Hank Williams Album: “Rare Demos: First to Last”

What are you getting when you buy this set? You're getting Hank at his rawest level, but yet his most sincere. These are songs that cut and chill to the bone. Listen to the alternate take of "A House of Gold". While two versions that have been issued by Polygram/Mercury are indeed excellent, this one is a much more morbid, dark version. This proves that the man was a genius in his own right. Take also the take "Help Me Understand" and you can see exactly why Hank kept returning to Miss Audrey over & over. Even if you own, as many other have said it, the so-called "Complete Hank Williams", you still have to have this set for the many songs on here not presented on there.

Even if you own "The Complete Hank", this is a must have set as it includes versions of songs not found on that box set (you'd think complete would be complete, huh?). It includes an alternate take of "A House of Gold" (with differing lyrics from the version on "Complete"), a demo of the Luke the Drifter peice "Help Me Understand", demo's of "You Broke Your Own Heart" & "I'm Goin' Home" that do not appear on "Complete". If you do not own "Complete", this is an essential purchase as it includes demo versions of "Jambalaya", "Your Cheatin' Heart" & "Honky Tonk Blues" . While the session takes are masterpeices in their own right, this is just the man & his guitar-country music at it's best.

The material on this CD confirms my belief that Hank Williams was one of the greatest American poets of the Twentieth Century.Just look at what he composed, produced and performed in such a short life. There have been imitators, but no one has come close.

yes we love his music for the greatest 1000 per cent