Hillbilly Band from Mars

Product Description:
Little Joe Carson is one of the great, lost honky-tonkers. This 33 track collection contains every commercial recording he released from 1953 to his death in 1964. Highlights include 'I Gotta Get Drunk (And Shore Do I Dread It)', 'Helpless' & 'Double Life'. Bear Family. 2002.

Tracks:

I Don't Have A Contract With You
I'd Give Anything (To Be With You)
I'll Do The Dishes
I Could Love The Devil Out Of You
Show Me Now
I'm Not Allergic To Love
Don't Enter
Just A Little While
Crazy Dream
Take Me In Your Arms
Love Transfusion
Passion And Pride
Careless Words
Time Lock
Shoot The Buffalo
I'll Never Love No One But You
Three Little Words Too Late
Forbidden Wine
I Did It And I'm Glad
Who'll Be My Memories
I Gotta Get Drunk
Helpless
The Last Song (I'm Ever Gonna Sing)
Double Life
Fort Worth Jail
Be A Good Girl
Guess You Don't Love Me Anymore
Release Me
Who'll Buy The Wine
I'll Be There
Fraulein
Don't Be Afraid To Laugh When You Love
HillBilly Band From Mars

Album Description

Little Joe Carson is one of the great, lost honky-tonkers. This 33 track collection contains every commercial recording he released from 1953 to his death in 1964. Highlights include 'I Gotta Get Drunk (And Shore Do I Dread It)', 'Helpless' & 'Double Life'. Bear Family. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Joe Carson Ranks With The Best.......2007-06-06

There are already great reviews here that say much of what I wanted to say, so I don't have to add much. Real Country Music wouldn't be complete without Joe Carson's enormous contribution. Out of thousands of CDs in my library, this is one of the dozen-or-less that I play over and over.
--Paul Moratto, Houston

The Best singer you've never heard of............2006-02-05

I first heard Joe Carson back in the early -70's while going through some of my folks' 78's. At first, I thought it was Webb Pierce (on one of his best days); then I distinctly heard Hank; on the other hand, there was the sound of Ray Price (his Cherokee Cowboy Days). All of these sounds came from a young kid (16 when he started performing) who should have, by every right, been the most heralded Country/Hillbilly/Honky Tonkin' singer ever; and yes, that includes even the great Hank Williams. But, Joe Carson's life was cut short just as he was hitting his stride. If there was a way to rate this collection higher than 5 stars, I would not hesitate to do so. As with all of the Bear Family Records releases, this one is an outstanding collection, beautifully recorded and mixed, and a thorough set of liner notes/booklet. Not only does this album showcase the stellar voice of Joe, the backing band (all legendary members of the Hank Thompson era) will knock your socks off. While there are 33 songs here (3X more than most current releases), there are a few real standouts: "I Gotta Get Drunk", "The Last Song I'll Ever Sing", and "Shoot The Buffalo" all showcase his voice. And, there are a few old favorites here as well, inlcuding "Fraulein" and "Who'll buy the Wine". This is one of those albums you have to own; and I can assure you, you'll be shaking your head in amazement at Joe Carson's talent. A++++

Joe Carson best honky tonk singer,since Hank Williams sr........2004-12-12

In 1984 i bought an album with Joe Carson.
In 1985 cd`s came.
I wrote Richard Weize of Bear Family records if they could do an re-relese on cd.
Sure they did with all the recorded songs by Joe Carson.
The song "The last song(i`m ever gonna sing)" is the ultimate best country recording there is.Buy this,you won`t regret.

Ignore the Title, this is a Must-Have!.......2002-12-12

I played the few records we had by Joe Carson when I was a country music dj in the mid to late 60's. I've looked for them and any others for almost 40 years. It was worth the wait. A friend from Scotland emailed that he has had nothing else in his cd player since he first got this in the summer of '02. After hearing it, I understand why.

Forget the title cut, it's a novelty, I fear just the name will keep classic country fans who need this cd from buying it.
Spend your egg money or knock off the kid's piggy bank, but get it ASAP!

The legendary guitar picker Tommy Allsup (who lost the flip of a nickel and gave up his seat on the plane Buddy Holly had chartered in Clear Lake, Iowa, to Richie Vallens) produced the West Coast sessions ... "Helpless", "Last Song I'm Ever Gonna Sing", and, of course, "Double Life."

Allsup is quoted: "They had actually demoed 'Double Life' for a Bob Wills record, and I thought, 'Boy, what a good song.'" If you think you've heard that voice singing harmony with Joe on "Double Life" and "Helpless", you have:

"Glenn Campbell had demoed those ... he made the demo on 'Helpless' and 'Double Life'. Glen had made kind of a western swing demo to pitch it to Bob Wills..."

That's Glen Campbell playing guitar and singing harmony, along with Sonny Curtis, Glenn Hardin, Allsup, and a star cast of others. Buck Owens playing guitar on an earlier session. The book insert notes the different sounds of the Nashville sessions and the Ken Nelson, then Tommy Allsup, produced West-Coast recordings. As with many Bear Family sets, the earliest material is interesting, but not what you're buying it for. The last 15 or so cuts, with the exception of the title cut, are simply pure country gold.

The book that comes with the cd is as good as Bear Family ever produced for a one-cd package. Tons of new information on the music and musicians who passed through Carson's life. It adds important new perspective (with never-before-seen photos) to Texas-based country music in the early 60's. There's a hilarious story of Joe banging on the door of George Jones' bus, with predictable results. And then telling Ray Price after a multi-day drinking bout with George he'd found a better singer than him. With predictable results!

If you can afford only one cd in the next year, and you love the classic country/shuffle beat of Ray Price, Faron Young, Mel Tillis, George Jones, etc., this is the cd you should get. Too many times memory tricks the mind into recalling something was better than it turns out to be. Memories from 35 years ago were right on target. Joe Carson should finally get his Gold Record, despite the hideous title. It's that good!

Forgotten Honky Tonk Great.......2002-11-15

Most fans of country music will not have heard of Joe Carson. He died too young, and without enough hits to make a name for himself. But one short listen to this reissue of his extant recordings, and anyone will see that had he lived Carson would rank among the great honky tonk singers. His style is closest to Ray Price, Jimmy Heap, and other Texans of the 1950s. The finally reissued "Hillbilly Band from Mars" is a classic and much better than one might think.

Music Album:

Music Album