Track Listing

1. North to Alaska
2. Whispering Pines
3. Johnny Reb
4. Mansion You Stole
5. I'm Ready If You're Willing
6. When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's Forty Below)
7. Honky-Tonk Man
8. The Battle of New Orleans
9. All for the Love of a Girl
10. Sink the Bismarck
11. Comanche (The Brave Horse)
12. Jim Bridger
13. Johnny Freedom (Freedomland)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #70785 in Music
• Released on: 1990-10-25
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
While Louisiana Hayride star Johnny Horton's 1956 Top 10 debut "Honky Tonk Man" strode the line between rockabilly and honky-tonk minimalism, he found his niche in 1959 with a short-lived phenomenon known as the saga song: newly penned tunes, based on or inspired by historical events. The song that rendered Horton immortal? A rousing rendition of folksinger Jimmie Driftwood's War of 1812 number "The Battle of New Orleans," which topped both the country and pop charts for weeks. Riding a winner, Horton kept the momentum going with the Civil War-themed "Johnny Reb," and "Sink the Bismarck," based on a World War II naval battle. He died in a Texas car crash in early November 1960, days before his next single, "North to Alaska" (from the John Wayne film of the same name), hit the charts. While saga tunes understandably dominate this collection, it also includes "Honky Tonk Man" and the ballads "Whispering Pines" and "The Mansion You Stole." There's no better introduction to Horton's seminal recordings. --Rich Kienzle

Customer Reviews

Great Compilation Of Johnny's Biggest Hits!
From the time he captured America's heart with a rip-roaring rendition of "The Battle Of New Orleans" until his final release with "North To Alaska", Johnny Horton surprised, delighted and amazed us with his crossover country style, sung with a muted twang. Anyone who listened to his album fell in love with that voice, which was quite distinctive and quite a vehicle for everything he sang. From his plaintive "All For The Love Of A Girl" to a haunting rendition of "Whispering Pines", it was clear he was basically a very talented country singer, whether he was singing something very commercial like "Johnny Reb", "Comanche", or "Sink The Bismark" or something closer to his heart, like "The Mansion You Stole". He had a sense of humor, which he exhibited with songs like "When It's Springtime In Alaska, It's Forty Below". yet it was his range of subjects and versatility in terms of style that we found so attractive and so irresistable. Had he not left us so suddenly, taken from his fans so young, who knows what other treasures he might have left behind. Enjoy!

A Short Life marks a long heritage
1 Whispering Pines 2 Mansion You Stole, The 3 I'm Ready, If You're Willing 4 When It's Springtime In Alaska (It's Forty Below) 5 All For The Love Of A Girl 6 Comanche (The Brave Horse) 7 Jim Bridger 8 Johnny Freedom

Johnny Horton died young, the victim of an automobile accident. His death brought to an abrupt end the beginning of what could have been one of the greatest music careers that ever was. This album reflects some of the marks he made on the world of Country Music.

Unfortunately, when this was originally released, there were twelve cuts, now there are only eight. I guess the others weren't great, for instance, they left out, "The Battle of New Orleans", one of the most outstanding hits in the history of the music, "North To Alaska", and "When It's Springtime in Alaska", two of the most definitive changes in his style as he began to leave the historical area and venture into the world of love and feeling; "Sink The Bismark" and "Johnny Reb", two of the songs most representative of his historical era. Why is it that Columbia Records feels that they have to cut the amounts of songs down through the years just because the business, as it stands today, usually releases only eight cuts. It doesn't cost them any more; all their costs were recovered in the first twenty or so releases of this album; it's just plain greed.

With my "bitching" aside, I can still say that any Country and Western or late 50's rock enthusiast would love the album.

The songs that were kept true to country style, in the memory of Hank, are "Whispering Pines", and "The Mansion You Stole", and "All For The Love of a Girl"; each of these reflects the true country nature of it's artist.

The "Historical Hitmakers" are here, as well, thus, fulfilling the dream of the complete Johnny Horton Sound.

The many great sides of Johnny Horton
There are many sides to Johnny Horton. In his short career,Johnny could sing anything. He was great with the patriotic songs,he was great in the rock and roll area,and the third side was the romantic Horton where he was great,too.Just listen to the songs Battle of New Orleans,Im a Honky Tonk Man and The Mansion You Stole,and you will agree that this entertainer could do it all. His life was so short that the Country Music Hall of Fame has overlooked him, but he should be there for just being so versatile for sure.What other entertainer could offer any more of himself than Johnny Horton?What a pity he is not in there with those other greats. 5 stars