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Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson Album: “The Essential Kris Kristofferson”

Kris Kristofferson Album: “The Essential Kris Kristofferson”
Description :
Personnel includes: Kris Kristofferson (vocals, guitar); Steve Burton, Fred Carter Jr., Johnny Christopher, James Colvard, Ray Edenton, Chris Gantry, Mac Gayden, Steve Gibson, Jerry Kennedy, Mark Knopfler, Dennis Linde, Grady Martin, Jerry McGee, Wayne Moss, Jerry Shook, Billy Swan, Fred Tackett, John "Bucky" Wilkin, Chip Youn (guitar); Peter Drake, Paul Franklin, Weldon Myrick (steel guitar); David Briggs, Glen Clark (keboards); Dennis Belfield (bass); Kenny Buttrey (drums); Bobbye Hall (percussion). <p>Producers includes: Fred Foster, David Anderle, Nancy Carlen, Dennis Linde, Norbert Putam. <p>Compilation producer: Gregg Geller. <p>Recorded between 1969 & 1985. Includes liner notes by Jim Bessman. <p>Drunkards, free spirits, wayward travelers, and lady-killers populate the songs of Kris Kristofferson, who was a wandering soul himself before becoming a professional musician. Always one to appeal to country and rock fans alike, Kristofferson is a songwriter's songwriter, as illustrated by this double-disc collection. The first disc is primarily comprised of nine tracks from his landmark 1970 debut, KRISTOFFERSON, and seven cuts from 1971's equally strong THE SILVER TONGUED DEVIL AND I. These include "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down," "Help Me Make It Through the Night," and "For the Good Times"--all hits for other artists, though Kristofferson's weathered, raspy versions feel definitive. <p>Disc two culls tracks from more varied sources, though a mere five of 19 go beyond 1979. It opens with 1972?s narcotic "Border Lord," and continues through four tracks from 1972's JESUS WAS A CAPRICORN (including "I'd Rather Be Sorry," a duet with his then-wife, Rita Coolidge), "How Do You Feel About Foolin' Around" (with Willie Nelson, from the 1986 film SONGWRITER), and a 1985 cut from the country supergroup Highwaymen (with Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings). A strong collection for the true fan, or a fantastic intro for the uninitiated, ESSENTIAL is a concise overview of this groundbreaking songwriter's work.
Customers Rating :
Average (4.5) :(26 votes)
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Track Listing :
1 Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down
2 To Beat The Devil Video
3 Just The Other Side Of Nowhere Video
4 Me And Bobby McGee Video
5
6 Casey's Last Ride Video
7 Help Me Make It Through The Night Kris Kristofferson and Vince Gill Video
8 Darby's Castle Video
9 Jody And The Kid Video
10 Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again) Kris Kristofferson and Marc Cohn Video
11 For The Good Times Matraca Berg and Kris Kristofferson Video
12 Come Sundown Video
13 From the Bottle to the Bottom Video
14 Billy Dee Video
15 Breakdown (A Long Way From Home) Video
16
17
18
2-1 Border Lord Video
2-2
2-3 Broken Freedom Song Video
2-4 Jesus Was A Capricorn (Owed To John Prine) Video
2-5 Shandy (The Perfect Disguise)
2-6 Sugar Man
2-7
2-8 Nobody Wins Kris Kristofferson and Catie Curtis Video
2-9 I'd Rather Be Sorry - (with Rita Coolidge)
2-10 Highwayman - (with Waylon Jennings/Willie Nelson/Johnny Cash)
2-11 Don't Cuss the Fiddle
2-12 Bigger the Fool, The (The Harder They Fall)
2-13 Stranger Video
2-14 If You Don't Like Hank Williams Video
2-15 Here Comes That Rainbow Again
2-16 Once More With Feeling
2-17 How Do You Feel About Foolin' Around - (with Willie Nelson)
2-18 Why Me
2-19 Please Don't Tell Me How This Story Ends
Album Information :
Title: The Essential Kris Kristofferson
UPC:074646499221
Format:CD
Type:Performer
Genre:Country - Singer/Songwriter
Artist:Kris Kristofferson
Label:Legacy Recordings
Distributed:Sony Music Distribution (
Release Date:2004/03/02
Original Release Year:2004
Discs:2
Mono / Stereo:Stereo
Studio / Live:Mixed
hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - June 05, 2004
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
- +1/2 -- Weighted to seminal early work

