Country Classics The Absolutely Essential CD Collection

~ Release by Various Artists (see all versions of this release, 1 available)

Tracklist

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1▼CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1I Walk the Line
producer:
Sam Phillips (founder of Sun Records)
acoustic guitar and lead vocals:
Johnny Cash (country music legend) (on 1956-04-02)
double bass:
Marshall Grant (on 1956-04-02)
electric guitar:
Luther Perkins (on 1956-04-02)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Sun Entertainment Corporation (company credits only; do not use as release label!) (in 1956) and Sun Record Company (in 1956)
recorded at:
Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, United States (on 1956-04-02)
part of:
Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 30), Dave Marsh: The Best of the Top 40 Singles: 1956 (number: 33) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 76)
recording of:
I Walk the Line (on 1956-04-02)
lyricist and composer:
John R. Cash (country music legend) (in 1956)
publisher:
Aberbach (London) (publisher), Bug Music, Inc., Carlin Music Corporation, Hill and Range Songs, Inc. (publisher), Hill and Range Southwind Mus S A (BMI-affiliated) and House of Cash, Inc. (BMI-affiliated, publisher for works of Johnny Cash)
Johnny Cash4.15?:??
2El Paso
recording of:
El Paso
lyricist and composer:
Marty Robbins
publisher:
Chappell & Co., Inc. (USA), Hill & Range Songs, Inc. (publisher), Mariposa Music Inc. (publisher), Unichappell Music, Inc. and Warner/Chappell North America Limited (formerly incorporated as Marmalade Music Ltd., from 1968/09/19–1999/11/09)
Marty Robbins?:??
3A Dear John Letter
performer:
Jean Shepard (American honky tonk singer-songwriter)
recording of:
A Dear John Letter
writer:
Billy Barton (country/rockabilly), Charles “Fuzzy” Owen and Lewis Tally
publisher:
American Music, Inc.
cover recording of:
A Dear John Letter
writer:
Billy Barton (country/rockabilly), Charles “Fuzzy” Owen and Lewis Tally
publisher:
American Music, Inc.
Ferlin Husky And Jean Shepard?:??
4Mule Train
cover recording of:
Mule Train
composer:
Fred Glickman, Hy Heath and Johnny Lange
publisher:
Chappell (Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.) and W. Disney Mus. (music publisher, do not use as release label)
part of:
The 23rd Academy Award for Best Original Song (number: 2)
Tennessee Ernie Ford?:??
5Tennessee Saturday Night
recording of:
Tennessee Saturday Night (on 1947-08-12)
lyricist and composer:
Billy Hughes (Western Swing musician/songwriter)
publisher:
Hill and Range (publisher)
Red Foley?:??
6Walking the Floor Over You
recorded in:
Dallas, Texas, United States (on 1941-04-26)
producer:
Dave Kapp
double bass:
[unknown] (Special Purpose Artist – Do not add releases here, if possible.) (on 1941-04-26)
electric guitar [electric lead guitar]:
Fay "Smitty" Smith (on 1941-04-26)
guitar:
Ernest Tubb (on 1941-04-26)
vocals:
Ernest Tubb (on 1941-04-26)
recording of:
Walkin’ the Floor Over You (on 1941-04-26)
lyricist and composer:
Ernest Tubb
publisher:
Unichappell Music, Inc.
Ernest Tubb3.5?:??
7Pistol Packin’ Mama
accordion:
Paul Sells (on 1942-03-20)
bass:
Fred Whiting (US double bassist) (on 1942-03-20)
guitar:
Johnny Bond (country music guitarist, singer, songwriter and historian) (on 1942-03-20), Al Dexter (on 1942-03-20) and Dick Reinhart (country and western singer, multi-instrumentalist bandleader and actor) (on 1942-03-20)
steel guitar:
Frankie Marvin (US country musician) (on 1942-03-20)
trumpet:
Harry Hollinger (on 1942-03-20)
lead vocals:
Al Dexter
recorded at:
CBS Columbia Square Recording Studios (KNX and Columbia Broadcasting System) in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States
part of:
V Disc (by matrix number) (number: VP 39)
recording of:
Pistol Packin’ Mama (on 1942-03-20)
publisher:
Albert Poindexter (on 1942-02-16)
lyricist and composer:
Al Dexter
publisher:
Universal–Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.
