12 Greatest Hits
Encyclopedia
Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits is a compilation consisting of American country pop
music singer, Patsy Cline
's greatest hits. The album consists of Cline's biggest hits between 1957 and 1963. It is one of the biggest selling albums in the United States
by any female country music artist.
, Cline's longtime record label and the one with whom she'd had the most hits. Among its twelve tracks, the album contains seven of Cline's Top 10 country hits between 1957 and 1963.
In 1971, MCA consolidated the New York based Decca and Kapp subsidiary labels, plus the California based Uni label into MCA Records based in Universal City, California. The three labels maintained their identities for a short time but were retired in favor of the MCA label in 1973.
Upon Cline's induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973 , the album was reissued by MCA Records
and went gold all over again. In 1988, the album was reissued again on a CD format with a different cover art and was retitled 12 Greatest Hits. In 2003, the album was digitally remastered and was reissued under MCA records again with the original 1967 cover art.
Bob Ludwig digitally remastered the album in 2003, making the album sound smoother in sound than it originally did before.
In 1989, Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits was certified double-platinum (two million copies) by the RIAA, making Cline the first female ever in country music to have a double-platinum album.
The album is currently in Guinness World Book of Records for staying the most weeks on the US Country Chart by a female artist. The album was still on the chart in 2001, 722 weeks after it originally entered the charts. .
In 2005, the album sold 10 million copies in the United States
, receiving a certification of 10× Multi-Platinum or Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America
. Making it easily the single highest selling album never to chart on the Billboard 200
.
Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits was the largest-selling album by a female country artist up until Shania Twain
's The Woman in Me sold 12 million copies in the United States.
and "Faded Love" was originally recorded by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
.
Side 2
.
Country pop
Country pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre of country music that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to Top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to...
music singer, Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
's greatest hits. The album consists of Cline's biggest hits between 1957 and 1963. It is one of the biggest selling albums in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by any female country music artist.
Background
Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits was released four years after her death in 1967 by Decca RecordsDecca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, Cline's longtime record label and the one with whom she'd had the most hits. Among its twelve tracks, the album contains seven of Cline's Top 10 country hits between 1957 and 1963.
In 1971, MCA consolidated the New York based Decca and Kapp subsidiary labels, plus the California based Uni label into MCA Records based in Universal City, California. The three labels maintained their identities for a short time but were retired in favor of the MCA label in 1973.
Upon Cline's induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973 , the album was reissued by MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
and went gold all over again. In 1988, the album was reissued again on a CD format with a different cover art and was retitled 12 Greatest Hits. In 2003, the album was digitally remastered and was reissued under MCA records again with the original 1967 cover art.
Bob Ludwig digitally remastered the album in 2003, making the album sound smoother in sound than it originally did before.
Chart performance & record sales
In 1967, the original album release debuted at #17 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. After the album was digitally remastered and reissued under the title, 12 Greatest Hits, the album charted again on the Top Country Albums chart at #27. No singles were spawned from the album.In 1989, Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits was certified double-platinum (two million copies) by the RIAA, making Cline the first female ever in country music to have a double-platinum album.
The album is currently in Guinness World Book of Records for staying the most weeks on the US Country Chart by a female artist. The album was still on the chart in 2001, 722 weeks after it originally entered the charts. .
In 2005, the album sold 10 million copies in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, receiving a certification of 10× Multi-Platinum or Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. Making it easily the single highest selling album never to chart on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
.
Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits was the largest-selling album by a female country artist up until Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
's The Woman in Me sold 12 million copies in the United States.
Individual tracks
The album includes Cline's best-known hits, "I Fall to Pieces", "Crazy," and "She's Got You." It also contains the 1961 remake of her original 1957 hit, "Walkin' After Midnight." The album covers her additional three Top 10 hits shortly following her death, "Leavin' on Your Mind," "Sweet Dreams (Of You)," and "Faded Love." The album also includes the B-side of "She's Got You", "Strange," as well two additional B-sides, "You're Stronger Than Me," (B-side "So Wrong") and "Why Can't He Be You," who's A-side is not included on this album. Two of Cline's hits were remakes; "Sweet Dreams" was written and made famous originally by Don GibsonDon Gibson
Donald Eugene "Don" Gibson was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson penned such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s.-Biography:Don Gibson was...
and "Faded Love" was originally recorded by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
Bob Wills
James Robert Wills , better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western Swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western Swing and universally known as the pioneering King of Western Swing.Bob Wills' name will forever be associated with...