An artist as prolific as Kristofferson is necessarily difficult to capture in compilation, not least of which because his songs and singing are half his artistic story. Without the hits that others launched from Kristofferson's pen, you can't assemble a full view of his impact on Nashville and pop music in general. Still, Kristofferson's own recordings, especially those of songs made popular by others, are intimate and revealing in ways that no one else's could ever really be. Jopin sung the hell out of "Me and Bobby McGee," but she lost some of the down-and-out brokenness Kristofferson laid into it. Similarly, for "Help Me Make it Through the Night" and "For the Good Times" the hits became icons for Sammi Smith and Ray Price, respectively, but Kristofferson's own versions are perhaps even more unforgettable for his earthier, less-polished voice.

These two discs lean heavily on Kristofferson's earlier work, which, for most listeners will be the right mix. As a recording artist, Kristofferson hit the ground in full sprint on his debut album, "Kristofferson." The follow-up, "The Silver Tongued Devil and I" was just as strong. These two albums alone contribute 16 of disc 1's 18 tracks. Disc 2, on the other hand, samples a dozen different albums, stopping for more than once at any particular release only a few times. The result is a highly consistent disc 1, and a more erratic disc 2. To be fair, one can't help but draw heavily upon Kristofferson's early pair, but given that disc 2 already fails to keep a linear timeline, it might have helped to add a few of the earlier tracks to disc 2.

That said, what's here is magnificent, and shows off Kristofferson's lyrical poetry to great effect. Disc 1 is only bettered by buying Kristofferson's first two albums as reissues (something that any serious fan is highly recommended to do). Disc 2 does an adequate job of surveying the work that followed Kristofferson's initial burst of genius. Included are tracks recorded throughout the '70s, including "Highwayman" with Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, and duets with Willie Nelson, and then-wife Rita Coolidge.

This is a good starter set, though anyone bitten by the works on disc 1 will want to pick up the full first two albums. Disc 2 provides a good sense of the path Kristofferson's work took, with good hints as to which albums listeners might wish to examine in full. 4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings.

Customer review - March 25, 2004
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
- Don't Leave Home Without It! You'll be sad you did!

I can't say enough about this set. The track selection is amazing! For once a greatest hits compilation with all the greatest hits on it.

I hope this is a sign of the re-release of all his albums.

No artist this good should be out of print!!

If you don't know Kris Kristofferson beyond Bobby Mcgee or Help Me Make It Through The Night then the journey has just begun.

I failed to mention that the version of "come sundown" is not the slow version represented on the singer/songwriter soundtrack. I personally prefer the slowed down take.

Also missing "Show me yours and I'll show you mine"

Mark Blackburn (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada) - May 09, 2009
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
- Johnny Cash's favorite song (that he didn't write)

Did you ever 'discover' a song that you can't hear without weeping? That touches your heart with the simplest of words? Well . . . buried on Disc 2 (track 15) of this splendid retrospective of Kris Kristofferson's career, is the song Johnny Cash considered the very best (of those he didn't write himself).

Here in Canada "Mr. Diana Krall" (Elvis Costello) hosts a show which recently featured a stage-full of songwriter/performers. Bracketing Mr. Costello were Kris Kristofferson and (Ravi Shankar's little girl) Norah Jones, John ("no longer Cougar") Mellencamp and Johnny Cash's daughter Roseanne.

The highlight for me (for Elvis Costello too - it brought a tear to his eye which he tried to wipe away unobtrusively during the subsequent applause from the Toronto studio audience) was Kris Kristofferson's solo performance of one of his own songs.

[Just as an aside I'm partial to Kris Kristofferson having seen him perform in a coffee house in my hometown of Ottawa Canada 45 years ago (before any of his big hits like Me & Bobby McGee) - I remember his claim to fame then was as a "Rhodes Scholar" - wonder if he remembers performing at Le Hibou (The Owl) in Ottawa; Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee had performed the week before.]

Accompanied only by himself on his new signature model "Southern Jumbo" (J-45) Gibson (the simplest of chords, strummed with his thumb) Kris provided a vivid reminder of the power of the English language. He'd introduced this song to this audience (and to me - I'd not heard it before) saying,

"I read in his (Johnny Cash's) autobiography that this might be his favorite song."

