 | Delta Lady: The Rita Coolidge Anthology by Rita Coolidge
Buy new: $19.98 / Used from: $11.77 LOVIN'ARMS(Tom Jans)originally on the first great Grammy album 'FULL MOON' by then spouses Kristofferson and Rita(only on vinyl unfortunately.) But you can hear a clip here
on the Rita CD.
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 | Elite Hotel by Emmylou Harris
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $3.47 TILL I GAIN CONTROL AGAIN, written by Rodney Crowell.Crystal Gayle's version(True Love CD) is also superb, but different. Still another, equally great, is immediately below. Take your pick of the three. I can't.
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 | Picture in a Frame by Kimmie Rhodes
Buy used from: $41.70 TILL I GAIN CONTROL AGAIN, duet with Willie Nelson. Willie does a good solo version on his Willie and Family 'Live' album and Van Morrison does a nice, and again different, treatment on his most recent CD Pay the Devil.
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 | Somebody Loves You by Crystal Gayle
Buy used from: $24.92 DREAMING MY DREAMS WITH YOU(Crystal Gayle Collection) Can't choose between Crystal's and Waylon's rendition below.Both wistful and moving.Written by Allen Reynolds, writer of good songs, several for Don Williams.
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 | Love Songs by Waylon Jennings
Buy used from: $3.98 DREAMING MY DREAMS WITH YOU.Waylon's version. Alison Krauss does an affecting rendition as well, but it doesn't quite rival Crystal's or Waylon's.On my list of HEARTBREAKING SONGS.
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 | The Essential Kris Kristofferson by Kris Kristofferson
Buy new: $14.99 / Used from: $9.96 LOVIN' HER WAS EASIER THAN ANYTHING I'LL EVER DO AGAIN, ...and ME AND BOBBIE McGEE(but best version by Gordon Lightfoot on vinyl LP Sit Down Young Stranger)..and FOR THE GOOD TIMES(but best version is Perry Como's on LP And I Love You So.
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 | Merrimack County/Ladies Love Outlaws by Tom Rush
Buy new: $18.98 / Used from: $11.66 MAGGIE. Cheating a bit here. A very good song (an oldie) is made great partly by the style, the sensitive vocals by Tom Rush and the arrangement.
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 | Claudine by Claudine Longet
UNTIL IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GO, written by Buffy Ste.Marie.
Believe it or not, this is the best version ever recorded, by far.
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 | Any Day Now by Joan Baez
Buy new: $14.99 / Used from: $14.30 LOVE MINUS ZERO/NO LIMIT, written by Bob Dylan. Baez wrote a beautiful song DIAMONDS AND RUST(on her CD of that name), about her relationship with Dylan. Couldn't quite crack my top 40, but regrettably.
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 | The Best of Roberta Flack by Roberta Flack
Buy new: $13.98 / Used from: $1.74 IF EVER I SEE YOU AGAIN, written by Joe Brooks of 'You Light Up My Life' fame. On my listmania: HEARTBREAKING SONGS.
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 | Stardust by Willie Nelson
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $4.70 SEPTEMBER SONG. Sinatra's version was deservedly a beloved classic, but Willie's rendition is even better. Also SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME(the Gershwins).
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 | Highwayman 2 by The Highwaymen
Buy used from: $1.69 TWO STORIES WIDE. A deceptively simple, but wise and sad love song, written and sung by Willie Nelson. #2 on my list of HEARTBREAKING SONGS.
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 | To the Bone by Kris Kristofferson
Buy used from: $31.62 THE LAST TIME. Maybe the most HEARTBREAKING SONG I know(see my list). This song, like the one above is deceptively simple, but grows in subtle emotional power.
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 | Greatest Hits by New Christy Minstrels
Buy new: $15.98 / Used from: $8.95 TODAY, written by Randy Sparks..
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 | Best of John Stewart: Gold by John Stewart
Buy used from: $61.99 SOME KIND OF LOVE, written by Stewart.
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 | A Kind of Hush by Carpenters
Buy new: $11.98 / Used from: $34.95 I HAVE YOU
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 | Take It to the Limit by Willie Nelson
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $3.05 WOULD YOU LAY WITH ME IN A FIELD OF STONE, written by David Allan Coe, recorded here by Willie Nelson. And speaking of Willie, you can add BLUE EYES CRYIN' IN THE RAIN from his Super Hits CD(or other collections).
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 | 16 Most Requested Songs by Patti Page
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $2.24 GENTLE ON MY MIND(John Hartford) At one time this was the single most recorded song of all time. It has since been surpassed by Lennon-McCartney's 'Yesterday'.
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 | The Best of Bobbie Gentry by Bobbie Gentry
Buy new: $12.99 / Used from: $2.44 MY ELUSIVE DREAMS, duet with Glen Campbell, written by Curley Putman, who also wrote Green Green Grass of Home.
Also on my list of Heartbreaking Songs.