.
1967 & 1973 original LP version
Side 1- "Walkin' After MidnightWalkin' After Midnight"Walkin' After Midnight" is a song by written by Alan Block and Donn Hecht and originally recorded by American country music artist Patsy Cline. The song was originally given to pop singer Kay Starr; however, it was rejected by her record label. The song was left unused until Hecht rediscovered the...
" – 2:00 (Don Hecht, Alan Block) - "Sweet Dreams (of You)" – 2:33 (Don GibsonDon GibsonDonald Eugene "Don" Gibson was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson penned such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s.-Biography:Don Gibson was...
) - "CrazyCrazy (Willie Nelson song)"Crazy" is a ballad composed by Willie Nelson. It has been recorded by several artists, most notably by Patsy Cline, whose version was a #2 country hit in 1962....
" – 2:41 (Willie NelsonWillie NelsonWillie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
) - "I Fall to PiecesI Fall to Pieces"I Fall to Pieces" is a single released by Patsy Cline in 1961, and was featured on her 1961 studio album, Patsy Cline Showcase. "I Fall to Pieces" was Cline's first #1 hit on the Country charts, and her second hit single to cross over onto the Pop charts...
" – 2:47 (Hank CochranHank CochranGarland Perry "Hank" Cochran was an American country music singer and songwriter. Starting during the 1960s, Cochran was a prolific songwriter in the genre, including major hits by Patsy Cline, Ray Price, Eddy Arnold and others...
, Harlan HowardHarlan HowardHarlan Perry Howard was a prolific American songwriter, principally in country music. In a career spanning six decades, Howard wrote a large number of popular and enduring songs, recorded by a variety of different artists...
) - "So WrongSo WrongSo Wrong is a song written by Carl Perkins, Danny Dill and Mel Tillis and popularized by country music artist Patsy Cline.Patsy Cline was best known for her string of Country and Pop ballads like "I Fall to Pieces", "Crazy" and "She's Got You". By 1962, Cline was already successful on both the...
" – 2:58 (Carl PerkinsCarl PerkinsCarl Lee Perkins was an American rockabilly musician who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning during 1954...
) - "Strange" – 2:10 (Fred Burch, Mel TillisMel TillisLonnie Melvin Tillis , known professionally as Mel Tillis, is an American country music singer. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s, with a long list of Top 10 hits....
)
Side 2
- "Back in Baby's Arms" – 2:00 (Bob MontgomeryBob Montgomery (musician)Bob Montgomery is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer/publisher.Montgomery was born in Lampasas, Texas. He was a songwriting partner and best friend of Buddy Holly, performing together as the duo "Buddy and Bob" while teenagers in high school...
) - "She's Got YouShe's Got You"She's Got You" is a famous pop song written by Hank Cochran and was first recorded and released as a single by Patsy Cline in 1962. Musically the song is an upbeat jazz-pop song with country overtones to support it.-History:...
" – 2:58 (Cochran) - "Faded LoveFaded Love"Faded Love" is a Western swing song written by Bob Wills, his father John Wills, and his brother, Billy Jack Wills. The tune is considered to be an exemplar of the Western swing fiddle component of American fiddle.The melody came from an old fiddle tune Bob learned from his father, John Wills....
" – 3:43 (Bob WillsBob WillsJames Robert Wills , better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western Swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western Swing and universally known as the pioneering King of Western Swing.Bob Wills' name will forever be associated with...
, John Wills) - "Why Can't He Be You" – 3:21 (Cochran)
- "You're Stronger Than Me" – 2:51 (Cochran, Jimmy KeyJimmy KeyJames Edward "Jimmy" Key is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Yankees , and Baltimore Orioles...
