; and all of the numbers are stereo with the exception of "Things that Mean the Most". This album covers Carl Smith's era of the 60's, when the "nashville Sound" was in full swing. As one other reviewer so rightly pointed out, Carl didn't play that game....he stayed true to the Honky Tonk sound. And after you hear the tracks on this album, it will surprise you that only 2 made it to the Top Ten. Despite that, country music owes a huge debt of gratitude to Carl for staying true to his sound, and for disregarding the orchestral shreiking sounds which dominated the country charts at the time. The album starts out with "Ten Thousand Drums" which is in the same vein as Johnny Horton. You'll recognize many of these songs as they were later covered by other artists, to include none other than George Strait ("Deep Water") and Charlie Walker ("Good Deal Lucille"). Personally, I think Carl's finest track on the disc is "You ought to Hear me Cry" or possible "Triangle". In any case, you need this album."