Search - Kris Kristofferson :: Spooky Lady's Shadow

Best of Kris' Soul

06/24/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although this album did not contain any popular hits or ever made it to the charts, it has to be my most favorite of his albums (and I have them all). To me the man is a classic poet/warrior and the turn of phrases in these songs bury themselves in your soul with simple stories of eternal emotions."

Best of the Best...and then some...!

docdonald | Tampa-FL & Kyiv-Ukraine | 06/22/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This has been a great album full of good music, subtle messages, and fun since 1974 wheh it first was released. I wore out a tape of this and a vinyl album...I so gald to see it on CD...! The commentaires on life and the times are....too true!"

Who'll Be There To Bring The Body Home?

Timothy P. Young | Rawlins, WY, USA | 05/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kris Kristofferson had been hailed as the saviour of country music when he released this album in 1974. Imagine the traditionally conservative Nashville establishment's surprise when they heard this record full of anti-war songs, tales of substance abuse, and bleak morality.



"It ain't no fun to sing that song no more."



He says it himself, on the very first track.



Kristofferson used this record to explore the dark side of the human soul, while still retaining hope. The use of organ echoes nothing so much as the softer side of the Rolling Stones (think the ending of "You Can't Always Get What You Want"). The acoustic guitar is the rhythm section here, and there's very little conventional "country" about this record.



I'd like to say he's in fine voice on this record, but I can't. I will, however, say that his Jack-Daniels-and-smokes voice is incredibly expressive, especially on "Star Spangled Bummer," a cynical exploration about blindly following the leader(s).



He namechecks Jesus a number of times. This is possibly the first time in popular music that a Christian did anything other than praise Jesus in song. Don't get me wrong, he's either asking for help or telling a story. It's just so far from gospel.



The LP goes forward, goes back, wraps up...and we're unsure of where we stand. But the fact is that we know Kristofferson better after this album than ever before or since.



Words:

Nightmares are somebody's daydreams

Daydreams are somebody's lies

Lies' ain't no harder than telling the truth

Truth is the perfect disguise.

--"Shandy"



Brilliant, bleak, compelling. You'll have to listen to more to find the helpful. But it's there. I wouldn't reccommend it otherwise."