Tragic Songs of Life (The Louvin Brothers album)
Encyclopedia
Tragic Songs of Life is an album by American
country music
duo The Louvin Brothers, released in 1956. "Knoxville Girl" was released as a single three years later and reached number 19 on the Billboard
Country Singles chart.
, the Louvin's signed with Capitol Records
in 1952. They recorded over ten singles for Capitol, with the earliest all Gospel
songs, before "When I Stop Dreaming" became their first secular release in 1955. Their Capitol album debut, Tragic Songs of Life is somewhat of a concept album, drawing heavily on artists they admired such as Bill Monroe
, The Monroe Brothers, The Blue Sky Boys
, and The Callahan Brothers. The majority of the songs are tragic heartbreak and misfortune songs and classic murder ballad
s.
.
Production notes:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
duo The Louvin Brothers, released in 1956. "Knoxville Girl" was released as a single three years later and reached number 19 on the Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
Country Singles chart.
History
Having previously recorded one single for Apollo Records and a series of sides for DeccaDecca 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....
, the Louvin's signed with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in 1952. They recorded over ten singles for Capitol, with the earliest all Gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
songs, before "When I Stop Dreaming" became their first secular release in 1955. Their Capitol album debut, Tragic Songs of Life is somewhat of a concept album, drawing heavily on artists they admired such as Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe
William Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
, The Monroe Brothers, The Blue Sky Boys
The Blue Sky Boys
The Blue Sky Boys were an American country music duo consisting of the brothers Earl Bolick and Bill Bolick , whose careers spanned over forty years.-Biography:...
, and The Callahan Brothers. The majority of the songs are tragic heartbreak and misfortune songs and classic murder ballad
Murder ballad
Murder ballads are a sub-genre of the traditional ballad form, the lyrics of which form a narrative describing the events of a murder, often including the lead-up and/or aftermath...
s.
Reception
Mark Deming stated in his Allmusic review "...this is a landmark of traditional country music that remains powerful more than fifty years after it was recorded." Don Yates of No Depression magazine singled out the Louvins' version of “In The Pines” writing "It’s perhaps their most powerful rendering of traditional folk music’s bleak vision of a dark and forlorn land, where love is absent and death is the only certainty. It’s the centerpiece of what is arguably the Louvins' finest album." The album is also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is a musical reference book edited by Robert Dimery, first published in 2005. The most recent edition consists of a list of albums released between 1955 and 2010, part of a series from Quintessence Editions Ltd...
.
Reissues
- In 1992, all of the tracks from Tragic Songs of Life were included in the Close HarmonyClose Harmony (Louvin Brothers album)Close Harmony is a box set of The Louvin Brothers recordings. It is an eight-CD box set and was released in 1992.-History:Close Harmony contains 219 songs from the duo's years with Capitol, Decca, MGM, and Apollo, presented in chronological order along with session notes.The recordings include such...
8-CD box set issued by Bear Family RecordsBear Family RecordsBear Family Records is a Germany-based independent record label that specializes in reissues of archival material ranging from country music to 1950s rock and roll to old German movie soundtracks.-History:...
. - Tragic Songs of Life was reissued on CD by Capitol in 1996.
- Tragic Songs of Life was reissued on CD by Raven records in 2007 along with Satan Is RealSatan Is RealSatan Is Real is a gospel album by American country music duo The Louvin Brothers, released in 1959.- History :Producer Ken Nelson set up recording sessions in August 1958 to record enough tracks for two albums. The first was to become Country Love Ballads, the second the gospel music for Satan is...
. Four bonus tracks were included.
Track listing
- "Kentucky" (Karl Davis) – 2:40
- "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight" (A. P. CarterA. P. CarterAlvin Pleasant Delaney Carter , best known as A.P. Carter, was an American musician and founding member of The Carter Family, one of the most notable acts in the history of country music.-Life:...
) – 3:14 - "Let Her Go, God Bless Her" (Traditional) – 2:55
- "What Is Home Without Love" (Traditional) – 3:00
- "A Tiny Broken Heart" (Charlie Louvin, Ira Louvin, Eddie Hill) – 2:34
- "In the Pines" (Traditional, Alan Riggs) – 3:15
- "Alabama" (C. Louvin, I. Louvin, Hill) – 2:43
- "Katie DearSilver Dagger (song)"Silver Dagger", or "Katy Dear", is an American folk ballad. It likely traces its roots to the British Isles of late 19th century, though possibly much earlier; the first published version appeared in 1907....
" (William Bolick) – 2:34 - "My Brother's Will" (Ken Nelson) – 3:16
- "Knoxville Girl" (Traditional) – 3:49
- "Take the News to Mother" (Walter "Joe" Callahan, Homer "Bill" Callahan, W. R. Caloway) – 2:48
- "Mary of the Wild Moor" (Traditional, Dennis Turner) – 3:11
Personnel
- Charlie LouvinCharlie LouvinCharles Elzer Loudermilk , known professionally as Charlie Louvin, was an American country music singer and songwriter. He is best known as one of the Louvin Brothers, and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1955.-Biography:Born in Henagar, Alabama, Louvin was one of 7 children...
– vocals, guitar - Ira LouvinIra LouvinIra Lonnie Loudermilk , known professionally as Ira Louvin, was an American country music singer, mandolinist and songwriter. He was a cousin of songwriter John D. Loudermilk.-Biography:...
– vocals, mandolin - Paul Yandell – guitar
Production notes:
- Ken NelsonKen Nelson (United States record producer)Kenneth F. Nelson was a American record producer and A & R man for Capitol Records.-Early life:Born in Caledonia, Minnesota, at the age of 14, Nelson made his radio single debut as a singer in 1925...
– producer - John Johnson – reissue producer
External links
- Rabin, Nathan. The Louvin Brothers’ tragic songs of Satan’s realness Retrieved January 23, 2010.