Al Dexter and His Troopers4?:??
8I'm Moving On
recording of:
I’m Moving On
lyricist and composer:
Hank Snow
publisher:
Hill and Range Songs, Inc. (publisher) and Unichappell Music, Inc.
Hank Snow?:??
9If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time
part of:
Rolling Stone: The 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time (number: 18)
recording of:
If You’ve Got the Money I’ve Got the Time (in 1950)
writer:
Jim Beck (James Albert Beck, country music producer, talent agent, record promoter, recording studio owner, A&R engineer, music publisher) and Lefty Frizzell (US country singer & songwriter)
Lefty Frizzell?:??
10The Wild Side of Life
Hank Thompson5?:??
11It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels
recorded in:
Nashville, Tennessee, United States (on 1952-05-03)
bass:
Johnnie Wright (US country music singer-songwriter) (on 1952-05-03)
fiddle:
Paul Warren (US fiddler) (on 1952-05-03)
guitar:
Jack Anglin (on 1952-05-03)
steel guitar:
Harold "Shot" Jackson (US country music guitar and dobro player) (on 1952-05-03)
lead vocals:
Kitty Wells (on 1952-05-03)
vocals:
Kitty Wells (on 1952-05-03)
recording of:
It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels (on 1952-05-03)
lyricist and composer:
J.D. Miller (Louisiana songwriter and producer Joseph Denton Miller)
publisher:
Peer International Corporation (BMI)
quotes lyrics from:
The Wild Side of Life
Kitty Wells5?:??
12Wondering
recorded in:
Nashville, Tennessee, United States (on 1951-08-13)
recording of:
Wondering (on 1951-08-13)
lyricist and composer:
Joe Werner (Cajun and country guitarist, vocalist and harmonica player)
Webb Pierce4?:??
13(When You Feel Like You're in Love) Don't Just Stand There
cover recording of:
Don't Just Stand There (When You Feel Like You're in Love)
writer:
Jack Henley and Ernest Tubb
Carl Smith?:??
14Live Fast Love Hard Die Young
cover recording of:
Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young (in 1955)
lyricist and composer:
Joe Allison
Faron Young4?:??
15Let Me Be the One
Hank Locklin?:??
16Makin’ Believe
recorded in:
Nashville, Tennessee, United States (on 1955-01-15)
lead vocals:
Kitty Wells (on 1955-01-15)
recording of:
Making Believe (in 1955)
lyricist and composer:
Jimmy Work (Country music singer and songwriter)
Kitty Wells?:??
17Gone
cover recording of:
Gone
lyricist and composer:
Smokey Rogers
Ferlin Husky?:??
18Heartaches by the Number
recording of:
Heartaches by the Number
lyricist and composer:
Harlan Howard
publisher:
Good Ol’ Harlan Music, Sony/ATV Tree Publishing and Legacy of Harlan Perry Howard, LLC (in 1959)
Ray Price?:??
19I'm Sorry
recording of:
I’m Sorry (Brenda Lee song, 1960)
writer:
Dub Albritton (manager and songwriter) and Ronnie Self (rockabilly singer and songwriter)
publisher:
Songs of Universal (SOCAN)
Brenda Lee5?:??
20Misery Loves Company
recording of:
Misery Loves Company
lyricist and composer:
Jerry Reed
Porter Wagoner?:??
2▼CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Your Cheatin Heart
recorded in:
Nashville, Tennessee, United States (on 1952-09-23)
bass:
Floyd D. 'Lightnin'' Chance (on 1952-09-23)
drums (drum set):
Farris Coursey (on 1952-09-23)
electric guitar:
Chet Atkins (on 1952-09-23)
fiddle:
Tommy Jackson (bluegrass fiddler) (on 1952-09-23)
guitar:
Hank Williams (country music legend) (on 1952-09-23)
steel guitar:
Don Helms (on 1952-09-23)
vocals:
Hank Williams (country music legend) (on 1952-09-23)
part of:
Rolling Stone: The 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time (number: 28), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 213) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 237)
recording of:
Your Cheatin’ Heart (on 1952-09-23)
lyricist and composer:
Hank Williams (country music legend)
publisher:
Acuff Rose Music Ltd. (UK), Fred Rose Music (BMI-affiliated), Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Ltd., Acuff-Rose Publications, Inc. (BMI) (on 1952-10-31), Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music (tradename of Sony/ATV Songs LLC) (from 2002 until 2021-01-06) and Sony Music Publishing (worldwide except Japan, ended 1995) (from 2021-01-06 to present)
Hank Williams3.25?:??