) - "Leavin' on Your MindLeavin' on Your Mind"Leavin' On Your Mind" is a famous Country/Pop song written by Wayne Walker and Webb Pierce was popularized by Patsy Cline in 1963.In 1963, Patsy Cline was at the height of her career. In the meantime, she was looking for her next single to release for the upcoming year. Wayne Walker and Webb...
" – 2:34 (Wayne WalkerWayne WalkerWayne Harrison Walker is a former professional football player and sports broadcaster. He played in the NFL for fifteen seasons, from 1958-72 for the Detroit Lions. A starter throughout his career, #55 played in 200 regular season games as a 6'2", 225 lb...
)
1988 & 2003 CD version
The song lengths remain the same on the reissued releases.- "Walkin' After Midnight"
- "Sweet Dreams (Of You)"
- "Crazy"
- "I Fall to Pieces"
- "So Wrong"
- "Strange"
- "Back in Baby's Arms"
- "She's Got You"
- "Faded Love"
- "Why Can't He Be You"
- "You're Stronger Than Me"
- "Leavin' on Your Mind"
Personnel
The album's tracks were recorded between November 16, 1960 and February 7, 1963 in Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
- Harold BradleyHarold BradleyHarold Bradley is a pop guitarist and an American country guitarist.Harold played banjo as a child but switched to guitar on the advice of his elder brother, Owen Bradley. Owen arranged for Harold to tour with Ernest Tubb while Harold was still in high school. After graduation, Harold joined the...
– electric bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Patsy ClinePatsy ClinePatsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Floyd CramerFloyd CramerFloyd Cramer was an American Hall of Fame pianist who was one of the architects of the "Nashville sound." He popularized the "slip note" piano style where an out-of-tune note slides effortlessly into the correct note...
– pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with... - Ray Edenton – rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
- Hank GarlandHank GarlandWalter Louis Garland , better known as Hank Garland, was a Nashville studio musician who performed with Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison and many others.-Biography:...
– electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Buddy HarmanBuddy HarmanBuddy Harman was an American session musician.-Career:Born in Nashville, Tennessee, he played drums on over 18,000 sessions for artists such as Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Brenda Lee, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Roy Orbison, Connie Francis, Chet Atkins, Marty Robbins, Roger Miller,...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Walter Haynes – steel guitarSteel guitarSteel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
- Randy HughesRandy HughesJames Randell Hughes is a former American football safety who played six seasons in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys...
– rhythm guitar - Joe Jenkins – acoustic bassAcoustic bass guitarThe acoustic bass guitar is a bass instrument with a hollow wooden body similar to, though usually somewhat larger than a steel-string acoustic guitar...
- The JordanairesThe JordanairesThe Jordanaires are an American vocal quartet, which formed as a gospel group in 1948. They are best known for providing vocal background for Elvis Presley, in live appearances and recordings from 1956 to 1972...
– background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Doug Kirkham – drums
- Millie KirkhamMillie KirkhamMildred 'Millie' Kirkham is an American singer who was featured on many classic hit recordings from the mid 1950s through the 1980s.-Early life:Kirkham was born in Nashville, Tennessee...
– background vocals - Grady MartinGrady MartinThomas Grady Martin was one of the most renowned, inventive and historically significant American session musicians in country music and rockabilly....
– electric guitar - Bob MooreBob MooreBob Loyce Moore is an American session musician, orchestra leader, and bassist who was a member of the legendary Nashville A-Team during the 1950s and 60s.-Biography:...
– acoustic bass - Bill PursellBill PursellBill Pursell is an American composer and former session pianist. He had a brief but successful career as a pop musician before continuing on as a session player....
– organ, vibraphoneVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family.... - Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
- Rita Faye Wilson – autoharpAutoharpThe autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers, which, when depressed, mute all of the strings other than those that form the desired chord. Despite its name, the autoharp is not a harp at all, but a chorded zither. -History:There is debate over the...
Chart positions
Album – Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Top Country Albums | 17 |
| 1988 | Top Country Albums | 27 |