Charley Pride - Four Charley Pride Albums vol.2 (2015, 2CD)

Four albums from Sledge, Mississippi-born Charley Pride taken from a purple patch (1970-1971) in his long and illustrious career are squeezed onto this twin cd set (it is as if BGO are trying to make up for lost time such the succession of releases coming out). Pride possessed one of the finest singing voices to ever grace a country, or otherwise stage; up there with velvet tones of Jim Reeves and from more recent times Vince Gill. He was that good, and if you don’t believe just go and check out the manner in which he effortlessly eases through the likes of such classic fare as “Is Anybody Goin’ To San Antone”. Plus from producer Cowboy Jack Clement you have “I Think I’ll Take A Walk” and Alex Zanetis’ “A Poor Boy Like Me” and with a something of a Rhumba beat “This Is My Year For Mexico” (a song a young Crystal Gayle likewise covered in style) and with dazzling pedal steel to the fore (Lloyd Green?) “That’s The Only Way Life’s Good To Me” and with a finer still sound a heart wrenching “Fifteen Years Ago” and with dashing rhythm, steel and fiddle doused “Wonder Could I Live There Anymore” about goes through the roof. Phew, and we are not quite half-way through the collection as From Me To You finishes off with gentle sing-a-long “Time (You’re Not A Friend Of Mine)” and emotion doused, moody love ballad “Today Is That Tomorrow”.

At the top of his game Pride has a couple or so more treasures to offer on Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs; non any finer I hasten to add than “Kiss An Angel Good Morning”, delightful warm toned affair “Jeanie Norman” and meaningful breakup song “Pretty House For Sale”. Before we find ourselves enjoying a string of stellar vocal performances on the ballad strewn I’m Just Me as he weaves his magic on such tender love songs as “You Never Gave Up On Me” and “Instant Loneliness”, where despite the title the track is a breezy mid-paced happy sound tune. Title-track “It’s Just Me” is backed by the melodious “Southbound” plus a cover of the Conway Twitty classic “Hello Darlin’, and though Charley doesn’t posses the Twitty growl he still does a nice job of the country classic. Bill Anderson’s “You’re still The Only One I’ll Ever Love” also figures, and like with near every song he covers his vocals ooze quality. – Maurice Hope, Flyingshoes Review

Tracks:

Disc 1:

Charley Pride's 10th Album (1970)
1. Able Bodied Man
2. Through The Years
3. Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone
4. The Thought Of Losing You
5. I Think I'll Take A Walk
6. Things Are Looking Up
7. Special
8. A Poor Boy Like Me
9. (There's) Nobody Home To Go Home To
10. This Is My Year For Mexico

From Me To You (1970)
11. That's The Only Way Life's Good To Me
12. I Can't Believe That You've Stopped Loving Me
13. (There's Still) Someone I Can't Forget
14. Sweet Promises
15. Was It All Worth Losing You
16. Fifteen Years Ago
17. Wonder Could I Live There Anymore
18. Piroque Joe
19. Time (You're Not A Friend Of Mine)
20. Today Is That Tomorrow


Disc 2:

Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs (1971)
1. You'll Still Be The One
2. Anywhere (Just Inside Your Arms)
3. I'm Beginning To Believe My Own Lies
4. Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'
5. What Money Can't Buy
6. No One Could Ever Take Me From You
7. Jeanie Norman
8. Once Again
9. Miracles, Music And My Wife
10. Pretty House For Sale

I'm Just Me (1971)
11. On The Southbound
12. (In My World) You Don't Belong
13. You Never Gave Up On Me
14. I'd Rather Love You
15. Instant Loneliness
16. I'm Just Me
17. A Place For The Lonesome
18. Hello Darlin'
19. You're Still The Only One I'll Ever Love
20. That's My Way