Customer Reviews

40 Greatest Hits

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Initially i ordered this product because i had taken a liking to some of Hanks songs but after i recieved this product i was amazed. Not only did it contain all the songs i had liked but i had also found new favorities. If you like Hank williams music this is a must have for your collection.

When this came out in October 1990 as a CD version of 1978 PolyGram vinyl LPs it was welcomed by all fans of the late, great Hank Williams who were, quite simply, fed up with phony "drain-pipe" stereo releases, or those with overdubbed strings and other instruments which had permeated the market back then.

That was, in essence, regarded by many as blasphemous treatment of a legend. These CDs, however, were the originals just as he recorded them in glorious mono, and at the time we were even willing to forgive the odd scratchy track [3 on disc 1 and 15 and 20 on disc 2 were mastered from 78 rpm records].

There were, admittedly, some key cuts missing from among the 40 selections - such as Honky Tonkin' [# 14 in 1948, I'm A Long Gone Daddy [# 6 in 1948], and Never Again (Will I Knock On Your Door) which was the flip of Lovesick Blues and a # 6 on its own in 1949 - but again we were willing to overlook that too just to get our hands on a decent Hank Williams compilation. And as a bonus there was an insert with a complete discography of the contents along with six pages of background notes written by Tony Byworth, editor of Country Music People, as well as several more candid shots of Hank.

But two years later, in 1992, PolyDor/PolyGram came out with a 3-CD box set containing 39 of those 40 tracks [only I Saw The Light is missing], along with another 45 cuts, which immediately surpassed this set.

Even so, this is still desirable if only for Byworth's notes which sum up Hank's career with this paragraph "Hank Williams couldn't read or write music, but he had created some 125 compositions, many of which have subsequently become classics of popular music. He did live to bask in some of the music's success - but he was not to realize how his material was to alter the whole concept of the idiom by opening up the way for a new breed of country writers and, in turn, songs that would reach mass audiences. Over the years his music has played a vital role in furthering the careers of a diverse range of artists that has included Frankie Laine, Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Del Shannon, Johnny Cash and Dean Martin."

To that list can be added names like Jo Stafford, Fats Domino, Rosemary Clooney, and Joni James, among many many more. One can only wonder at what classic tunes died with him on New Year's Day, 1953 when he left us some nine months shy of his 30th birthday.

Would you expect to find a single c.d. of Elvis' greatest hits? Sinatra's greatest? The Beatles' greatest? Not unless you like eating half a sandwich. Hank rated up there with these guys as one of the top ten recording acts of all time. This c.d. set begins to do him justice. Buy it and avoid Mercury's "20 Greatest."

This set contains a rare track found nowhere else and which requires your purchase of this set at least long enough to burn a copy of the track. The track? "Weary Blues from Waitin,'" just as it was released as a single in 1953, which went straight to the top of the country charts. Even the COMPLETE HANK WILLIAMS doesn't have it.

Hank Williams is a true master of words. As one reviewer previously mentioned, no lyricist or poet ever used such simple English to express such complicated feelings. On top of Hank's lyrical brilliance, he was a vocal genius. In the same way that Muddy Waters almost "created" the intonations in the vocals of all modern blues singers, Hank "created" the intonations and pauses in the vocals of all modern country singers. Both men were masters of vocal subtlety.
As for these two cd's, they are flawless. Sure, maybe your favorite Hank Williams song is missing, and there is one you're not crazy about in this collection. However, this is as perfect as a Hank cd can be. Hank Williams is probably one of the 10 greatest artists in the history of music; buy this cd now!

Hank Williams, Sr., simply is country music, and this collection of forty of his greatest songs is enough to keep any fan happy for a long time. These are songs you can listen to over and over again without growing tired of them, and I have certainly found myself doing exactly that on several occasions over the years. The guy turned honky-tonkin' into an art form, yet he could melt your heart with songs of love and loss; gospel music was another area in which he excelled, although the only gospel song you will find in this collection is a song Hank truly made his own, I Saw the Light. The widespread appeal and influence of this man is simply amazing; virtually any man, woman, or child can look down this list of 40 songs and recognize any number of them right off the bat. Hank has influenced and inspired musicians of virtually all genres, and he truly will live forever.

These tracks really don't need any introduction or commentary from me. Jambalaya; I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (which Elvis called the saddest song he had ever heard when he performed it during his historic comeback concert in Hawaii); Cold, Cold Heart; Hey, Good Lookin'; Kaw-Liga, Your Cheatin' Heart: these are classics that everyone knows and almost everyone loves. In my opinion, though, there are even better songs to be found here, songs which may not be as familiar to today's listeners. For me, nothing beats I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love With You), one of the many songs Hank recorded about unrequited love, although the highly emotional Wedding Bells comes mighty close to matching its somber power. More standouts on the same theme include They'll Never Take Her Love From Me, Nobody's Lonesome For Me, and You Win Again. My Son Calls Another Man Daddy is another song high on the emotion factor, and I think Hank's voice is especially solid and clear on this track. The whole Hank Williams mystique is bundled up and expressed quite impressively in tracks such as Ramblin' Man and Lost Highway. Nobody sang the blues like Hank did on such classics as Lovesick Blues, Long Gone Lonesome Blues, Moanin' the Blues, and Honky Tonk Blues.

