Search - Slim Whitman :: Collection

A must have for Slim Whitman fans

Jeff H | Clovis, CA | 07/30/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Collection is a near complete compilation of Slim Whitman music. His unique style and strong vocals are nothing short of brilliant. The only missing song was "Cattle Call", which I feel rivaled Eddy Arnold's version, but that doesn't take away from The Collection. If you haven't listened to Slim Whitman you are missing a real treat. I never understood why his music wasn't popular in the USA. Buy this collection of a man who put his heart and soul into his music and I guarantee there will not be any dissappointments, just pure listening pleasure."

Outstanding compilation of Slim's music

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 06/01/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ever since he topped the British charts in 1955 with Rose Marie, Slim Whitman has always been much more popular in Britain than in his homeland. In the CD era, there has never been a lot of his music available simultaneously, if you exclude the brilliant but expensive Bear Family boxed sets. However, a steady stream of compilations, together with a few original albums, have been released at more affordable prices, so it has been possible to build up a fair collection of his music for a more modest financial outlay. There are not many songs that absolutely have to be included on a Slim Whitman collection, leaving compilers plenty of scope to select tracks not previously released on CD, should they wish to do so. Of course, there is bound to be some duplication with earlier CD compilations, and not just with the obvious tracks, but with as many as 58 tracks on this budget-priced double CD, there are bound to be plenty of tracks that you haven't already got on CD.



Slim Whitman had eight hits in the British pop charts, all of which are included here in some form. It seems that the versions included here of China doll, I'm a fool, Serenade, I'll take you home again Kathleen, Tumbling tumbleweeds and Happy anniversary are the original versions but Rose Marie and Indian love call are re-recorded versions. The compiler also selected a 1964 version of Love song of the waterfall, another Slim Whitman classic, instead of the original. But don't worry about these re-recordings, as they are very much in the minority here and in any case, they still sound brilliant.



The songs cover the full range of material that Slim recorded except for Christmas music (hopefully somebody will one day provide a CD compilation of his Christmas music; he did at least three Christmas albums). There are no songs about drinking or adultery as Slim's moral principles would not allow him to record such songs, but there are plenty of western songs as well as mainstream pop and country songs. Western song fans will find plenty of covers of songs by Gene Autry, the Sons of the Pioneers and Bob Wills here, including Faded love, a Bob Wills song that Patsy Cline made her own. A couple of gospel classics (What a friend we have in Jesus, Whispering hope) are also included.



Some of the mainstream pop and country covers are of obscure songs while others are famous. With Slim's unique high falsetto vocal style, he makes even the famous songs sound fresh. Among the tracks here, you'll find covers of Calypso (John Denver), Walk through this world with me (George Jones), White cliffs of Dover (Vera Lynn), Carolina moon (a twenties song originally, but Connie Francis made it her own), Flower of love (Lynn Anderson), Blueberry Hill (originally a big American hit for Glenn Miller, but Fats Domino made the song his own), Do what you do do well (Ned Miller), Take me in your arms and hold me (Eddy Arnold), Snowbird (Anne Murray), Harbour lights (originally recorded by Vera Lynn in 1937 and a big American hit for Frances Langford later that year, but best remembered via the fifties version by the Platters), Hello love (Hank Snow), Forty shades of green (Johnny Cash), Little arrows (Leapy Lee), I'd trade all of my tomorrows (Eddy Arnold) and Only you (Platters).



The liner notes are also impressive and tell you much about Slim's early life, roots and influences. This compilation may have been priced as a budget release but I couldn't have complained if this had been a full-priced double CD."