Charlie Rich Album: “Boss Man/Very Special Love Songs”

Whoever packaged this didn't know his onions. The "Boss Man" cover is from a different album than the one actually on the CD. The original "Boss Man" (the one on the CD) was never realesed on vynil in the UK but has been released as a separate CD by Koch. The only "Boss Man" released on vynil in the UK (and the one pictured) had in fact been issued in the US as "The Best of..." and was renamed for UK release. It included such tracks as "A Part of Your Life", "A Woman Left Lonely" and "Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast", as well as a few tracks from the original "Boss Man" album. (Indicentally, there was also another vynil compilation, on the Embassy label, called "I Do My Swingin' at Home", with a similar range of obscure an well-known tracks. Also, the cover-photo from the UK album "Boss Man" was also used on a Hallmark budget album "Midnight Blues".)

This gaffe apart, this pairing of two Charlie Rich albums - one from just before his "overnight success" and one from just after - is most welcome, particularly "Very Special Love Songs", on which he reprises some of his recordings from Sun and RCA. But I would be happier if someone issued a compilation of ALL his Epic singles and the recordings that didn't make his major albums or even appaear at all.

It's true... the picture they used for Boss Man was already used for The Best Of, and Boss Man had another cover... but I don't see it a good enough reason to rate it 4 Stars. This is still a great CD, even if not as eclectic as before. Charlie Rich released a rerecording of Nice & Easy and it became his first Country Top 40. It also mdae the AC Top 35. It's flipside was I Can't Even Drink It Away, which also later became the flipside of A Very Special Love Song (more about it later). I Do My Swinging At Home wasn't actually completely truthful; he also did some of his swinging in the studio. Have A Heart became the flipside of A Woman Left Lonely, which, at Country #72, became his weakest chart hit, how disappointing! Down On The River,like Nice & Easy, Can't Even Drink, Swinging At Home, and Have A Heart, is good and available on youtube! A rerecording of Big Boss Man and a cover of Conway Twitty's Hello Darlin are also nice. Then following his success of Behind Closed Doors and The Most Beautiful Girl (more info on another review), Very Special Love Songs was released. It went gold by the RIAA and became 1974 CMA Album of the Year (the same year he won CMA Entertainer of the Year). The title track, which I've mentioned before, became his third biggest chart hit, going Country and AC#1. It also just missed the Pop Top 10. It's also available on youtube. Why Don't We Go Somewhere And Love and Satisfied Man were great too and can be found there as well. Why Oh Why, a rerecording, has been included in a youtube slideshow of Charlie Rich as well, alongside Since I Fell For You. It even was the flipside of I Love My Friend, not on here. A Field Of Yellow Daisies was another good rerecording. I'd recommend buying Set Me Free/The Fabulous Charlie Rich first, then get this one!