2Four Walls
recording of:
Four Walls
composer:
George Campbell and Marvin Moore (songwriter, best known for “Four Walls” and “The Green Door”)
publisher:
SBK United Partnership Ltd.
Jim Reeves?:??
3Crazy Arms
recording of:
Crazy Arms (on 1956-03-01)
writer:
Ralph Mooney (in 1954) and Chuck Seals (in 1954)
publisher:
Champion Music Corp., Leeds Music, Songs of Universal, Inc. (BMI), Universal/MCA Music Ltd. (not for release label use!), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (in 1956) and MCA Music Svenska AB (in 1978)
Ray Price3?:??
4You Don't Know Me
recording of:
You Don’t Know Me (on 1955-12-01)
writer:
Eddy Arnold and Cindy Walker (US songwriter, singer and dancer)
publisher:
J. Albert & Son, Unichappell Music, ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング A事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., A Division), Unichappell Music, Inc. (in 1955), Hill and Range Songs, Inc. (publisher) (on 1955-08-19) and Mijac Music (in 2006)
sub-publisher:
Warner–Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (publisher; do NOT use as release label) (in 2006)
Eddy Arnold?:??
5Lost Highway
cover recording of:
Lost Highway (on 1949-03-01)
lyricist and composer:
Leon Payne (Country/Rockabilly artist) (in 1948)
publisher:
Acuff-Rose Publications, Inc. (BMI) (on 1949-08-05) and Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music (tradename of Sony/ATV Songs LLC) (from 2002 to present)
recording of:
Lost Highway
lyricist and composer:
Leon Payne (Country/Rockabilly artist) (in 1948)
publisher:
Acuff-Rose Publications, Inc. (BMI) (on 1949-08-05) and Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music (tradename of Sony/ATV Songs LLC) (from 2002 to present)
Hank Williams5?:??
6Sixteen Tons
Merle Travis?:??
7In The Jailhouse Now
recorded in:
Nashville, Tennessee, United States (on 1954-12-03)
cover recording of:
In the Jailhouse Now (in 1954)
lyricist and composer:
Jimmie Rodgers (country music pioneer, died in 1933)
publisher:
Peer International Corporation (BMI) (in 1978)
Webb Pierce4?:??
8Folsom Prison Blues
producer:
Sam Phillips (founder of Sun Records)
acoustic guitar and lead vocals:
Johnny Cash (country music legend) (on 1955-07-30)
double bass:
Marshall Grant (on 1955-07-30)
electric guitar:
Luther Perkins (on 1955-07-30)
vocals:
Johnny Cash (country music legend)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Mercury Records (or just “Mercury”; a UMG imprint, do not use it for ©/℗ credits) (in 1988)
recorded at:
Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, United States (on 1955-07-30)
recording of:
Folsom Prison Blues (on 1955-07-30)
lyricist and composer:
Johnny Cash (country music legend)
publisher:
Aberbach (London) (publisher), Carlin Music Corporation and Hi Lo Music
is based on:
Crescent City Blues
Johnny Cash4.35?:??
9Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On
Hank Locklin?:??
10Walkin' After Midnight
vocals:
Patsy Cline
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MCA Records Ltd. (do not use as an imprint; UK subsidiary of MCA Records) (in 1957)
cover recording of:
Walkin’ After Midnight
lyricist:
Don Hecht
composer:
Alan Block and Don Hecht
publisher:
Acuff-Rose Music Limited (UK), Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music (tradename of Sony/ATV Songs LLC), Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK) Ltd. and Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC (1995–2020)
Patsy Cline4.6?:??
11The Story Of My Life
recorded in:
New York, United States (on 1957-07-22)
producer:
Mitch Miller
cover recording of:
The Story of My Life (on 1957-07-22)
lyricist:
Hal David
composer:
Burt Bacharach
Marty Robbins?:??
