Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Tomorrow You'll Be Gone
2. I'll Go on Alone
3. I Couldn't Keep from Crying
4. Pain and Misery
5. That's All Right
6. Maybellene
7. Tennessee Toddy
8. I Can't Quit (I've Gone Too Far)
9. Singing the Blues
10. Knee Deep in the Blues
11. Mister Teardrop
12. Story of My Life
13. White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation)
14. She Was Only Seventeen (He Was One Year More)
15. Just Married
16. Ain't I the Lucky One
17. Kaw-Liga
18. Hanging Tree
19. Paso
20. Big Iron
21. Song of the Bandit
22. Cool Water
23. Little Sentimental
24. September in the Rain
25. All the Way
26. Unchained Melody
27. Don't Worry

Disc 2:

1. Devil Woman
2. Ruby Ann
3. Smokin' Cigarettes and Drinkin' Coffee Blues
4. I'm Gonna Be a Cowboy
5. (Ghost) Riders in the Sky
6. San Angelo
7. Man Walks Among Us
8. Beautiful Dreamer
9. Beyond the Reef
10. Hawaiian Wedding Song
11. Yours (Quiereme Mucho)
12. Tonight Carmen
13. Ribbon of Darkness
14. Feleena (From El Paso)
15. Hello Heartache
16. Begging to You
17. I Walk Alone
18. You Gave Me a Mountain
19. My Woman, My Woman, My Wife
20. Among My Souvenirs
21. Return to Me
22. Some Memories Just Won't Die
23. Paso City

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #71097 in Music
• Released on: 1991-10-22
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Box set

Amazon.com
Country's jack-of-all-trades, Marty Robbins handled so many musical styles so well. The common threads were his shivering, fragile tenor; an ability to tastefully emote; and of course, an uncanny knack for appealing to popular tastes. From his earliest heart-rending ballads to his Western sagas, rockabilly romps, countrypolitan crooning, standards, and even his kitschy pop, Robbins lent them all a grace and civility that was simply hard to resist because he never (well, rarely) confused accessibility with shallowness. Though best known for bringing the cowboy uptown, Robbins helped expand the parameters of what a "country" artist could do, his choices defined by quality of material and performance, not genre. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews

An extremely versatile performer
Marty Robbins was a major country singer over three decades, beginning his recording career and establishing himself quickly. He maintained a high level of consistent success throughout the fifties and sixties and also had some notable successes in the seventies. This set covers his entire recording career. Originally released in America in a long box format with two separate CD jewel boxes and a large booklet inside, it was released in Europe in a two-door jewel case and later in a slimline double-CD case. I imported the original boxed set many years ago. I don't know which packaging is current in America, but the music remains the same.

Marty's early recordings often became successful in both the country and pop charts in America. He only had limited success in the UK pop charts but he was the first to record Singing the blues, Knee deep in the blues and Story of my life, all of which became massive UK hits for other singers. On this set, you can hear further evidence of his ability to rock'n'roll via That's all right, Maybelline and A white sport coat and a pink carnation.

I love Marty's rock'n'roll music but he was even better singing western songs. His biggest success came with El Paso, one of the best western songs ever recorded. This collection also features a couple of sequels - Feleena from El Paso and El Paso city. Plenty of other examples of Marty's western songs are included here, though if you are really keen there are plenty of compilations devoted exclusively to Marty's western music including a Bear family boxed set including all of them.

Marty was also capable of doing excellent versions of pop standards, as shown here by his versions of September in the rain, All the way and Unchained melody. He also recorded Hawaiian music and that is also represented here. Listen to his interpretations of Beyond the reef and Hawaiian wedding song. Marty also did his share of conventional country songs, including Devil woman, Ruby Ann, Tonight Carmen, You gave me a mountain and My woman my woman my wife.

This set (in whatever packaging) shows that Marty was a man of many talents, able to sing any type of song. If you only want one Marty Robbins collection, this is the one to go far, but be warned - you may end up buying more of his music to explore some aspects of his career in greater depth.

The Best of The Best Singing Cowboy in Country Music History
It can hardly be questioned that the music contained in this collection is among the finest country (and western) music ever recorded. And the voice delivering them is one of rare depth and purity.

So, why only four stars?

It is not the fault of Marty Robbins' songwriting or performing, nor is the track selection to blame. It has to do with the sound. I own a first edition Columbia "6-eye" stereo copy of GUNFIGHTER BALLADS AND TRAIL SONGS. I recently pulled it out and gave it a listen with the headphones. The stereo mixes are very nice indeed, with a depth and presence missing in some recordings from years later. Yet on this collection, "Big Iron" and "El Paso", two of Marty's better-known western songs and both originally from that album, are presented in mono and a bit muffled. It can't be that the stereo masters from those sessions were missing, for "Cool Water" (from the same album) is heard in all its two-channel glory.

This is truly a great collection and I do recommend it highly. It is just a pity that the time to locate the best possible masters of each song was not taken prior to the release of this anthology. The music certainly deserves the attention.

Excellent sound
The sound reproduction is excellent. This a very good collection of his songs, but the reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that "Streets of Laredo" is conspicuously omitted. Considering that there are 2 discs with a total of 50 songs, I don't know why this song wasn't included.