Horse Legends

Amazon.com
The biggest hit of Michael Martin Murphey's career was his 1975 No. 3 single, "Wildfire," a musical fable about a pony who roamed the Nebraska plains after his owner died. With a cheap romanticism borrowed from Jonathan Livingston Seagull and an acoustic-pop arrangement borrowed from a hundred fellow James Taylor imitators, the song epitomized the sensitive soft-rock of the mid-'70s. The number has been re-recorded for Murphey's 1997 album, The Horse Legends, a collection of 10 songs about horses. Most of the other tracks reflect the same facile myth-making and easy-listening/folk that made Murphey a star more than two decades ago.

The singer wrote or cowrote six of the numbers, including tributes to a thoroughbred race horse ("The Running Blood"), a wild horse ("Running Shadow"), a palomino pony ("Palomino Days"), and a quarter horse ("Quarter Horse Rider"). He pays tribute to his fellow mid-'70s guitar strummers by singing Dan Fogelberg's "Run for the Roses" and Gordon Lightfoot's "The Pony Man," but somehow he managed to avoid doing Roger McGuinn's "Chestnut Mare." Little evidence of how ornery and contrary horses can be survives the golden gauze that seems to hang over these songs. The only number that seems firmly connected to the ground, in fact, is the duet between Murphey and Johnny Cash on the great Jimmie Driftwood song, "Tennessee Stud." --Geoffrey Himes

Horse Legends,Michael Martin Murphey,Warner Bros / Wea,Country,Country & Western,Pop

Average customer rating: A Great Western Album Not great, but no more unnecessary than needless re-do's by R&B divas or alt-rock bands of great songs from the '60's and 70's Horse Legends Michael Martin Murphey Completely beautiful horse song CD If you love horses, this is for you

Horse Legends Michael Martin Murphey Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Cowboy | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Outlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Country General | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Country General | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Cowboy | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Cowboy | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Country | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Cowboy Songs III Cowboy Songs The Trail Less Traveled Sagebrush Symphony Cowboy Christmas ASIN: B000002NFG Release Date: 1997-07-08

Tracks:

1. Tennessee Stud
2. Running Shadow
3. Ponies
4. Wildfire
5. The Running Blood
6. See How All The Horses Come Dancing
7. Palomino Days
8. Run For The Roses
9. The Pony Man
10. Quarter Horse Rider (America's Horse)

Amazon.com

The biggest hit of Michael Martin Murphey's career was his 1975 No. 3 single, "Wildfire," a musical fable about a pony who roamed the Nebraska plains after his owner died. With a cheap romanticism borrowed from Jonathan Livingston Seagull and an acoustic-pop arrangement borrowed from a hundred fellow James Taylor imitators, the song epitomized the sensitive soft-rock of the mid-'70s. The number has been re-recorded for Murphey's 1997 album, The Horse Legends, a collection of 10 songs about horses. Most of the other tracks reflect the same facile myth-making and easy-listening/folk that made Murphey a star more than two decades ago.

The singer wrote or cowrote six of the numbers, including tributes to a thoroughbred race horse ("The Running Blood"), a wild horse ("Running Shadow"), a palomino pony ("Palomino Days"), and a quarter horse ("Quarter Horse Rider"). He pays tribute to his fellow mid-'70s guitar strummers by singing Dan Fogelberg's "Run for the Roses" and Gordon Lightfoot's "The Pony Man," but somehow he managed to avoid doing Roger McGuinn's "Chestnut Mare." Little evidence of how ornery and contrary horses can be survives the golden gauze that seems to hang over these songs. The only number that seems firmly connected to the ground, in fact, is the duet between Murphey and Johnny Cash on the great Jimmie Driftwood song, "Tennessee Stud." --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

A Great Western Album.......2007-05-23

I've never owned a horse and never lived on a ranch or farm. I don't even like country music. But I love Horse Legends by Michael Martin Murphey. The CD is musical, engaging, and listenable from beginning to end.

I started buying Murphey albums, and kept adding onto the collection. They do not disappoint. When I import the CDs into iTunes, I set a custom category on Murphey's stuff to "Western" not "Country". There is a dramatic difference. Murphey rings true like a classic western movie. Contrast that with most country music, authentic like casting John Travolta as a Texan in Urban Cowboy.

