Songs of the West | |
---|---|
Studio album by | |
Released | 1961 |
Genre | Country Western |
Length | 32:23 |
Label | Decca |
Songs of the West (Decca DL 4179, 1961) is one of the several albums from the early 1960s that signalled Burl Ives's move away from folk music into country western and pop. In Ives's discography this album is immediately preceded by The Versatile Burl Ives! and followed by It's Just My Funny Way of Laughin' , two Decca albums containing songs ("A Little Bitty Tear", "Call Mr. In-Between" and "Funny Way of Laughin'") that earned Ives his highest rankings on Billboard's pop, country, and easy-listening charts. [1]
Songs of the West is an album of twelve "Cowboy" songs. [2] As the back of the album cover states, "[The songs] span the gamut of western music from the time-honored Cowboy's National Anthem, 'Home on the Range,' which dates back to the 1870s, through the western classics ..., to the years of western music's peak popularity -- represented here by songs by Billy Hill ... -- and finally on to 'My Adobe Hacienda' and 'Jingle Jangle Jingle,' two popular hits that have been adopted into the repertoires of almost all western music enthusiasts." [3]
Track | Song Title | Writer/Composer [4] | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Home on the Range | Brewster Higley, Daniel Kelley | 2:26 |
2. | When the Bloom Is on the Sage | Nat Vincent, Fred Howard Wright | 2:10 |
3. | Cool Water | Bob Nolan | 3:54 |
4. | Empty Saddles | Billy Hill | 2:39 |
5. | Mexicali Rose | Helen Stone, Jack Tenney | 2:25 |
6. | The Oregon Trail | Peter de Rose, Billy Hill | 2:31 |
Track | Song Title | Writer/Composer | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | The Last Round-Up | Billy Hill | 4:02 |
2. | O Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie | Traditional | 2:19 |
3. | Cowboy's Dream | Traditional | 2:58 |
4. | Tumbling Tumbleweeds | Bob Nolan | 2:14 |
5. | My Adobe Hacienda | Louise Massey, Lee Penny | 2:27 |
6. | Jingle Jangle Jingle | J.J. Lilley, Frank Loesser | 2:13 |
Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American singer, musician, actor, and author.
Robert Lee Helms was an American country music singer, best known for his 1957 Christmas hit "Jingle Bell Rock". His other hits include "Fraulein" and "My Special Angel".
Garland Perry "Hank" Cochran was an American country music singer and songwriter. Starting during the 1960s, Cochran was a prolific songwriter in the genre, including major hits by Patsy Cline, Ray Price, Eddy Arnold and others. Cochran was also a recording artist between 1962 and 1980, scoring seven times on the Billboard country music charts, with his greatest solo success being the No. 20 "Sally Was a Good Old Girl." In 2014, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Bob Loyce Moore was an American session musician, orchestra leader, and double bassist who was a member of the Nashville A-Team during the 1950s and 1960s. He performed on over 17,000 documented recording sessions, backing popular acts such as Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison. Bob was also the father of multi-instrumentalist R. Stevie Moore, who pioneered lo-fi/DIY music.
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 1962.
"The Ballad of Davy Crockett" is a song with music by George Bruns and lyrics by Thomas W. Blackburn. It was introduced on ABC's television series Disneyland, in the premiere episode of October 27, 1954. Fess Parker is shown performing the song on a log cabin set in frontiersman clothes, accompanied by similarly attired musicians. The familiar refrain of "Davy, Davy Crockett" is heard throughout the song, which sings of the man's praises. The song would later be heard throughout the Disneyland television miniseries Davy Crockett, first telecast on December 15, 1954. This version was sung by The Wellingtons. Parker played the role of Davy Crockett in the miniseries and continued in four other episodes made by Walt Disney Studios. Buddy Ebsen co-starred as George "Georgie" Russel, and Jeff York played legendary boatman Mike Fink.
"Mockin' Bird Hill" is a song written in 3/4 time by Calle Jularbo, with lyrics by George Vaughn Horton and perhaps best known through recordings by Patti Page, Donna Fargo, and the duo of Les Paul and Mary Ford in 1951, but many other artists have also recorded the song.