12I Can't Stop Loving You
recording of:
I Can’t Stop Lovin’ You
lyricist and composer:
Don Gibson (US songwriter and country musician)
publisher:
Acuff-Rose-Opryland Music Limited (UK), Sony/ATV Songs LLC and Acuff-Rose Publications, Inc. (BMI) (on 1958-02-07)
Don Gibson?:??
13When It's Springtime In Alaska (It's Forty Below)
recording of:
When It’s Springtime in Alaska (It’s Forty Below)
writer:
Tillman Franks and Johnny Horton
publisher:
Universal Cedarwood Publishing
Johnny Horton?:??
14Under Your Spell Again
recording of:
Under Your Spell Again
writer:
Buck Owens and Dusty Rhodes (60s US country producer/songwriter)
composer:
Buck Owens
publisher:
Beechwood Music Corp., Campbell Connelly, Central Songs and Central Songs, Inc.
Buck Owens?:??
15The Long Black Veil
part of:
Rolling Stone: 40 Saddest Country Songs of All Time (2019 re-issued) (number: 9) and Rolling Stone: The 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time (number: 62)
recording of:
The Long Black Veil
lyricist and composer:
Danny Dill and Marijohn Wilkin
publisher:
Cedarwood Music, Cedarwood Pub. Co., Inc. and PolyGram Music Publishing
Lefty Frizzell4?:??
16White Lightning
cover recording of:
White Lightning
lyricist and composer:
J.P. Richardson (known as The Big Bopper)
publisher:
Glad Music Co.
George Jones?:??
17I'm A Honky Tonk Girl
recorded in:
Los Angeles, California, United States (in 1960-02)
double bass [bass]:
Al Williams (US country bassist) (in 1960-02)
fiddle:
Harold Hensley (in 1960-02)
guitar:
Roy Lanham (in 1960-02)
steel guitar:
Speedy West (in 1960-02)
vocals:
Loretta Lynn (in 1960-02)
recording of:
I’m a Honky Tonk Girl
lyricist and composer:
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn?:??
18Big Bad John
recording of:
Big Bad John (1961 song)
lyricist and composer:
Jimmy Dean
writer:
Roy Acuff
Jimmy Dean?:??
19Walk On By
recording of:
Walk On By (Leroy Van Dyke song) (in 1961)
lyricist and composer:
Kendall Hayes (country music songwriter)
publisher:
Lowery Music Co. Inc.
Leroy Van Dyke4?:??
20Crazy
Patsy Cline?:??
21Pick Me Up On Your Way Down
recording of:
Pick Me Up on Your Way Down (in 1958)
lyricist and composer:
Harlan Howard
Charlie Walker?:??
3▼CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1I Fall To Pieces
recording of:
I Fall to Pieces
composer:
Hank Cochran (Nashville singer and songwriter) and Harlan Howard
Patsy Cline?:??
2Please Help Me, I'm Falling
cover recording of:
Please Help Me, I’m Falling (in 1958)
lyricist and composer:
Hal Blair and Don Robertson (“Happy Whistler” songwriter)
publisher:
Anne-Rachel Music Corp., Carlin Music Corporation, Chappell & Co., Inc. (USA), Don Robertson Music Corp., Hill and Range Southwind Mus S A (BMI-affiliated) and Ross Jungnickel, Inc.
Hank Locklin?:??
3He'll Have To Go
producer:
Chet Atkins
vocals:
Jim Reeves (US country & pop singer)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Sony Music Entertainment Inc. (company owned by Sony Corporation of America from 1991–2004, operated worldwide except in JP; normally not a release label) (in 1959)
recording of:
He’ll Have to Go (on 1959-10-15)
writer:
Audrey Allison and Joe Allison
publisher:
Campbell Connelly & Co. Ltd., Central Songs and Central Songs, Inc.
Jim Reeves4.35?:??
4Cry! Cry! Cry!
producer:
Sam Phillips (founder of Sun Records)
acoustic guitar and lead vocals:
Johnny Cash (country music legend) (in 1955-05)
double bass:
Marshall Grant (in 1955-05)
electric guitar:
Luther Perkins (in 1955-05)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Sun Entertainment Corporation (company credits only; do not use as release label!) (in 1955) and Sun Record Company (in 1955)
recorded at:
Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, United States (in 1955-05)
recording of:
Cry! Cry! Cry! (in 1955-05)
lyricist and composer:
Johnny Cash (country music legend)
publisher:
Carlin Music Corporation and Hill & Range Songs, Inc. (publisher)
Johnny Cash3.65?:??
