MARTY ROBBINS —HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU? / I’VE GOT A WOMAN’S LOVE (Hux Records)

[Maurice Hope]

www.huxrecords.com
Another vintage 2-on-1 original albums from Hux and, who better than them who already have Gene Watson, Ed Bruce, Tom T Hall, Faron Young and Gene Vincent among the acts they have featured to now add the late country icon, Marty Robbins to their catalogue.
Sure, he had made more traditional and western styled collections but here we have Robbins the stylist and a whole lot more. Both albums are retrospective collections from his Columbia catalogue (at the time he was with MCA, but soon to return to the label of his former glory) that were originally issued in 1972 (I’ve Got A Woman’s Love) and 1974 (Have I Told You Lately That I Love You), and though the latter is by far more suitable to my palate the effort to search it out is still worth it. For you have such rousing gems as the borderland flavoured ‘Tonight Carmen’ to go with his pedal steel, upright bass plied version of Hank Williams’ ‘Moanin’ The Blues’ plus his hit ‘Lovesick Blues’ coupled with a bunch of material penned by Gene Autry. Songs, that invariably find Robbins at his mercurial best.
His versions of ‘Have I Told You Lately’, ‘You Only Want Me When You’re Lonely’ and ‘I Hang My Head And Cry’ are such it could be argued you will not find better. Plus, though done in a slow, measured to the zenith degree fashion ‘I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry’ has a magnetism only the greats command with Robbins most certainly one of them.
Marty’s range of material was most varied and this is demonstrated in spades during the opening selection as the likes of ‘Misty’ slots in perfectly along with his originals, that on draped in piano, strings and smooth production are of another style. As the music evokes mellow nights, romantic candle light dinners and old black and white movies —I suppose in its day the songs possessed a great deal of nostalgia but sadly they do little for me.
My preference lends more for the likes of ‘Step Aside’, that with tinkling piano, Dobro, steel guitar and fantastic shuffling rhythm is for me the real deal. Then again, thankfully, we do all have different tastes.
Maurice Hope

A Scotty Wiseman song which was a hit 3 times over in 1946 for Gene Autry, Tex Ritter and Foy Willing. Many singers have recorded the song including Bing Crosby And The Andrew Sisters, Eddie Cochran, Faron Young, Don Edwards, Jim Reeves, The Sons Of The Pioneers, Vera Lynn and Stonewall Jackson

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