Singin' It Lonesome: The Very Best...1965-1970

Product Description
The ultimate collection for the legendary country singer. 28 tracks, 77 minutes of his best including the complete 'California Stop-Over' LP with Clarence White (The Byrds) on guitar. 16 country hits including Darrell's original versions of future pop hits 'Green Green Grass Of Home' & 'Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town'. Standard jewel case.

Tracks:

Green Green Grass Of Home
As Long As The Wind Blows
Johnnie Lose It All
Don't Tell My Little Girl
She's Mighty Gone
Mental Revenge
Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town
Come See What's Left Of Your Man
The Son Of Hickory Holler's Tramp
With Pen In Hand
I Ain't Buying
Woman Without Love
The Coming Of The Roads
Why You Been Gone So Long?
River Bottom
Winter's Coming On
These Days
Willin'
She's Headed For The Country
Sing It Lonesome
Brother River
Mama Come And Get Your Baby Boy
Mae Jean Goes To Hollywood
Bed Of Roses
Snowblind Friend
Meanwhile Back In Memphis
Freedom In The Yard
Trouble Maker

Album Description

The ultimate collection for the legendary country singer. 28 tracks, 77 minutes of his best including the complete 'California Stop-Over' LP with Clarence White (The Byrds) on guitar. 16 country hits including Darrell's original versions of future pop hits 'Green Green Grass Of Home' & 'Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town'. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews:

`.......2006-12-23

When I was a child my father used to sing a particular song to me, it had me hopping from hands to feet, up and down. It seems to be missing from this album for various reasons. I was looking foward to hearing this song because I thought it was one of his better known "outlaw sounds." Other than that this collection of songs is one of country music's top sources of inspiration. Love you dad. Your music will keep you alive in my heart, always.
-Kirby Joedan

Fine collection of an underrated performer.......2006-12-12

Johnny Darrell's lot in life, as laid out in the liner notes to this largely great compilation, is one of second-rate also-ran, at least in terms of the business. Yet the passion, soul, and-dare I say it-commerciality evident in the tracks on this disc makes for one hell of a fine listen, especially for fans of 60's country music. This certainly can't be called hardcore honky-tonk;indeed, the steel guitar, if heard at all, is mixed incredibly low in these productions. Rather, these selections bring to mind a higher-timbred Bobby Bare, in voice and production style. Again, if you're a fan of 60's Nashville, you probably shouldn't be without this.

A good singer.......2006-02-26

How would I characterize Johnny Darrell? Well, he has a great voice, that's not quite traditional country. He would not seem out of place singing Folk Music, and maybe that's why he never really hit it big. Personally, I'd say Johnny Darrel is of the same caliber as John Denver, although their musical approach and vocal stylings are quite different. Denver was Folk trying to sound Country; Darrell appeared to be just the opposite. Like Kris Kristofferson, it seemed Darrell often overthought the song, and tried to sell it to the audience for something it wasn't; but unlike Kristofferson, Johnny Darrel could actually sing (and he had an incredible voice). BUT, dont let that stop you from buying this album. Johnny Darrell's vocals on most of these songs are worthy of charting in the top 10; yet, he never did. Just as the liner notes lament, Johnny released most of these well known singles with little success, while later artists hit it big with the same songs! Stand out numbers include: "Ruby", "Son of Hickory Hollow's Tramp", and "I aint Buying". It's safe to say that Johnny Darrel will never be emulated, and it's doubtful that his music will ever be rediscovered by the masses. But, if you like straight-froward music, this one is worth a listen. If you love traditional country music, you'll enjoy atleast 75% of this one, although the tired late-'60's pop/folk sound does creep in on a few numbers.

A mostly unknown singer , I discovered him by chance..........2006-02-24

Forgetting the many well known songs on this CD and concentrating solely on the feeling the listener gets from the singer , I would say this is an extremely good CD .
The Australian company Raven Records often release value packed collections - this is no exception .

The songs are well played and the arrangements tasteful , Johnny's voice taking you inside the heart of the songs .

Country fans should listen to someone different for a change , from back when image took a back seat to talent .
Johnny Darrell will not disappoint .

Very Underrated Performer .......2005-11-08

Registered User

For people that like to sample the fringes of country music I would recommend the work of Johnny Darrell (1940-1997), the first "outlaw" of country music.

Johnny Darrell recorded for United Artists from 1965 to about 1973, a major label that was but a bit player in country music so his records did not get the major promotional effort they deserved. Darrell had a clear, strong masculine voice somewhere between tenor and baritone in its range. His great strength was in identifying good songs and good songwriters. Among the songs Darrell was the first to record were (subsequent "hits for" in parenthesis) :

Green Green Grass of Home (Porter Wagoner, Tom Jones)
Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town (Kenny Rogers)
Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp (O.C. Smith)
With Pen In Hand (Billy Vera, Vickie Carr)

Johnny Darrell's biggest hit was "With Pen In Hand" which rose to #3 on the country charts. A much inferior cover by Billy Vera simultaneously was a hit on the pop charts. If United Artists had done a decent job of promoting the record Darrell's version would have crossed to the pop charts - it was nearly impossible to find a copy of the single to purchase in many parts of the country. His second biggest hit was "Why You Been Gone So Long" , written by Mickey Newbury.

This collection contains both his greatest hits and his last album for United Artists which featured songs from Mickey Newberry and some then-unknowns like Jackson Browne, Sonny Curtis and Lowell George.

Music Album:

Music Album