Search - Gene Autry :: 20 Golden Cowboy Hits

The definitive collection, part 2

03/03/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After buying "The Essential Gene Autry" from amazon.com, I wrote a review describing that disc as the definitive collection of western songs by this icon of the Singing Cowboy era. I since have added "20 Golden Cowboy Hits" to my collection and, if anything, like it even more. The differences are slight, with a large overlap betwen the two CDs. The "20 Hits" collection has as its main benefit the inclusion of "Buttons and Bows", which is such a great song and which Gene sang better than anyone else. I also like the version of "Jingle Jangle Jingle" on this CD better. On the other hand, the "Essential" collection includes the wonderful "El Rancho Grande" and has a better version of "The Yellow Rose of Texas." Another notable difference is that the "Essential" disc has "Blueberry Hill" as a quasi-western inclusion, while "20 Hits" has "At Mail Call Today" (of World War II) and "Peter Cottontail" (of, well, the Easter Bunny). Both are nice, but by what stretch of the imagination are they considered "golden cowboy hits?" I would say to study the track selection and take your pick, but I have decided to keep both. I bought a slimline "two-fer" jewel box for a buck at a local record store; there's room for both booklets and both discs, and I can play whichever I want, depending on which I'm more in the mood for. I could actually listen to them back-to-back!"