PATSY CLINE —JUST OUT OF REACH (Jasmine) 2cds

[Maurice Hope]

www.jasmine-records.co.uk 

Two cds and 56 tracks no less come in this package of material by the late, never to be forgotten Patsy Cline. Made up of two albums featured in their entirety (Patsy Cline – 1957 and Showcase – 1962) plus a feast of singles that include such classics as ‘Crazy Dreams’, ‘Stop The World’, her stunning take of ‘Lovesick Blues’ and the song that swept me away (and still does) the first time I heard it. I am talking ‘bout ‘I Walk To Pieces’ the crème de la crème of recordings. Written by Hank Cochran and Harlan Howard it is a heavenly piece that has been recorded by among others, Linda Ronstadt who does a sensational version and Loretta Lynn.

There are so many gems among the crop. With such bouncy cuts as ‘Foolin’ ‘Round’, Bob Wills’ ‘San Antone Rose’ a poppy version of ‘Walkin’ After Midnight’ (shame on this occasion since there are better by her out there) coupled with soul-searching ballads ‘Poor Man’s Roses’, ‘Three Cigarettes in An Ashtray’ and with heaps of steel guitar and gorgeous vocals ‘A Church, A Courtroom And Then Goodbye’ and fiddle opened, steel guitar and piano warmed barroom gem ‘Honky Tonk Merry Go Round’ her extraordinary talent is well showcased. Patsy Cline was able to take a good song and make it great and an average song near such.

 

From the singles you go from ‘I Love You Honey’ to the cornbread country of ‘Come On In (And Make Yourself At Home)’ heart-tugging affairs ‘I’ve Love And Lost Again’ (one of many where her performance is impeccable and worth dying for!) and on the religious side ‘Dear God’ shows another side of the legendary act is sampled. Ending on a lively note, ‘Who Can Count On’ speaks of cheating and the heartache that inevitably follows that like on so many other occasions Patsy nails with ease.

An incredible talent, she was capable of performing any kind of song and change tone at the drop of a hat. Music and the world was a sadder place when killed in plane crash on March 5^th, 1963 —just as she was hitting her stride, although hits came posthumously. There is no telling how much greater impact she would have had on country music if she had lived, her sassy streak coupled with her able to access better and better songs would have been a joy worthy of a king or president's table.  

 

                                                            Maurice Hope