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| One Love by Saffron
Buy used from: $1.99 PLAISIR D'AMOUR was recorded NOT on this album but on Saffron's first, which is currently unavailable. It is by far the best recording of this gem.(Saffron is the former backup group for Roger Whitaker.
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 | The Silver Tongued Devil and I by Kris Kristofferson
Buy used from: $7.98 WHEN I LOVED HER. Note that Kris has seven, count 'em, SEVEN on this list and several others just missed the cut.
He's the king, when it comes to songwriting. You can add BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HERE, and MOMENT OF FOREVER from his CD of that name.
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 | Tunesmith: The Songs of Jimmy Webb by Various Artists
Buy new: $36.98 / Used from: $20.99 ADIOS by Linda Ronstadt. A sweet break-up song. Speaking of Linda, you could add FEELS LIKE HOME from the Trio II CD with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton(really a solo by Linda)
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 | John Denver's Greatest Hits by John Denver
Buy new: $6.99 / Used from: $4.57 FOLLOW ME.....and....GOODBYE AGAIN, both written by JD.
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 | The Definitive Collection by Don Williams
Buy new: $10.97 / Used from: $7.95 YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND(Holyfield)...and AMANDA(Bob McDill) from this CD, both of whom wrote several good songs for Don. Also LAY DOWN BESIDE ME from his Gentle Giant CD(written by Don).
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 | Seashores of Old Mexico by Merle Haggard
Buy used from: $3.31 IF I COULD ONLY FLY. Cheating a tad here too. Maybe not a GREAT song, but sure is a recording made great by the vocals and the production. It seems to go on forever, but no complaint here!
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 | Whitney Houston - The Greatest Hits by Whitney Houston
Buy new: $14.99 / Used from: $3.79 I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. It's a sad song, but it has even more pathos from the intense vocals of Whitney.
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 | Midnight Blue by Louise Tucker
Buy used from: $199.95 Title song, though a lot of its appeal comes from classical melody and the arrangement/production.
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 | All of Me by Anne Murray
Buy new: $18.99 / Used from: $13.94 COULD I HAVE THIS DANCE?
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 | Say It in Private by Steve Goodman
Buy new: $12.98 / Used from: $32.73 YOU'RE THE GIRL I LOVE, written by Steve.
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 | Country Classics, Vol. 12 (1987-1988) by Various Artists
Buy used from: $1.99 NOT the same song by the Carpenters above.I HAVE YOU by Glen Campbell. Roger Whittaker also does a fine version(not sure which album though).
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 | This Is Where I Came In by Bee Gees
Buy used from: $0.09 Two songs: SACRED TRUST, and...WEDDING DAY, both written of course by Barry Gibb. Proof that, at least until the death of Maurice, this group was still a thriving talent.
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 | With This Kiss: Collection by Amy Sky
Buy new: $19.98 / Used from: $6.77 LOVE NEVER FAILS, a very creative and artful adaptation of the famous 'Love' Chapter of the Bible(1 Corinthians 13). The words are sung to the tune of Bach's loved classic Air on a G String. On my list: Christian Music For Those Who Find It Boring'.
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 | Country Woman: The Platinum Collection by Various Artists
Buy used from: $5.87 WHEN I DREAM, by Crystal Gayle. Crystal recorded two different versions of this, one early in her career and one late, both excellent. Mac Davis did an equally sweet rendition on his vinyl LP Thunder In The Afternoon.Also check out MY BESTEST FRIEND on his Very Best And More CD.
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 | Hotcakes by Carly Simon
Buy new: $10.99 / Used from: $4.97 SAFE AND SOUND, written by Carly, one of the best songs written by a woman!(See my Listmania about that).
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 | Kenny Rogers All-Time Greatest Hits Volume Three
Buy used from: $2.82 LOVE LIFTED ME, a good love song adapted by Kenny from the classic and much-loved hymn.On my list of 'Christian Music For Those Who Find It Boring'.
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 | The Mercury Years by The Everly Brothers
Buy used from: $17.32 WHY WORRY, written by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. Part of a comeback for the Everly Bros(along with McCartney's Wings of a Nightingale).
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 | Cold on the Shoulder by Gordon Lightfoot
Buy used from: $17.99 FINE AS FINE CAN BE. And you can add another Lightfoot song THE LAST TIME I SAW HER from The Way I Feel album.
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 | Playing Favorites by Michael Martin Murphey
Buy used from: $4.28 I'm GONNA MISS YOU GIRL.
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 | Power of Jennifer Rush by Jennifer Rush
Buy new: $11.98 / Used from: $2.64 POWER OF LOVE. Celine Dion's version is almost as good.
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 | The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection
Buy new: $14.99 / Used from: $1.93 LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING. And, squeezing in 2 'honorable mentions': LOVIN' YOU AGAIN on the Emmylou Harris CD,
Cowgirl's Prayer, and MY BESTEST FRIEND on The Very Best of Mac Davis.
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Listmania!
