George Jones Album: “George and Tammy Super Hits”

I don't know why it took Epic/Sony until 1995 to compile a Super-Hits collection on George and Tammy. As a matter of fact, George had one in 1987 that's now PLATINUM. Anyway, George and Tammy's offering has some essential songs but it has an overall feel of a low-budget album due to the stiffness of the song sequence. I would have lead things off with "The Ceremony" and "We Go Together" and ended things with "Two Story House" in an effort to chronicle their up and down marriage. A problem is that their 1977 #1 "Near You" is left off in favor of probably the Top-20 "The Jet Set" or the album track "My Elusive Dreams". George and Tammy, chart wise, never had many #1 songs and a few actually hit the Top-10 (as opposed to the Conway/Loretta duets that were always in the Top-10) but their larger than life image would make you assume they had lots of big hits. This CD has been eclipsed in popularity after the much better "16 Biggest Hits" collection of their duets rolled out in 2000 but if you don't want the 2000 CD then this 1995 CD will satisfy the casual fan. I give it four stars for leaving off "Near You".

George and Tammy may not have been meant-to-be romantically, but they sure were made to sing together. Let's face it: George Jones could blow most of his duet partners out of the water, but Tammy not only could keep up with the guy (musically), but have her own spotlight moments. Listen to him dip into his trademark baritone at the two-minute mark of "Something To Brag About". Tammy follows him right along, allowing him less than a second to use that vocal trick that upstaged many other singers. It's a moment to smile at. For all of the tears in their songs, there were a lot of downright happy ones too.

All of these songs are excellent, but a compilation missing "Take Me" and "Near You" cannot be considered complete. Please get the 16 Greatest Hits instead and enjoy.

This album is ridiculously GOOD! Both George & Tammy are at their vocal best and together seem unstoppable. Their harmonies on such monstrous hits as Golden Ring, We're Gonna Hold On and When I Stop Dreaming leave you with chills up your spin. You can hear the playfulness in their voices and personalities on tracks like We're Not The Jet Set, We Go Together and Something To Brag About. But it's on the heartbreaking Southern California, My Elusive Dreams and Two Story House where George & Tammy's gorgeous abilities come together beautifully. Of course they leave you on an upward note with The Ceremony, reminding us all that love conquers all, even if it wasn't meant to be in their case. This album is a must purely because it's wonderful to hear 2 artists giving so much tenderness and vocal adrenaline on each track. Do yourself a favor, buy this album and then buy George Jones & Tammy Wynette: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2! You will not be sorry! What are you waiting for?!