Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Soldier's Sweetheart (Rodgers)
2. Sleep, Baby, Sleep (Public Domain)
3. Ben Dewberry's Final Run (Jenkins)
4. Mother Was a Lady (Marks/Stern)
5. Blue Yodel (Rodgers)
6. Away out on the Mountain (Harrell)
7. Dear Old Sunny South by the Sea (Cozzens/Rodgers)
8. Treasures Untold (Cozzens/Rodgers)
9. Brakeman's Blues (Rodgers)
10. Sailor's Plea (McWilliams/Rodgers)
11. In the Jailhouse Now (Rodgers)
12. Blue Yodel #2 (Rodgers)
13. Memphis Yodel (Rodgers)
14. Blue Yodel #3 (Rodgers)
15. My Old Pal (McWilliams/Rodgers)
16. Mississippi Moon (McWilliams/Rodgers)
17. My Little Old Home Down in New Orleans (Rodgers)
18. You and My Old Guitar (McWilliams/Rodgers)
19. Daddy and Home (McWilliams/Rodgers)
20. My Little Lady (McWilliams/Rodgers)
21. I'm Lonely and Blue (McWilliams/Rodgers)
22. Lullaby Yodel (McWilliams/Rodgers)
23. Never No Mo' Blues (McWilliams/Rodgers)

Disc 2:

1. My Carolina Sunshine Girl (Rodgers)
2. Blue Yodel #4 (Rodgers)
3. Waiting for a Train (Rodgers)
4. I'm Lonely and Blue (McWilliams/Rodgers)
5. Desert Blues (Rodgers)
6. Any Old Time (Rodgers)
7. Blue Yodel #5 (Rodgers)
8. High Powered Mama (Rodgers)
9. I'm Sorry We Met (Rodgers)
10. Everybody Does It in Hawaii (McWilliams/Rodgers)
11. Tuck Away My Lonesome Blues (Kaipo/McWilliams/Rodgers)
12. Train Whistle Blues (Rodgers)
13. Jimmie's Texas Blues (Rodgers)
14. Frankie and Johnny
15. Frankie and Johnny
16. Homecall (McWilliams/Rodgers)
17. Homecall (McWilliams/Rodgers)
18. Whisper Your Mother's Name (Rodgers)
19. Land of My Boyhood Dreams (Rodgers)
20. Land of My Boyhood Dreams (Rodgers)
21. Blue Yodel #6 (Rodgers)
22. Yodeling Cowboy (McWilliams/Rodgers)
23. My Rough and Rowdy Ways (McWilliams/Rodgers)
24. I've Ranged, I've Roamed, I've Traveled (McWilliams/Rodgers)
25. I've Ranged, I've Roamed, I've Traveled (McWilliams/Rodgers)
26. Hobo Bill's Last Ride (ONeal)

Disc 3:

1. Mississippi River Blues (Rodgers)
2. Mississippi River Blues (Rodgers)
3. Nobody Knows But Me (McWilliams/Rodgers)
4. Anniversary Blue Yodel (McWilliams/Rodgers)
5. Anniversary Blue Yodel (McWilliams/Rodgers)
6. She Was Happy Til She Met You (McWilliams/Rodgers)
7. Blue Yodel #11 (Rodgers)
8. Blue Yodel #11 (Rodgers)
9. Drunkard's Child (Jenkins/Rodgers)
10. That's Why I'm Blue (McWilliams/Rodgers)
11. Why Did You Give Me Your Love (Rodgers)
12. Why Did You Give Me Your Love (Rodgers)
13. My Blue Eyed Jane (Rodgers/White)
14. Why Should I Be Lonely (Lovell/Rodgers)
15. Moonlight and Skies (Hall/Rodgers)
16. Pistol Packin' Papa (O'Neal/Rodgers)
17. Take Me Back Again (Hall/Rodgers)
18. Those Gambler's Blues
19. I'm Lonesome Too (Rodgers)
20. One Rose (McIntire)
21. For the Sake of Days Gone By (Rodgers/White)
22. Jimmie's Mean Mama Blues (O'Neal/Sawyer)
23. Mystery of Number Five (Rodgers)
24. Blue Yodel #8 (Rodgers)

