Search - Billie Jo Spears :: Country Girl-20 Favorite Songs

Mostly covers but worth hearing

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 03/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Billie Jo recorded most of these tracks for a TV-advertised vinyl LP, at a time when she was enormously popular in Britain. Her own hits had already been extensively marketed so what to do next - a covers album, of course.



Blanket on the ground is included in this collection although it doesn't really belong here, but I can understand why it was put in. Crystal chandeliers is Charley Pride's signature song outside America, though never released as an American single. Silver threads and golden needles was first recorded by Wanda Jackson but has since recorded by many country singers - and a few pop singers. Queen of the silver dollar was originally recorded by Dr Hook, then by Emmylou Harris (on Pieces of the sky) before becoming a country hit for Dave and Sugar. Emmylou's version, despite not being released as a single, is the best-known version of the song.



Misty blue began as a country song but is most famous via Dorothy Moore's international soul-pop hit. Bonnie Tyler had an international pop hit with It's a heartache. Her version was a surprise top ten country hit, while Dave and Sugar covered the song and also had a country hit with it. Crying time, first written and recorded by Buck Owens, became a pop hit for Ray Charles. Tennessee waltz, written and first recorded by Pee Wee King but most commonly associated with Patti Page, is apparently the most-covered country song of all time.



This ole house began life as a country song but was popularised by Rosemary Clooney, who had a huge international pop hit with it. For the good times, written by Kris Kristofferson, provided Ray Price with a country hit and Perry Como with a pop hit. Blue bayou, a major international hit for Roy Orbison in the sixties, also became a major American hit for Linda Ronstadt in the seventies.



Elsewhere, this set includes covers of I'm gonna be a country girl again (Buffy Sainte-Marie), Fire and rain (James Taylor), Fever (Peggy Lee), Rocky top (Lynn Anderson), Blue blue day (Don Gibson), Here you come again (Dolly Parton), Just the way you are (Billy Joel), I know I'll never love this way again (Dionne Warwick) and All I have to do is dream (Everly Brothers).



Billie Jo does fine covers of all these songs and it makes for an interesting collection. If you enjoy Billie Jo's own hits, you might also enjoy this collection. If you buy it, you might even be inspired to buy one or two of the original versions of these songs, most of which are easy to find. Of course, it would be expensive to buy them all and that's the appeal of a covers collection - plenty of classic songs at a bargain price."

Here you come again

Diana Passiatore | Kingsland Tx | 10/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Have been looking for this 10 yrs. It's great!!"