Rhythm & Western Vol.4: I Hang My Head And Cry (CD)

Release Date: 10/07/22

28 great tracks from an era when black Blues artists were pursuaded by their record labels to record Country and Western classics

We open with a gritty version of Hank Cochran's 'A Little Bitty Tear' by Varetta Dillard. I remember hearing great versions of this song by Hank Cochran himself, Burl Ives, Wanda Jackson, and even a very rare vocal version by British instrumental band The Shadows. Little Willie John 'Sleep' and Adam Wade with 'The Writing On The Wall' are next, followed by more 'Ebony' C&W by The Marigolds, Mel Smith (with The Nightriders), Nappy Brown, Jimmy Wilson, and Lula Reed. This fourth volume also features some fantastic Black C&W-flavored songs such as 'True Believer' (Sarah Vaughan), 'Come On, Baby Let's Go' (E. Anderson), 'I Ain't Gonna Cry No More' (B. Day), 'I Wanna Go Back Home' (J. Gaines), 'Ooh You Bring Out The Wolf In Me' (P. Brown), 'Ida Jane' (F. Domino), 'No Need To Cry' (T. Ricks), Hotel Happiness (B. Benton) and many more. My personal faves here are the outstanding version of 'Beautiful Brown Eyes' by King Curtis, a song written by Arthur Smith and Alton Delmore of the Delmore Brothers also recorded by the likes of Kitty Wells, Roy Acuff, Chet Atkins, The Diamonds, Gene Vincent, Merle Travis, Johnny Bond and many more, Gene Autry's classic 'I Hang My Head And Cry' by Arthur Alexander, the proto-westers swing track ' Don't Sell It - Don't Give It Away' by Oscar Wood (a heavily melanated musical partner of Jimmie Davis), the original version of 'Blue Yodel No. 9' (a.k.a. 'Standing On the Corner) by the 'Father of Country Music' Jimmy Rodgers. This is is one of his most famous songs and one of the most famous early Country songs of all time. Rodgers recorded it with the great Louis Armstrong on trumpet and his piano-playing wife Lil Harding. The album closes with 'Hillbilly Willies Blues' a tune based on the traditional 'white' melody by Blind Willie McTell. I'm not sure if the idea was to sell this to white folks or simply he wanted to showcase his familiarity with this type of music. Sadly the song never had a chance in the 'Hillbilly' market. Shame!