Disc 4:

1. In the Jailhouse Now #2 (Rodgers)
2. Blue Yodel #9 (Rodgers)
3. T.B. Blues (Hall/Rodgers)
4. T.B. Blues (Hall/Rodgers)
5. Travellin Blues (Alley/Rodgers)
6. Travelin Blues (Alley/Rodgers)
7. Travelin Blues (Alley/Rodgers)
8. Jimmie the Kid (Neville/Rodgers)
9. Jimme the Kid (Neville/Rodgers)
10. Why There's a Tear in My Eye (Carter)
11. Wonderful City (McWilliams/Rodgers)
12. Let Me Be Your Sidetrack (Rodgers)
13. Let Me Be Your Sidetrack (Rodgers)
14. Let Me Be Your Sidetrack (Rodgers)
15. Jimmie Rodgers Visits the Carter Family (Rodgers)
16. Carter Family & Jimmie Rodgers in Texas (Rodgers)
17. When the Cactus Is in Bloom (Rodgers)
18. Gambling Polka Dot Blues (Hall/Rodgers)
19. Looking for a New Mama (Rodgers)
20. Looking for a New Mama (Rodgers)
21. What's It? (Neville/Rodgers)
22. My Good Gal's Gone (Rodgers)
23. My Good Gal's Gone (Rodgers)
24. Southern Cannonball (Hall/Rodgers)

Disc 5:

1. Roll Along Kentucky Moon (Halley)
2. Roll Along Kentucky Moon (Halley)
3. Hobo's Meditation (Rodgers)
4. Hobo's Meditation (Rodgers)
5. My Time Ain't Long (O'Neal/Rodgers)
6. Ninety Nine Year Blues (Hall/Rodgers)
7. Mississippi Moon (McWilliams/Rodgers)
8. Missisippi Moon (McWilliams/Rodgers)
9. Down the Old Road to Home (Rodgers/Rodgers)
10. Blue Yodel #10 (Rodgers)
11. Home Call (McWilliams/Rodgers)
12. Mother the Queen of My Heart (Bryant/Rodgers)
13. Rock All My Babies to Sleep
14. Whippin' That Old T.B. (Rodgers)
15. Whippin' That Old T.B. (Rodgers)
16. No Hard Times (Rodgers)
17. No Hard Times (Rodgers)
18. Long Tall Mama Blues (Rodgers)
19. Peach Picking Time Down in Georgia (McMichen/Rodgers)
20. Gambling Bar Room Blues (Alley/Rodgers)
21. I've Only Loved Three Women (Harvey/Rodgers)
22. In the Hills of Tennessee (Lewis/Schuster)
23. Prairie Lullaby (Brown/Rodgers)
24. Miss the Mississippi and You (Halley)

Disc 6:

1. Sweet Mama Hurry Home (Neville)
2. Blue Yodel #12 (Rodgers)
3. Dreaming with Tears in My Eyes (O'Neal/Rodgers)
4. Cowhand's Last Ride (Hitt/Rodgers)
5. I'm Free from the Chain Gang Now (Herscher/Klein)
6. Dreaming with Tears in My Eyes (O'Neal/Rodgers)
7. Yodeling My Way Back Home (Rodgers)
8. Jimmie Rodger's Last Blue Yodel (Rodgers)
9. Yodeling Ranger (Hall/Rodgers)
10. Old Pal of My Heart (Mason/Rodgers)
11. Old Love Letters (Butcher/Herscher/Rodgers)
12. Mississippidelta Blues (Neville/Rodgers)
13. Somewhere Below the Mason Dixon Line (Rodgers/Ryan)
14. Years Ago (Herscher/Richards/Rodgers)
15. Singing Brakeman
16. Pullman Porters
17. In the Jailhouse Now #2 (Rodgers)
18. Mule Skinner Blues (Rodgers)
19. Peach Picking Time Down in Georgia (McMichen/Rodgers)
20. Mother, the Queen of My Heart (Bryant/Rodgers)
21. Never No Mo' Blues (McWilliams/Rodgers)
22. Blue Yodel #1 (Rodgers)
23. Daddy and Home (Rodgers)
24. Memphis Yodel (Rodgers)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #301709 in Music
• Released on: 1999-12-25
• Number of discs: 6
• Formats: Box set, Import
• Dimensions: 2.56 pounds