5(Now and Then) There’s a Fool Such as I
producer:
Chet Atkins
recording of:
(Now and Then There’s) a Fool Such as I (on 1952-05-19)
lyricist and composer:
Bill Trader
publisher:
LeFevre Sing Pub. Co., MCA Music Inc. (US-based music publishers) and Universal/MCA Music Ltd. (not for release label use!)
Hank Snow4?:??
6I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
recorded at:
E.T. Herzog Recording Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
part of:
Rolling Stone: 40 Saddest Country Songs of All Time (2019 re-issued) (number: 2), Rolling Stone: The 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time (number: 4), Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (as at 2016-06-10) (number: 111) and Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: 2021 edition (number: 165)
recording of:
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (on 1949-08-30)
lyricist and composer:
Hank Williams (country music legend)
publisher:
Sony/ATV Music Publishing (Germany) GmbH (2002–today), Acuff-Rose Publications, Inc. (BMI) (on 1949-10-31) and Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music (tradename of Sony/ATV Songs LLC) (from 2002 to present)
Hank Williams4.25?:??
7Dark As A Dungeon
recording of:
Dark as a Dungeon
lyricist and composer:
Travis
Merle Travis?:??
8Always Late (with Your Kisses)
recording of:
Always Late (with Your Kisses)
writer:
Blackie Crawford and Lefty Frizzell (US country singer & songwriter)
Lefty Frizzell?:??
9A Satisfied Mind
cover recording of:
A Satisfied Mind
writer:
Joe Hayes and Jack Rhodes (songwriter, producer, guitarist)
publisher:
Fort Knox Music
Porter Wagoner?:??
10City Lights
cover recording of:
City Lights
lyricist and composer:
Bill Anderson (US country singer, songwriter & TV personality)
publisher:
Bill Anderson Music (in 1958)
Ray Price?:??
11I Ain't Never
recorded in:
Nashville, Tennessee, United States (on 1959-05-15)
recording of:
I Ain’t Never (on 1959-05-15)
writer:
Webb Pierce and Mel Tillis
Webb Pierce4?:??
12Wings Of A Dove
recording of:
On the Wings of a Dove (in 1960)
lyricist and composer:
Bob Ferguson
publisher:
Belinda Music, Fort Knox Music Co, Husky Music Co. Inc. and Larrick Music Co.
Ferlin Husky4?:??
13The Battle Of New Orleans
producer:
Don Law
recorded at:
Bradley Studios (Hillsboro Village location, circa 1952-1954) in Nashville, Tennessee, United States
cover recording of:
The Battle of New Orleans (on 1959-01-27)
lyricist and composer:
Jimmy Driftwood (in 1936)
publisher:
Warden Music Company Inc.
part of:
Grammy Award: Song of the Year nominees (number: 1960 winner)
is based on:
The 8th of January
Johnny Horton4.75?:??
14Last Date
Floyd Cramer?:??
15Tender Years
recording of:
Tender Years
composer:
Darrell Edwards
publisher:
Glad Music Co. and Glad Music Ltd.
George Jones?:??
16Heartbreak U.S.A.
recorded in:
Nashville, Tennessee, United States (on 1960-07-13)
lead vocals:
Kitty Wells (on 1960-07-13)
recording of:
Heartbreak U.S.A. (on 1960-07-13)
lyricist and composer:
Harlan Howard
Kitty Wells?:??
17Sea Of Heartbreak
recording of:
Sea of Heartbreak
lyricist:
Hal David
composer:
Paul Hampton (US singer/songwriter composer and actor)
publisher:
Sonet Music AB
Don Gibson?:??
18Foolin' Around
producer:
Ken Nelson (US record producer (’48‐’76) Capitol Records, country music)
recording of:
Foolin Around
written in:
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
lyricist and composer:
Harlan Howard and Buck Owens
publisher:
Central Songs, Inc.
Buck Owens?:??
19Hello Walls
recording of:
Hello Walls
lyricist and composer:
Willie Nelson
publisher:
Pamper Music, Inc. (on 1961-02-08)
Faron Young?:??