Track Listing

1. Never Alone
2. Never Knew Lonely
3. When I Call Your Name
4. Liza Jane
5. Look at Us
6. Take Your Memory with You
7. Pocket Full of Gold
8. Heart Won't Lie - Vince Gill, Reba McEntire
9. Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away
10. I Still Believe in You
11. No Future in the Past
12. Tryin' to Get over You
13. One More Last Chance
14. I Can't Tell You Why
15. I Will Always Love You - Vince Gill, Dolly Parton

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7461 in Music
• Brand: MCA
• Released on: 1995-11-20
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Customer Reviews

High lonesome . . .
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since this fine anthology of Vince Gill's earliest songs was first released, but it's a classic and sounds as good - even better - today as it did in 1995. Many excellent comments about this album have been made here already, and I'm seconding them with a nod to my favorites on the album:

Vince had a hand in writing most of the songs here, but the one that's the best recording for my money is the smooth-jazz crossover sound of the Eagles' "I Can't Tell You Why." Next is the wonderful rendering (and redemption after Whitney Houston murdered it) of Dolly Parton's heart-rending "I Will Always Love You." Her voice in a duet with Vince on this song is a perfect match of pure vocalizing.

Vince's high, clear voice seems best suited to songs of loss and yearning, and they comprise the majority of these songs, ranging from the starkly sad "When I Call Your Name" and the aching-sweet "I Still Believe in You." The up-tempo, rollicking "One More Last Chance" seems almost out of place in the company of such heart-felt musical ruminations.

The emotional quality of these songs is reflected in the awesome range of instrumentation, arrangements, and musicianship. There is a bit of honky-tonk, some country rock, and lots of pure country with soul-piercing roots touches. This is just a fine, essential album by a country great.

Great collection by Vince, though it's not too comprehensive
Souvenirs is incomplete on the surface. Vince Gill did not put any of his post-'93 hits in this collection--the six hits from Vince's '94 album When Love Finds You aren't on here. However, I think a greatest-hits album should include the artist's best songs, and Vince definitely included his best ones on Souvenirs. "When I Call Your Name", "Pocket Full Of Gold", "I Still Believe In You", "Liza Jane", "Never Knew Lonely", "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away", and "Tryin' To Get Over You" are the highlights, and these songs are among my favorite Vince songs. Vince also included "The Heart Won't Lie", his duet with Reba McEntire; "I Can't Tell You Why", the classic Eagles song which he did for the "Common Thread" Eagles tribute album; and "I Will Always Love You", his duet with Dolly Parton. Although the latter three songs weren't originally on one of Vince's own records, Vince at least included all previously released material here and did not(as Clint Black did) put newer songs on his greatest-hits collection while overlooking some great songs from the past. Also, I think Vince's first four years with MCA, 1989-93, when most of these songs were recorded, were his best years musically(at least until The Key came out in '98). Vince may not have gone the full length of his career when he put together Souvenirs, but he did pick his greatest songs. That's why I give this record five stars.

Classic collection of Vince Gill

Vince Gill could be described in many ways....good sport; gentleman; funny; full of heart; and a maverick at songwriting and music. He can play the tails off of almost any guitarist out there (he 'plays' his guitar, and doesn't sound like he's killing it-come on guys, listen to a truly amazing guitarist here).

With the MCA label since the 90's, he has released great albums throughout. This is his solid and official MCA collection of hits from 1990 to 1995, and it's a beauty.

'Never Alone' growls with a wrangler electric guitar that opens the disc like a surefire eye opener. This mid-tempo track doesn't run too fast or slow, and is really solid. Gill is somewhat more known for his ballads than rockers or quick shuffles, and 'Never Knew Lonely' validates those choked up feelings of missing someone. The piano is sweet yet grand, while the steel guitar weeps slowly in the right places. Vince really grabs those fragile feelings like nobody else, and 'love song' is written all over it, but for the best intentions.

I love slow ballads, the ones that just sway back and forth. Sadness is so infused on 'When I Call Your Name', and Patty Loveless' yearning background vocals nearly breaks through my ribcage to my heart everytime. Oh, shucks, the tears just rain down. Vince is also one of the few country-roots artists out there that can fuse modern and traditional country together so well, or make either a full fledged rock 'or' traditional song just as well as classic artists who concentrate on either genre solely. People like Mark Knoppler and Roy Clark I'm sure are mighty proud of this guy.

There are plenty of smiling tunes, like the snappy 'One More Last Chance', with a chatty snare drum and harmonica running neck and neck with that clean yet dynamic guitar Gill is so well known for. 'Liza Jane' also slips on dancing shoes and grabs onto an infectious boogie beat with some piano. Don't blame me if someone starts bouncin' around your place after putting these two tracks on!

Reba Mcentire and Vince took a song and turned it into a pleasent contemporary duet, 'The Heart Won't Lie', while 'I Can't Tell You Why' shows that Vince is one of the best people to cover a cool Eagles tune.

It's really neat how Gill's vocals nearly start the cowboy bar ballad, 'Pocket Full Of Gold'. Without judgement in tone or lyrics, he unfolds a story of how a married man slips his ring into his pocket and makes his moves on another woman. 'No Future In The Past' may feel somewhat similar to 'When I Call Your Name' musically and lyrically, yet is full of classic country sounds that will reduce any concern. Just listen to how Alison Krauss' voice soars up there in the high parts with Vince-boy can their voices reach! The title track and 'Trying To Get Over You' keep at those heartsrings, and are arranged better than most modern country tunes on the radio. Both songs keep it quite country, yet add a neat fresh spin.

Perhaps the most well executed rock and country song ever is on here, thank God. 'Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away' fuses a hip sharp beat, organ, and electric guitar that has guts, but keeps it clean. This song is on the highest plateau for the best rock/country songs out there along with VERY few others.

Vince has always been a sincere fan and friend of Dolly Parton, and they beautifully deliver a new version of 'I Will Always Love You'. 'Look At Us' is full of classic steel and tender rythym guitar, while an often overlooked tune, 'Take Your Memory When You Go' keeps fans of skippy shuffles very happy.

These songs have amazing dynamics and character. Should a rythym acoustic guitar keep the song going, or sound more upfront and present, you don't need to tell yourself a reason why....you just feel in every song, that the instruments and tempos fit the song perfectly, like in "Pocket Full Of Gold', where the piano gives you a sad saloon feel, and the acoustic guitar's rythym shows a 'hang your head here at the bar' sign. When you listen to what the song has to say, the music also speaks the feelings and provokes those tears. It's just so automatic...maybe my thinking, but I'm sure you'll agree.

This disc is mostly filled with songs that make you sigh with love and loss, but regardless, whether Vince Gill is kicking the floor out from underneath you with his hot rod fueled fun, or wrapping a blanket around your hearts, he is without a doubt, an outstanding artist. This is one of my favourite collections by any artist, and I wholeheartedly call this a classic disc.