I could write a paragraph on every one of these 40 songs. If you haven't turned a serious ear to Hank Williams before, you owe it to yourself to sample the wares of this traditional country music legend and pioneer. It is amazing just how much of an influence the man's too-short life has had on music of every kind over the years, and you might well be surprised to learn just how many different types of singers in all sorts of genres list Hank Williams Sr. among their most significant musical influences. I can't state authoritatively that this is the best Hank collection available, but I feel pretty confident in saying that you are all but guaranteed to enjoy the 40 tracks assembled here.

Songs that live forever

Hank was a fine singer who ensured his place in popular music history by the exceptional quality of his songwriting. His songs were often recorded by pop singers of the time and this practice has continued ever since. He rarely recorded covers - so rarely that the ones he did record are often thought of as his own songs anyway.

This compilation was originally released on vinyl and later re-issued on CD. As far as song selection goes, this is the ultimate double CD of his music. The sound quality is plenty good enough for me, though it might be interesting to hear it digitally re-mastered with the latest technology.

Virtually every famous song associated with Hank can be found here, including all his own hits on the American country and pop charts. You can also find all the songs that have become popular via cover versions, some of which were only B-sides for Hank. The most significant omission (and it took me a while to notice that it was missing) is Honky tonkin', a great song but not absolutely essential.

Tribute albums and other cover versions continue to be recorded, not just in country and pop music, but also Cajun, jazz, rock and other genres, so each new generation gets reminded of Hank's legacy.

There have been many compilations of Hank's music but this is the only one that contains all the essentials and no more. As such, it is the ideal compilation for most people. I thought that the more recent British 4 CD budget box (Hillbilly hero) might include all the songs from this set but it does not cover his whole career and therefore omits several obvious songs including Jambalaya, You win again, Kaw-liga, Your cheating heart and Take these chains from my heart although it does include Honky tonkin'.

So if you only want one collection of Hank's music, make it this one.

So many singers have recorded HANK WILLIAMS's songs after his death,that it is natural to get at least this two cds set that gives you most of the meat of his oeuvre.What distinguish WILLIAMS from others country stars of his generation is his naturelness that stands as authentic.There's a tendancy for people who are not fond of this kind of music to dismiss it ,like for instance professionnal wrestling because it's seems a fake.There's nothing quite like listening to songs like I'M SO LONESONE,I COULD CRY,HEY GOOD LOOKIN'(the original is still the best version)or JAMBALAYA.In fact,it simply definies the meaning of the word popular in a non selfish way.Getting down to bussinness,don't you think that BILL HALEY should have give royalties for using the music of MOVE IT ON OVER for ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK?Fifty years have gone by since HANK WILLIAMS's death,and while others have passed before and after,he can still be proud for being the guy who put country music on the map.

I still remember the haunting cries of Hank Sr. singing over the radio as a boy in Kansas in the 60s. Times changed. My family moved to Minnesota and I was caught up in the thoughts and music of a different environment. Then in the late 80s, I heard that voice crying again out of the darkness. Singing of despair, loneliness, and the scorn of a woman once loved. No one with a soul and a heart can fail to know and appreciate the wailing lonesome sound that Hank Sr. sang for us all. I know many northern folks think it hickish and stupid, but it goes beyond stupid regional and racial preferences. I stood once in a cafeteria line and looked up in total surprise when the young black chef behind the counter started singing "I'm so lonesome I could cry..." and with such feeling I could feel that pain and felt brotherhood in a way that no politician, no preacher, and no f'n TV show will ever be able to command me to feel.

"40 Greatest Hits" is indeed what it advertises itself to be. I'd recommend taking the trouble to locate it. Buyer beware. There are Hank Sr. collections out there that were remixed with a Nashville Sound totally foreign to the real Hank. If you can't find this CD, then 20 Greatest Hits or The Ultimate Collection are acceptable substitutes.

So, if you are rediscovering, or freshly discovering the sound and the the pathos of The Lost Highway, then you are set out on the journey of life. Live carefully if you can, but live life to its fullest. Its better to die with many good memories than it is to die never having lived at all.

I am unclear as to the current availability of this CD (as of 16 Oct 02). No matter. I feel so strongly about this CD that I recommend buying it USED or continually checking with amazon to buy it new. It will be well worth any hassle. Hank had 38 Billboard Hits from 1947-1953 all but a couple are right here on one 40 track CD. All are great. The greatest compliment one can pay an album is to state that the more you play it, the BETTER it sounds.I've had this one over 10 years and it improves with age! No one gets to the soul of country like Hank.If you like traditional country, Hank is the grandaddy of it all. If you've heard of Hank. but don't know what the fuss is about- you will.

Hank Williams is a true master of words. As one reviewer previously mentioned, no lyricist or poet ever used such simple English to express such complicated feelings. On top of Hank's lyrical brilliance, he was a vocal genius. In the same way that Muddy Waters almost "created" the intonations in the vocals of all modern blues singers, Hank "created" the intonations and pauses in the vocals of all modern country singers. Both men were masters of vocal subtlety.
As for these two cd's, they are flawless. Sure, maybe your favorite Hank Williams song is missing, and there is one you're not crazy about in this collection. However, this is as perfect as a Hank cd can be. Hank Williams is probably one of the 10 greatest artists in the history of music; buy this cd now!