Murphey's voice sounds better today than it did in the 70's, at the height of his fame. Contrary to another reviewer here who complained that Wildfire was not the original recording, you will find the version included on this disc to be superb, perhaps better than the original.

The Amazon Editor's flippant remark calling Michael Martin Murphey a "James Taylor imitator" is highly inaccurate and offensive. As an English major, I've always thought greatness is not apparent in the moment. Shakespeare's stature as an artist is established by a body of work, not by a few clever rhymes.

Don't buy this CD for sentimental reasons. Buy it to rediscover an awesome artistic talent, someone whose body of work merits attention. You will be rewarded with music that is never tiresome, which transcends the moment, and which finds in simple subjects the great eternal themes.

Not great, but no more unnecessary than needless re-do's by R&B divas or alt-rock bands of great songs from the '60's and 70's .......2006-08-07

Also, not as annoying as all that sampling of old songs stuck in hip-hip recordings and then passed off as original.

Amazon reviewer Geoffrey Himes needs to get laid or something. I hate cheap sentimentality and know it when I hear it. "Feelings", "Endless Love" or any other countless songs by Lionel Richie, or even Air Supply, now that is cheap sentimentality. And "Wildfire" is not a fable about a pony who roamed the Nebraska plains after his owner died.

"There have been legends about ghost horses, especially in the Western folk tradition," says Murphey. "I had heard these all my life, but one night in Los Angeles I woke from a dream with the name Wildfire and these images in my head. The song came from that. A girl and her pony were both lost one winter, but they reappear occasionally to help westerners. It's all about the dream of freedom and escape."

Not every song has to have a rough edge to it or a whiskied voice singing it in order to be a good or even great song. Sounds like Mr. Himes is the one who is "ornery and contrary".

Horse Legends Michael Martin Murphey.......2006-03-22

Notb exactly what I was attending, but always nice to listen to

Completely beautiful horse song CD.......2005-08-15

This has become my favorite CD. I believe the Amazon critique is over-critical about the emotions expressed, as most horse lovers experience similar feelings. "Running Shadow" isn't about wild horses, as the review states; it's about Spirit Horses of Native American legends.

If you love horses, this is for you.......2002-08-03

Whatever reason you love horses for, there is something to interest you here. This is not a cowboy album, although it will no doubt appeal to lovers of cowboy music. Michael wrote several of the songs, but also covered some classic equine songs.

There are two songs about thoroughbred racing, Run for the roses (Dan Fogelberg's ode to the Kentucky Derby) and The running blood, a more general song. There is also a song about quarter horses (Quarter horse rider).

Ponies was first recorded by Michael Johnson in the eighties and was later lovingly covered by Lynn Anderson (an expert equestrian) on her Cowboy's sweetheart album, which also included Run for the roses.

Tennessee stud (featuring Johnny Cash) was originally a Jimmy Driftwood song, but has been recorded by (among others), the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on their original Will the circle be unbroken album, recently re-mastered.

Wildfire is a re-recording of Michael's own hit. The original recording would have sounded out of place on this album, and the Amazon editorial noted it was a re-recording, so the earlier reviewer who complained has only himself to blame.

Each and every song is wonderful, and will give pleasure to horse lovers everywhere. There are plenty of other horse songs which could have been included - Stewball and Strawberry roan to name but two. I hope Michael does a second volume some day.

Average customer rating: Good but a bit misleading

Legends Of The Incredible Lap Steel Guitar Various Artists Manufacturer: Horse Rock ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Country | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Country Folk | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Slide Show Totally Hot Nashville Steel Guitar Golden Steel Guitar Hits/Steel and Strings Dobro: Blues & Bluegrass Lap Steel Guitar ASIN: B0000WU39Q Release Date: 2003-02-01

Tracks:

1. In The Dark (Gary Brandin)
2. Only Then Will Your House Be Blessed (Harry Manx)
3. There'll Be No Teardrops Tonught (Bobbe Seymour)
4. Mardi March (Orville Johnson)
5. It Happened In Monterey (Bob Brozman)
6. Santo's Dream (Greg Leisz)
7. Steel Guitar Rag (Tom Morrell)
8. Flambee Montalbanaise (Stacy Phillips)
9. Hula Blues (Herb Remington)
10. Locust Grove (Cindy Cashdollar)
11. Ka Loke De La Corazon (Ken Emerson)
12. Bells Of St. Mary's (Kayton Roberts)
13. London (Jeff Lang)
14. Saturday Night Shuffle (The Fugitive Steeler)

