Product Description

No Description Available.
Genre: Country & Western
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 24-JAN-2006

Track Listing

1. The Gambler
2. Through The Years
3. Lady
4. Lucille
5. Coward of The County
6. I Don't Need You
7. We've Got Tonight (with Sheena Easton)
8. Crazy
9. Islands In The Stream (with Dolly Parton)
10. She Believes In Me
11. Every Time Two Fools Collide (with Dottie West)
12. You Decorated My Life
13. Make No Mistake, She's Mine (with Ronnie Milsap)
14. Share Your Love With Me
15. All I Ever Need Is You
16. Buy Me A Rose (with Alison Krauss)
17. Daytime Friends
18. Love Or Something Like It
19. Love Will Turn You Around
20. Morning Desire
21. What Are We Doing In Love (with Dottie West)
22. Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer (with Kim Carnes)- Bonus Track

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3149 in Music
• Brand: ROGERS,KENNY
• Released on: 2006-01-24
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.com
The gravel-and-grits voice of Kenny Rogers ultimately came to define the "Urban Cowboy" era of pop excess, even as the earlier "Lucille" and "The Gambler" were some of the most galvanizing story songs in country music's history. Looking back at this body of hits, it's easy to poke fun at the treacley "You Decorated My Life" or wince at the cheesy string arrangements on "Through the Years." It's also natural to wish Rogers had never heard of Sheena Easton, his misguided duet partner on "We've Got Tonight," and recorded more with the soulful, sad Dottie West ("Every Time Two Fools Collide") and the randy Dolly Parton ("Islands in the Stream"). (A bonus track, "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer," pairs him with old pal Kim Carnes.) As the years went by, Rogers got fatter, lazier, and more content to make crappy TV movies and wallow in the flaccid sentimentality of adult contemporary pop ("Buy Me a Rose"). He also got smug--the worst of sins for a man in his business. But behind the microphone, he always knew how to make even the hoariest of lyrics resonate with feeling. And at his peak, he was the perfect male country superstar, equal parts swagger and sweet, sweet promise. --Alanna Nash

Customer Reviews

Kenny collection #14.
Ok, so Kenny Rogers has a ton of "Hits" albums out, but this is possibly the best on one disc. Nearly every major hit is included, however, the #2's and 3's didn't make the cut. Mostly I miss "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town", and a few other minor hits. But it's hard to complain when we get "Lucille", "Coward Of The County", "Lady", and numerous others. Plus this includes his perfect duet with Dolly "Islands In The Stream", and the infamous sing-a-long "The Gambler". It's still hard for me to get interested in new country when the classic songs sound this good. If you need more Kenny than this, you'll have to get the 42 track "Ultimate Hits".

As Good As It Gets with a Single Disc
Give Kenny Rogers his due. In the '70s and '80s, he was one of the top artists placing more than 60 singles on both the pop and country charts. He was the first country artist to earn 20 RIAA gold records. In 1978 he had his first country chart topper with "Lucille," and more than twenty years later he had a country No. 1 with "Buy Me a Rose," making him the oldest country artist to top the chart at age 61.

Because this collection focuses only on his No. 1 hits (with a few exceptions), there are none of his hits with The First Edition. [You'll have to buy 2004's 42 ULTIMATE HITS to get those.] What you do get are some of his best known solo hits like "The Gambler," "Coward of the County," "Daytime Friends" and "Love or Something Like It." Plus there are his duets: "We've Got Tonight" with Sheena Easton, "Islands in the Stream" with Dolly Parton," "Make No Mistake, She's Mine" with Ronnie Milsap, and three hits with his favorite duet partner Dottie West--"Every Time Two Fools Collide," "All I Ever Need Is You" and "What Are We Doin' in Love."

My only complaint is the exclusion of his 1985 No. 1 "Tomb of the Unknown Lover." [Inexplicably, they include his duet with Kim Carnes ("Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer") which only reached No.3 along with two other solo hits ("Through the Years" and "Share Your Love with Me") that both peaked at No. 5.] So, while 21 NUMBER ONES may stretch the truth a bit, this is a solid collection of some of Kenny Rogers' best material. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Slight Chop Job
I noticed that nearly every song on this CD has had maybe the last 3-5 seconds chopped. Im surprised noone has mentioned this, as it pretty much chops off the last chord of "Lady". The effect on most other songs is nearly unnoticeable though. And my god! Is that really the original recording of The Gambler? If it is, then they did an excellent job remastering it. It sounds legit so far to me. Save your money if possible though and get the Through The Years: A Retrospective box set which has everything this disc has (except "Buy Me A Rose") along with the #1's that didnt make this collection like "Tomb of Unknown Love" without the chop job at the end. Heck, the Retrospective box set sports just every one of his charted sings that I can think of all the way to 1997.