Sing Cowboy Sing: The Gene Autry Collection [Box set]

Amazon.com
Many of the songs on this three-CD box set appear on other albums, but not in these versions. These are transcriptions from Autry's Melody Ranch radio show, which aired from 1940 to 1956. As such, they offer up some powerful nostalgia, even to listeners who weren't alive then. Happily, though, the music's just as potent on its own terms. Hollywood's singing cowboys (and their music) had little to do with real cowboys (and their music), but it's hard to debate authenticity while Autry is so agreeably crooning "Back in the Saddle Again," "You Are My Sunshine," and "Don't Fence Me In" to the friends and neighbors out there in radio land. --John Morthland

Sing Cowboy Sing: The Gene Autry Collection,Gene Autry,Rhino / Wea,Box Sets (Audio Only),Country,Country & Western,Pop,Western

Average customer rating: Melody Ranch radio stuff.... GREAT RADIO BROADCASTS FROM GENE AUTRY Look closely before you buy it. MELODY RANCH RADIO

Sing Cowboy Sing: The Gene Autry Collection Gene Autry Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Cowboy | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Box Sets | Stores | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music ASIN: B0000033YE Release Date: 1997-03-18

Tracks:

1. Back In The Saddle Again
2. Dust
3. Sing Me A Song Of The Saddle
4. Tumbling Tumbleweeds
5. The One Rose
6. That Silver-Haired Daddy Of Mine
7. Rhythm Of The Range
8. Blueberry Hill
9. El Rancho Grande
10. Mellow Mountain Moon
11. We Never Dream The Same Dream Twice
12. When You And I Were Young Maggie
13. Maria Elena
14. Be Honest With Me
15. Tears On My Pillow
16. The Yellow Rose Of Texas
17. Lonely River
18. Tweedle-O-Twill
19. At Mail Call Today
20. Don't Live A Lie
21. Don't Hang Around Me Anymore
22. I'll Be Back
23. Silver Spurs (On The Golden Stairs)
24. I Wish I Had Never Met Sunshine
25. You Only Want Me When You're Lonely
26. You're Not My Darlin' Anymore
27. Oklahoma Hills

Tracks:

1. Sioux City Sue
2. Someday You'll Want Me To Want You
3. Gonna Build A Big Fence Around Texas
4. The Old Lamplighter
5. San Fernando Valley
6. I'm A Fool To Care
7. Goodbye Little Darling Goodbye
8. You Can't See The Sun When You're Crying
9. I Tipped My Hat And Slowly Rode Away
10. The Angel Song
11. One Hundred And Sixty Acres
12. At Sundown
13. It Happened In Monterey
14. It Makes No Difference Now
15. The Singing Hills
16. You Laughed And I Cried
17. Pretty Mary
18. Mexicali Rose
19. Wave To Me, My Lady
20. Let The Rest Of The World Go By
21. Honey, I'm In Love With You (The Honey Song)
22. Ole Faithful
23. Here Comes Santa Claus
24. You Are My Sunshine
25. Buttons And Bows
26. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
27. Shame On You
28. While The Angelus Was Ringing
29. Under Fiesta Stars

Tracks:

1. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
2. Mule Train
3. Dear Hearts And Gentle People
4. Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy
5. Peter Cottontail
6. Gone Fishin'
7. Teardrops From My Eyes
8. (I've Got Spurs That) Jingle, Jangle, Jingle
9. South Of The Border
10. The Last Round-Up
11. Don't Fence Me In
12. Ridin' Down The Canyon
13. I Was Just Walking Out The Door
14. You're The Only Star In My Blue Heaven
15. The Night Before Christmas Song
16. Look Out The Window
17. Frosty The Snowman
18. Somebody Bigger Than You And I
19. Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
20. I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes
21. Your Cheatin' Heart
22. I Hang My Head And Cry
23. It's My Lazy Day
24. You're The Only Good Thing That's Happened to Me
25. Harbor Lights
26. The Leaf Of Love
27. You've Got To Take The Bitter With The Sweet
28. Back In The Saddle Again (Closing Theme)

