Marty Robbins - Gunfighter Ballads & Trail Songs
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Free Music Notes for Gunfighter Ballads & Trail Songs
Free Music Review: If you hate country music, you'll still love this CD.
Hit: 5 Stars
Believe me, along with selected CDs by Johnny Cash, Jerry Reed, Patsy Cline, Steve Earle, Hank Williams Sr., and Willie Nelson, this perfect album by Marty Robbins belongs in the CD collections of any self-respecting rock fan. I normally listen to death metal, hardcore punk, and that ilk, but I still have to have my fix of Mr. Robbins.
The cowboy ballads included here are sparse, narrative-driven masterpieces. The only place music like this comes from is the soul. If it's true that Robbins recorded this in one afternoon, then that afternoon has got to be one of the most amazing dates in music history.
The cowboy songs on this disc, although not all written by Robbins, denote a singular vision. There is a romantic aspect to the music in its appreciation of nature, individualism, and especially in its heroic idealization of simple little vignettes about horse-riders of all types. This album is 100% cohesive even with the extra tracks tacked-on the end.
I strongly recommend this CD (even more than the 2-CD Essential Marty Robbins, which is also great, but not as focused) for any lover of music or collector of songs. Regardless of your musical leanings, this will find a worthy place in your collection.
Free Music Review: One of the great singers of the 20th Century
Hit: 5 Stars
When I first heard this album back in 1960 (as a kid of 15) I was unimpressed; I was into a more Pop sound and it was bought by an elder brother of mine and it did nothing for me at the time. Then for some reason I decided to play it one afternoon and I was simply blown away by the singer performing these songs. Marty Robbins was performing them as only he could with such spellbinding emotional sincerity that I became hooked on this artist for life.'El Paso', 'Big Iron, 'Running Gun' and 'The Master's Call' were all movies set to music embellished by the great guitar work of Grady Martin and the vocal accompaniment of Bobby Sykes and Jim Glaser. Previously 'Cool Water' had been associated with the Sons of the Pioneers or Frankie Laine but it was to become as much a Marty Robbins song thanks to this magnificent version likewise his stirring interpretations of 'Utah Carol' and 'Strawberry Roan.'
One could ask how could Marty follow this masterpiece but follow it he did because the follow up 'More Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs' reaches the high standard set by its predecessor.
This great album led me back to the records he had released in previous years when I (and most of the U.K.) were unaware of him and rued the fact that such a fine artist should have been deprived of many hits in Britain because of mostly second rate cover versions by British singers. 'Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs' was a success however, in Britain and 'El Paso' did make our top 20 and a couple of years later 'Devil Woman' and 'Ruby Ann' charted and a TV advertized album hit the top 10 but this awesome talent should have had much more recognition over here than he got. How many times in conversation have I mentioned that I was a Marty Robbins fan and be greeted with almost reverence in acknowledgement of his greatness by the person I was talking to?
Free Music Review: Thank God for Marty's masterpiece.
Hit: 5 Stars
This is one of several albums that kept me going thru the bad times of my life; the Ventures and the Four Seasons, as well as the Rightuos Brothers made the rest. I first heard this album in 1969, fell in love with it, and now own that copy, another one I bought myself in 1978, as well as BOTH cd versions. If that isn't enough recommendation, then I also have a scale model of one of the cars Marty raced in NASCAR competition (he finished in the top 10 in a third of the events he entered, including some Daytona 500's!) to show you. These songs ring true because the voice was true. He knew the men, the land. Much like Louis L'Amour did. So far as I know, none of the stories told here are anything but stories. The beauty of the voice brings the people to life with such vivid tones that you actually see them (or in 'El Paso', live it) in person. 100 stars for this one, for real.
Free Music Review: Classic is not overhype.
Hit: 5 Stars
Every song here is special. I remember skipping a day of school my senior year (sorry, Mom), driving around listening to the tape I had of this. When this special edition CD came out, I jumped on it. Excellent songwriting, superior musicianship, and possibly one of the best voices in the history of country music make this album a keeper. Marty Robbins spins tales of danger, love, and death and enraptures the listener in the process. "Utah Carol" tells the story of sacrifice in the face of danger. "Running Gun" speaks about how you can never turn your back on a life of crime completely. "The Master's Call" is a supernatural cowboy tale. Of course, the two standouts on this album are "Big Iron" and "El Paso". Both are Leone/Ford-esque tales of confrontations. The latter being between a reformed criminal, his loved one, and the law, and the former being between two men on opposite sides of justice. Close your eyes and imagine what Tarantino would do with these songs. I would say, this and Red-Headed Stranger would be number 1 and 2 on a list of country concept albums. Big-time props to the Glaser Brothers for superior harmonies, and Grady Martin for some of the greatest guitar work ever heard on vinyl, tape, or disc. This isn't just a present for grandpa. If you are drawn in by Johnny Cash's American Recordings, then you will love this.Free Music Review: Great ballads and Great songs
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the acoutic/folk Marty singing about issues with Cowboys. The songs are about some kid who wanted to be known as a man or a story about someoen who was shot. It is very indicative of The Old West. All these songs could have been made into movies. A couple of these songs are well-known, household name classics, Marty's Folk version of 'Cool Water' and then there's possibly his most famous song, 'El Paso'. Seeing this is acoustic music, and Marty wrote many of the songs himself, this music is very much, to my mind, a precursor to the 'singer-songwriter' era of the early 70's. This is a gem that I would recommend to anyone. As I said these are simple songs about interesting, entertaining tales and lovely melodies. The track I like the most is 'They're hanging me, tonight'. It has a lovely melody, Marty's vocals are as emotional as ever and the guitar work is brilliant.