[Then, looking heavenwards, his speaking voice choked with apparent humility at that thought ]

"And so I sing it for him."

-----

The scene, is a small roadside café, the waitress is sweeping the floor;

Two truck drivers, drinking their coffee, and two Okie kids by the door

"How much are them candies?" they asked her.

"How much have you got?" she replied

"We've only a penny, between us."

"Them's `2-for-a-penny' she lied.

[THE BRIDGE, KRIS BLOWING A 2-NOTE CHORD ON HARMONICA]

And the daylight grew heavy with thunder, with the smell of the rain on the wind.

Ain't that just like a human?

Here comes that rainbow again!

[KEY CHANGE]

One truck driver called to the waitress, after the kids went outside,

"Them candies ain't two for a penny!"

"So? What's that to you?" she replied.

In silence they finished their coffee - got up, and nodded Goodbye;

She called out "Hey! You left too much money!"

"So? What's that to you?" they replied.

And the daylight was heavy with thunder, with the smell of the rain on the wind.

Ain't that just like a human?

Here comes that rainbow again."

---------

After a standing ovation from the studio audience, and during applause that seemed to last more than a minute -- and after surreptitiously brushing away with his left hand a tear from his right cheek (and the camera switched to Kristofferson, clearly moved that this simple song -- "Johnny Cash's all-time favorite" --- still had such a powerful effect), the show's host regained his composure and stopped the proceedings right there to ask a question:

ELVIS: "I just have to say something . . . before we move on . . . that song . . . is just SO beautiful! And pure! Can you remember the moment when you wrote it?

KRIS: "Yeah. It was inspired by a scene out of THE GRAPES OF WRATH. And . . . it was always the one that choked me up. And it (the words) just came out - all together."

ELVIS: "That's the thing I hear! And it's something you share with Rose (Roseanne Cash, seated next to Elvis) - and Rose's father! It's the work of a writer. Have you ever thought of writing a book?"

KRIS: `Well yes . . . "

[POLITE LAUGHTER]

"When I get old!"

[AUDIENCE BREAKS UP WITH LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE]

Yes . . . disarmingly simple words . . . set to the simplest of tunes -- an almost generic country melody (like Tom T. Hall used to employ for instance, on his "Ballad of 50 dollars") -- producing 'high art,' evoking such emotion that the great Johnny Cash would proclaim it his all-time favorite song!

A cause for joy, that there is a Disc 2 of this delightful collection, including the lesser-known but wonderful early songs by (arguably) America's greatest living singer/songwriter!

Mark Blackburn

Winnipeg Manitoba Canada

D. Blankenship (The Ozarks) - September 16, 2012
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
- THIS IS ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVORITE COLLECTIONS

I normally do not write reviews on music; music of any sort. This does not mean that I do not like music or that I do not listen to music or anything like that. No, it means that I am not really comfortable with the language of music...no, not at all. I am the sort of fellow that either likes what he hears or does not like what he hears, but for the life of me I cannot tell you why in either case.

Anyway, I like Kris Kristofferson. I have liked him from the first time I heard him and that liking has not diminished over the years. I started listening to him from the beginning.

Now I own a number of his recordings - both tapes and CDs but when I am in the mood to listen to Kristofferson's songs I invariably reach for this set of two CDs. My favorite genre as to music is the ballad as I tend to pay more attention to words than I do instrumental music. Kris fulfills my needs in this area perfectly.

One of the primary reasons I like this particular collection is that it gives me a wide range of the artist's work; starting when he was young and just beginning. Now it should be noted that these songs were recorded under different circumstances at different times. I have friends who tell me they know what they are talking about and that claim that there is a difference in the quality of the recording from one to another. I personally don't hear this difference as I have a very poor ear for such things. Again, I am listening to the words more than anything else. There are of course a couple of the songs here that I do not care all that much for. This is true of any collection. But because of the miracle of modern electronics, when I hit one of those rare songs, I can simply hit the little button thingy on what ever device I am using at the time and simply skip over it. I like that. On the other hand, there are songs here I love and want to listen to over and over again...again...magic button thingy for even that!

Anyway, I do like this collection and it most certainly meets my listening needs perfectly.

Don Blankenship

The Ozarks

Maxine (Reedsburg, WI USA) - February 16, 2012
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
- Love it!

Kris Christopherson is an amazing artist. I have followed his career since he started. Love his music and will be buying more of his CD's.

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