Doing something a bit different on this review, we’re reviewing six different albums that have just be re-released in January 2010 including Folk Country, Waylon Sings Ol’ Harlan, Love Of The Common People, Hangin’ On, Waylon and Singer Of Sad Songs.The Background:
Six of Waylon Jenning’s original albums have just been rereleased on CD with two CD’s to a disc. They include Folk Country, Waylon Sings Ol’ Harlan, Love Of The Common People, Hangin’ On, Waylon and Singer Of Sad Songs. 1966’s Folk Country is Waylon’s true debut for RCA, and the result of a lot of creative tension between he and producer Chet Atkins (one of the architects, of course, of the Nashville Sound.) And, since four of the songs on Folk Country are by Harlan Howard, it seems natural pairing it with 1967 s Waylon Sings Ol Harlan. Waylon is seriously honing his sound on 1967 s Love of the Common People, drawing upon material as far-ranging as the Beatles, Mel Tillis and Tompall Glaser, while 1968 s Hangin On stretches the Jennings-Atkins collaboration to a brilliant breaking point (Waylon even manages to sneak his own band the Waylors in for a few tracks). 1970’s self-titled release Waylon found Waylon truly beginning to turn his back once and for all on Nashville conventions and begin to reveal his outlaw movement intentions. And Singer of Sad Songs, from the same year, paired Waylon with fellow renegade Lee Hazlewood for a revealing album which up until now, was one of his hardest to find.
The Review:
Much is made of Waylon Jennings' outlaw country movement and the incredible artistic result that came in the late 70’s and 80’s. If that is all you’re familiar with in Waylon’s history, these six albums will be a major revelation. These company-produced pre-outlaw albums are modeled very much in the Nashville Sound movement that was popular at the time including slick studio pro backing, big backing choruses and fairly innocent topics on the first two or three albums.
The first Collectors' Choice's two-for pairs his 1966 RCA debut Folk Country with 1967's Waylon Sings Ol' Harlan. Folk Country includes the chart hits "Stop the World (and Let Me Off)" and Jennings' original "That's the Chance I'll Have to Take." Chet Atkins acted as producer and the album has a little of a 60s-ish folk feel with 12-string, tambourine and harmonica. Waylon Sings Ol' Harlan consisted completely of songs by Harlan Howard- whom Jennings had recorded many songs from before. Jennings had a great affection for Howard's songs, most of his 1960’s albums contain at least one song by the songwriter. The big single from this album is "Busted" which was first recorded by Johnny Cash. Jennings also takes on "Heartaches by the Number," a song that had been made famous by Ray Price, in a decidedly more uptempo production with twangy guitars. "Tiger by the Tail" is a a good representation of the Buck Owens' original.
The next re-release in sequence pairs two more of his RCA albums, Love of the Common People (1967) and Hangin' On (1968). Producer Chet Atkins still keeps the production clean fairly static and the backing choruses there as they were for most of the country artists, but Jennings begins to have a bit more influence over the song choices and his voice is often huskier and more emotive than on previous albums. We begin to sense just a bit of the outlaw in Jennings in the recordings. While the first album, Love of the Common People didn't launch any hit singles, it did for many additional artists. Artists that have rerecorded some of this album include Mike & The Mechanics member Paul Young in the 1980s, Kenny Rogers with "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" as well as Wayne Newton, the Everly Brothers, and the Winstons. Highlights for this reviewer include "Money Cannot Make the Man," the Johnny Cash penned “I Tremble For You,” the Marty Robbins-ish western-themed “Taos, New Mexico” and the harmonica-filled and sorrowful "The Road." Jennings even does a somewhat forgettable take on the Beatles' "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away." Hangin' On shows that with each successive and successful album Jennings' artistic convictions and liberties were getting stronger. This album includes songs written by Roy Orbison, Bobby Bare, Harlan Howard and Roger Miller. Hangin’ On starts off with an outstanding cover of Roy Orbison’s “The Crowd.” Glen Campbell would later take “Gentle On My Mind,” to the top of the charts later on in the 70’s. “The Chokin’ Kind,” has also since become an R&B staple that has been recorded by the several artists including recently by Joss Stone.
As Waylon and Singer of Sad Songs were released in 1970, the venerable but ill-matched Chet Atkins had been replaced and the song-selection varies ever further from Nashville’s most recognizable writers to more classic and new rock and roll songs and material from Mickey Newbury, Tom Rush, and Tim Hardin. As a result, the song and Waylon’s distinctive voice are more of the focus on these albums. Jennings opens Waylon with "Brown Eyed Handsome Man," a 1956 Chuck Berry song that had been a R&B hit and would chart to #3 on the country list. The Mickey Newbury penned "The Thirty Third of August" introduces the first traces of acoustic guitar, high-string bass, drums, organ and strings that would show in much of his later work. The duet with Anita Carter (June Carter Cash’s sister) “All Of Me Belongs With You,” would be one of a couple they would do together. The standout track on the album is the soulful and mournful “Don’t Play That Game.” It highlights the great depth and warble in Jennings’ voice like no other song to date. Unlike most other RCA country albums, the album Singer Of Sad Songs was recorded at their "Music Center Of The World" studios in Hollywood. Only the title track was recorded in Nashville. As a result, RCA Nashville was unwilling to promote the album. Jennings covers the Louvin Brothers' "Must You Throw Dirt in My Face,” the vintage George Jones penned "Ragged But Right," and even the Rolling Stones "Honky Tonk Woman." This album further illustrates the journey of a musician being attracted to the Texas rock-tinged country that was becoming popular in the honkytonks.
Sounds Like:
Merle Haggard
Track Highlights (suggested iPod adds):
Folk Country- Stop The World (& Let Me Off)
Folk Country- Cindy of New Orleans
Folk Country- That’s The Chance I’ll Have To Take
Waylon Sings Ol’ Harlan- Busted
Waylon Sings Ol’ Harlan- Tiger By The Tail
Love Of The Common People- Money Can’t Make The Man
Love Of The Common People- I Tremble For You
Love Of The Common People- The Road
Love Of The Common People- Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town
Love Of The Common People- Taos, New Mexico
Hangin’ On- The Chokin’ Kind
Hangin’ On- The Crowd
Hangin’ On- Julie
Hangin’ On- The Crowd
Hangin’ On- Gentle On My Mind
Waylon- All Of Me Belongs With You (With Anita Carter)
Waylon- “Brown-Eyed Handsome Man
Waylon- Don’t Play That Game
Singer Of Sad Songs- Singer Of Sad Songs
Singer Of Sad Songs- Sick and Tired
Singer Of Sad Songs- If I Were A Carpenter
Singer Of Sad Songs- Honky Tonk Woman
The Verdict:
Folk Country- Three & A Half Stars Out Of Five
Waylon Sings Ol’ Harlan- Three Stars Out Of Five
Love Of The Common People- Four & A Half Stars Out Of Five
Hangin’ On- Four Stars Out Of Five
Waylon- Three & A Half Stars Out Of Five
Singer Of Sad Songs- Four Stars Out Of Five
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