Customer Reviews

Essential Country Listening
Anyone who thinks they know country music should listen to these recordings-the entire known complete output of Jimmie Rodgers. These works, along with the entire output of Hank Williams, Sr., define what true country music is! You get to hear the style that influenced so many such as Hank & Merle Haggard, Lefty Frizzell, etc. Think Garth Brooks and all of his little radio sound alike country wanna-be's are true country? Take a listen to this one time and you'll know what true country music really is. These are the roots Mr. Brooks only wished he had! You'll find no pop and rock influences here (well, maybe some older pop). No, you'll find the man who is well named "The Father of Country Music" and nothing else. You'll find no overly slick production; just raw, country music at it's best!

Pricey, but worth it!
..., this set is certainly amazing & worth every bit of it.

These are the complete known recordings of Jimmie Rodgers & Bear Family should be applauded.

I know many are thinking what big difference is there between this set and the 8 CD's out by Rounder? Dependent upon your perspective, it could be a little or a lot. Now, this set is not for everybody-the casual fan should probably stick with a single disc compilation and then spring for a couple of the Rounder issues to see if they like more, but for those serious about their Rodgers, this set is indispenable.

First of all, you get several alternate takes not presented on the Rounder releases. There is an outtake of "T.B. Blues" that, while similar to the "official" release, differs greatly in some respects. Rodgers varies it melodically and changes the wording a slight bit. There are the additional alternate takes of "Travelin' Blues" and "Let Me Be Your Side Track" that didn't find their way onto the Rounder set.

Of fascination, though, is the inclusion of the soundtrack to the movie short Jimmie Rodgers made. Sound quality is not good on the two cuts, but they are still revelatory nonetheless.

Also not on the Rounder set are the posthumous overdbuds done by the Rainbow Ranch Boys (actually Chet Atkins and a group of session musicians) in 1955. For those with memories of the horrible overdubs done by MGM on Hank Williams, you have a pleasant surprise here. These are actually quite tastefully done. Possibly the best cut is "Muleskinner Blues". I've always felt that there should've been additional instrumentation when Rodgers took an instrumental, but here the problem is solved. Rodgers goes solo with full band backup. His sound was updated with these handful of cuts without losing their original flavor.

I will voice again the complaint made by the former reviewer-the box is way too big-LP size and very annoying. But, that's the Bear Family way of doing things and that's a minor thing at best.

In short, if you like Rodgers more than just casually, this is the set for you. In the long run, you're better off buying this because the Rounder sets leave you longing for more!

Pricey, but all 111 songs plus overdubs and alternates
I believe the previous reviewer, who gave this set a one-star rating, must have been listening to the last c.d. in this set. In 1955, at Hank Snow's behest, and as a result of MGM's overdubbing of Hank Williams' demos, RCA overdubbed eight of Rodgers' tunes with a country band. Actually, they're good, and I wish several dozen had been overdubbed. Otherwise, all of Rodgers' historical recordings have been faithfully preserved.

This is a great set, but, unless you're a Jimmie Rodgers fanatic (as I am am with Hank Williams), you probably will not need all of the alternate takes that have been included here. Rodgers recorded 111 original songs during his career, but, with the alternate takes and the eight overdubs, Bear has stretched the number to about 150.

The blue yodels are dated and grate on your nerves after awhile, but there's plenty more great stuff to listen to: "Gamblin' Polka Dot Blues," "My Blue-Eyed Jane," "In the Hills of Tennessee," "Roll Along, Kentucky Moon," etc.

Unfortunately for Bear Records, the 5-c.d. set, "Jimmie Rodgers 1927-1933," is now available for about $25 and has all but one of Rodgers' original songs (they apparently forgot "My Time Ain't Long"). If you could get a used Bear set for $69-79 (dream on!), jump at it. Otherwise, go for the $25 set. But do something, for you need Rodgers in your collection. This guy had the impact on country music that Frank Sinatra had on popular music. Both were giants!