Search - Norma Jean :: Best of Norma Jean

Best of Norma Jean
Norma Jean
Best of Norma Jean
Genres: Country, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (21) - Disc #1

Though considered a country footnote--she's the woman Dolly Parton replaced in Porter Wagoner's show--Norma Jean was, along with Loretta Lynn, the bridge between Nashville female pioneers Kitty Wells and Patsy Cline and th...  more »

     
?

Larger Image

CD Details

All Artists: Norma Jean
Title: Best of Norma Jean
Members Wishing: 2
Total Copies: 0
Label: Collector's Choice
Original Release Date: 2/8/2000
Release Date: 2/8/2000
Genres: Country, Pop
Style: Classic Country
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 617742010220

Synopsis

Amazon.com
Though considered a country footnote--she's the woman Dolly Parton replaced in Porter Wagoner's show--Norma Jean was, along with Loretta Lynn, the bridge between Nashville female pioneers Kitty Wells and Patsy Cline and the late-1960s crop led by Dolly and Tammy Wynette (Norma's "Then Go Home to Her" is a Tammy template). Her voice had a creaminess that might have carried crossover potential in a later era, but it still broke, tore, and twanged in all the right places, and she had full command of both modes. She toyed with provocative titles ("Let's Go All the Way"), lived and loved in sin ("Pursuing Happiness"), endured bleak consolations ("Put Your Arms Around Her"), had a mind of her own ("Don't Let That Doorknob Hit You"), assayed one of the most bizarrely sentimental tunes in Nashville history ("The Shirt"), bared a proto-feminist streak ("Heaven Help the Poor Working Girl"), and contributed a convincing female trucker song ("Truck Drivin' Woman"). What more could you want? --John Morthland

Similarly Requested CDs

 

CD Reviews

NORMA JEAN IS A TRUE COUNTRY QUEEN!!
"Tee" | LA | 08/18/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love this lady!! She is without question one of the top five most outstanding "hard country" female singers of alltime - with Kitty Wells, Loretta Lynn, Sara Carter of the Carter Family and I'll let you pick the fifth slot. Norma Jean does not get the credit she deserves in country music history possibly because like most country stars who were regulars on syndicated TV Shows during the 1960's ("The Porter Wagoner Show", of course) she didn't get as much radio airplay (old rivals, TV vs. radio, I guess) as she deserved and only five of her songs were top twenty hits. But the public loved her and bought her albums which always did much better on the Billboard charts than the singles (the album charts were based on sales, singles based on radio airplay) including her 1966 "Pretty Miss Norma Jean" LP which went to #3 - very rare for a woman to hit the album chart that high at the time. This album contains all 21 of Norma Jean's Billboard-charted singles, 1964-1971. She remained on RCA until 1973 but was too hard country during the early 70's "countrypolitan" era for big hits although she released fine music to the end of her RCA contract. I would have loved to heard some of her "flop" RCA singles on this disc from that period like "That Songwritin' Man", "Hundred Dollar Funeral", and "I Know An Ending" as they were outstanding performances. But the hits here are great. Another thing that probably scared off country radio from playing too much Norma Jean she was one of the very few women singers at the time unafraid to record songs that cast her in an adulterous light, ie: "Conscience Keep an Eye on Me", "The Game of Triangles", "Then Go Home to Her", and "You Changed Everything About Me But My Name". Those outstanding tracks are here plus her signature song "Let's Go All the Way" (despite it's title, not really a risque' song) and other NJ favorites like "Put Your Arms Around Her", "I'm A Walking Advertisement for the Blues", "Heaven Help the Working Girl", etc. Norma Jean is so great she had other country stars writing her songs to record (ie: Liz Anderson, Jeannie Seely, Bill Anderson) and those hits are included here. Much as I loved this CD the packaging could have been better, the liner notes were clearly written by someone unfamiliar with her and probably with country music. (Also that writer errs stating Norma Jean recorded a 1978 album for Bearsville when that was a soul music artist who also went by the name Norma Jean). Still, I am thrilled to have this pretty miss singing away on my car CD and I sure wish her great old RCA albums would find their way to this format as well!!"
THE GREATEST
STEVE CARR | UNION CITY, TENNESSEE USA | 02/10/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"EVERY SONG ON THIS CD IS FANTASTIC. NORMA JEAN IS THE BEST COUNTRY SINGER EVER. IT DON'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS IF YOU LIKE COUNTRY MUSIC THIS IS THE CD TO HAVE."
DON'T OVERLOOK THIS ONE
A. M. Smith | RICHMOND, VA United States | 08/28/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)

"We all loved "Pretty Miss Norma Jean" on the Wagoner show and wondered how that squeaky-voiced, big-haired Dolly What's-Her-Name would fare as her replacement. Well, although Dolly went on to bigger things and Norma Jean languished in the shadows, this collections bears witness to her immense talent. Her full-throated delivery of solid no-nonsense country material still stands up today. There's really not a bad track on this CD."