Amazon.com

Many of the songs on this three-CD box set appear on other albums, but not in these versions. These are transcriptions from Autry's Melody Ranch radio show, which aired from 1940 to 1956. As such, they offer up some powerful nostalgia, even to listeners who weren't alive then. Happily, though, the music's just as potent on its own terms. Hollywood's singing cowboys (and their music) had little to do with real cowboys (and their music), but it's hard to debate authenticity while Autry is so agreeably crooning "Back in the Saddle Again," "You Are My Sunshine," and "Don't Fence Me In" to the friends and neighbors out there in radio land. --John Morthland

Customer Reviews:

Melody Ranch radio stuff...........2007-01-03

If you're looking for the original "hits", don't buy this. If you're into rare radio from the "Melody Ranch", and want to hear rare, live, alternative tracks, this is for you. I'm a big Gene Autry fan, so I couldn't turn this off! "Don't Fence me In" is slowed down, missing the instrumental break, has a cool choir back-up, and was quite a shock to me. These are not the original Columbia recordings, most are radio broadcasts, but the sound quality is great, and all 3 CDs flow nicely. If you are from the era that spawned this wonderful music, I'm sure you will swoon! I was looking for the recorded versions that I was familiar with, so this collection was a bittersweet find. Still, well worth the money!

GREAT RADIO BROADCASTS FROM GENE AUTRY.......2006-03-21

I agree with Mr Schwent: a boxset like this should specify on the cover that it does not include the original versions of the collected songs. And I actually wonder why Rhino, who are usually so accurate when it comes to their releases, did not warn the buyer about it. The fact that the boxset features unreleased cuts from Gene Autry's "Melody Ranch" radio series is a real plus to purchase the set, especially for those of us who already have the studio versions of these songs, some of which were not recorded commercially by Autry.

Autry's relaxed style, so close to that of crooners like Bing Crosby (who also recorded several country and western songs), shines throughout the three CDs, in some cases even beating the studio versions to a punch. Guest stars such as Jo Stafford and Rosemary Clooney add to the charm of the radio broadcasts, which capture the magic of 1940s radio, complete with spoken introductions by Gene, who sings before a live audience. The booklet is illustrated with dozens of pictures and includes a fine essay by Ranger Doug (from Riders in the Sky), as well as song-by-song commentary.

All in all, the set is a must buy for all Gene Autry fans. Since it is out of print, I strongly advise everyone to get a second-hand copy while they are available. You won't regret it!

Look closely before you buy it........2002-04-30

Hey a Gene Autry boxed set!!!! What a disapointment. Now this isn't bad music by any means. I rushed out and got this, got it home and discovered 80% of these recordings are not the original hit versions, they are versions off his TV show. Now why not mention that in great big letters on the cover. Only when you read the booklet inside do you discover this. You think you should be let in on this information.

MELODY RANCH RADIO.......2000-03-13

GENE AUTRY FANS WILL LOVE THIS SET. IF YOU LONG TO HEAR SOME OF THE OLD RADIO PROGRAMS THAT WERE AIRED EVERY SUNDAY ON MELODY RANCH RADIO PROGRAM,THEN THIS IS IT. UNFORTUNATELY, NONE OF THE DRAMA SCENES WERE INCLUDED, BUT ALL SAID AND DONE THIS GIVES YOU A HINT OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO LISTEN TO GENE AUTRY'S MELODY RANCH YEARS AGO. ONE OF THE BEST SETS OF SONGS EVER COMPILED. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR AVID GENE AUTRY FANS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHY THEY CALLED HIM "AMERICA'S FAVORITE SINGING COWBOY" JUST LISTEN TO "SING, COWBOY, SING" AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY.

Music Album:

1. Southern Nights/Basic
2. Stained Glass Window
3. Stars over Bakersfield: Early Recordings [Import]
4. Step Right Up [Live]
5. T. Texas Tyler
6. Teardrops & Diamonds
7. That's All Right Mama [Import]
8. That Christmas Feeling [Import]
9. The Resentments
10. The Ring

Music Album