Album Description

The Lap Steel Guitar has been called ..."the most expressive and toneful instrument ever conceived". When you hear this album, you'll know why. Featuring a diverse range of musical styles such as Country, Hawaiian, Folk, Western Swing, Surf 'Noir'and New Age, performed by spectacular musicians from The United States, Canada, Hawaii and Australia. Some of the musicians are legendary, some have played with 'legends'. All are brilliant. Included are some 'classic' songs as well as some new compositions that are pure genius. There are two vocal tracks that show another dimension to the depth and versatility the instrument has to offer. This CD is guranteed to 'steel' your heart.

Customer Reviews:

Good but a bit misleading.......2004-01-07

First-I liked the album. The good things about it included the variety and breadth of musical styles - from Bob Brozman (poster child for all things National Guitar) to Kayton Roberts who does a nice version of Bells of St. Mary's. My only gripe is that much of the music deviates from what is known as the "lap steel guitar" (a relatively small electrified six to 10 string instrument), offering various slide guitar and resonator guitar songs as well. It would be as if they called a record "all about trombones" and only include one or two songs just with trombones and the rest with other instruments. I was not disappointed with the sound, but thought that they could have either called it something else or included more actual lap steel guitars on the record.

Average customer rating:

Waltzing in the Clouds: Music of Robert Stolz Manufacturer: BBC Legends ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Film Scores | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music ASIN: B000026CRW Release Date: 2000-02-22

Tracks:

1. March, Greetings From Vienna - BBC Conc Orch/Iain Sutherland
2. Lovely Vienna At Night - Julia Migenes/Sebastian Reinthaller
3. White Horse Inn: My Song Of Love - Julia Migenes
4. I Love All Women - Sebastian Reinthaller
5. White Horse Inn: Your Eyes - Sebastian Reinthaller
6. Wenn Die Kleinen Veilchen Bluhen: Charming Weather - Julia Migenes
7. Der Favorit: Our Finest Hour - Julia Migenes
8. Waltzing In The Clouds - Julia Migenes
9. March, Spring Parade - BBC Conc Orch/Iain Sutherland
10. Wenn Die Kleinen Veilchen Bluhen: You, Just You - Julia Migenes/Sebastian Reinthaller
11. Springtime In Vienna - Julia Migenes/Sebastian Reinthaller
12. Viennese Cafe Waltz - BBC Conc Orch/Iain Sutherland
13. Venus In Seide: Gypsy Violin - Julia Migenes
14. Salome: Romeo (Foxtrot) - BBC Conc Orch/Iain Sutherland
15. The Woods Of Vienna Are Calling - Julia Migenes
16. Don't Say Goodbye - Sebastian Reinthaller
17. Don't Ask Me Why I'm Leaving - Julia Migenes
18. White Horse Inn: Goodbye - Sebastian Reinthaller
19. Two Hearts In Waltztime - Julia Migenes/Sebastian Reinthaller

Average customer rating:

Sofrito! David Gonzalez , and Larry Harlow & the Latin Legends Band Manufacturer: Laughing Horse Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music Salsa | Latin Music | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CA4BGM Release Date: 2004-08-10

Tracks:

1. Sofrito! Introduction
2. Creation of the World
3. Chango and the Power of the Drum
4. Beat of My Heart
5. Leyendas Latinas
6. Milomaki
7. Sofrito!
8. Man Who Could Make Trees Sing
9. Sofrito! Reprise
10. Sofrito! Radio Mix

Average customer rating:

Piano Impressions Of Billy Mayerl, Vol. 3: Leprechaun's Leap Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Film Scores | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000000AR8 Release Date: 1994-07-26

Music Album:

1. Hot Pickin
2. How I Feel
3. It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)/If We Make It Through December [Import]
4. Jeannie Kendall
5. Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye
6. Live at Billy Bob's
7. Live at Billy Bob's Texas [Live]
8. Long Walk Back
9. Lost in the Lonesome Pines
10. Love in a Small Town

Music Album