Mule Train is a popular song written by Johnny Lange, Hy Heath, Ramblin' Tommy Scott and Fred Glickman. It is a cowboy song, with the singer filling the role of an Old West wagon driver, spurring on his team of mules pulling a delivery wagon. As he goes about his work, the driver mentions the various mail-order goods he is delivering to far-flung customers. "Mule Train" was originally recorded by Ellis "Buz" Butler Jr. in 1947. Butler was the original writer of the song along with Fred Glickman. The original recording was released by Buz Butler on Decca Records.
"(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend" is a cowboy-styled country/western song written in 1948 by American songwriter, film and television actor Stan Jones.
"Heartaches by the Number" is a popular country song written by Harlan Howard, and published in 1959. The sheet music was a best seller in both the US and Britain in January 1960.
"Walkin' After Midnight" is a song written by Alan Block and Donn Hecht and recorded by American country music artist Patsy Cline. The song was originally given to pop singer Kay Starr; however, her label rejected it. The song was left unused until Hecht rediscovered it when writing for Four Star Records. Originally Cline was not fond of "Walkin' After Midnight", but after making a compromise with her label she recorded it. However, the first released recording was by Lynn Howard with The Accents, released August 1956.
It's Just My Funny Way of Laughin' is a 1962 album by Burl Ives, recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. It rose to No. 24 on Billboard (magazine)'s 1962 Pop Albums Chart. During the same year, the title song, composed by Hank Cochran, reached No. 3 on Billboard's Contemporary Adult Singles Chart, No. 9 on the Country Singles Chart, and No. 10 on the Pop Singles Chart. The title song earned Ives a Grammy Award for Best Country and Western Recording. Another song, "Call Me Mr. In-Between," composed by Harlan Howard, peaked at No. 3 on the Country Singles Chart, No. 6 on the Adult Contemporary Singles Chart, and No. 19 on the Pop Singles Chart.
The Versatile Burl Ives! is a 1961 album by Burl Ives, containing his hit single "A Little Bitty Tear." The album reached No. 35 on Billboard's 1962 Pop Album Chart. In the same year, "A Little Bitty Tear" climbed to No. 1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart, No. 2 on the Country Singles Chart, and No. 9 on the Pop Singles Chart. The pop, country, and folk songs on this album were selected to highlight the folk singer's versatility. Some of his performances, such as his cover of Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line," represent a significant departure from his earlier repertoire. Ives is accompanied by the Anita Kerr Singers and Owen Bradley's orchestra.
Pearly Shells and Other Favorites is a 1964 album by Burl Ives, produced by Milt Gabler and directed by Owen Bradley. Featuring songs composed by Harlan Howard, Merle Kilgore, Tillman Franks, Mel Tillis and Freddie Hart, among others, the album reached No. 65 on Billboard's 1965 Pop Album Chart. The title song, "Pearly Shells," reached No. 60 on Billboard's 1964 Pop Singles Chart. Greg Adams of Allmusic writes, "Don't let the shortage of well-known songs keep you away from this delightful and well-crafted album."
"A Little Bitty Tear" is a song written by the American country songwriter Hank Cochran. It has been recorded by many musical acts, the first being American recording artist Burl Ives. It has since been recorded by others, including Wanda Jackson, Bing Crosby, Chet Atkins, The Shadows and Cochran himself.
"Funny Way of Laughin'" is a song written by Hank Cochran and performed by Burl Ives. It reached #3 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart, #9 on the U.S. country chart, #10 on the U.S. pop chart, and #29 on the UK Singles Chart in 1962. It was featured on his 1962 album It's Just My Funny Way of Laughin'.
Have a Holly Jolly Christmas is a Christmas album by American folk singer Burl Ives, first released by Decca Records in October 1965.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a soundtrack album to the 1964 Rankin/Bass television special of the same name. The original cast recordings from the TV special are supplemented with instrumental versions recorded by the Decca Concert Orchestra. All songs used in the television special were written by Johnny Marks.
Bill Haley & His Comets recorded many singles and albums. The following list references only their original release and generally does not include compilation albums or single reissues. This list does not include releases on which the Comets worked as session musicians, and primarily focuses on releases during Haley's lifetime.