Billie Jo Spears Ultimate collection
Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 05/08/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Billie Jo Spears never made the front rank of female country singers in America despite having a long string of country hits, including a number one (Blanket on the ground). However, she toured overseas extensively and was enormously popular in Britain and Ireland. She had two top ten pop hits in the UK (Blanket on the ground, What I've got in mind) and two minor UK pop hits (Sing me an old fashioned song, I will survive). All these songs also made the American country charts.
Many of Billie Jo's other American country hits can be found here, some but not all of which are well known in Britain and Ireland. Apart from I will survive (a cover of the Gloria Gaynor anthemic disco classic), Billie Jo was successful on the country charts with covers of Misty blue (originally a country hit for Eddy Arnold but later a major international pop hit for Dorothy Moore), What the world needs now (Jackie De Shannon), See the funny little clown (Bobby Goldsboro), and Yesterday (Beatles). Among Billie Jo's other country hits are 57 Chevrolet, Marty Gray, Stay away from the apple tree, Lonely hearts club, Mr Walker it's all over, I've got to go, Standing tall and Rainy days and stormy nights. There are some notable omissions (Love ain't gonna wait for us, I'm not easy, If you want me) but all the really famous songs are here.
This compilation also features a generous selection of covers. Apart from those already mentioned, most of them are songs that were British pop hits for other singers and were no doubt chosen for that very reason, this being a British compilation. They include I don't wanna play house, Stand by your man (both Tammy Wynette). Help me make it through the night (John Holt), Heartaches by the number (Guy Mitchell), We love each other (Charlie Rich), Snowbird (Anne Murray), Harper valley PTA (Jeannie C Riley), Rose garden (Lynn Anderson), Ode to Billie Jo (Bobbie Gentry), Hurt (Timi Yuro), Take me home country roads (Olivia Newton John - song title listed here simply as Country roads) and Paper roses (Marie Osmond). There are covers of songs that didn't make the UK charts but which will be familiar to fans of traditional country music including Sweet music man (first written and recorded by Kenny Rogers), Desperado (the Eagles classic that numerous country singers have covered), I've never loved anyone more (an American country hit for Lynn Anderson), If you love me let me know (an American pop and country hit for Olivia Newton John), Faded love (one of many classic Bob Wills songs, though Patsy Cline made this song her own), Lizzie and the rain man (one of Tanya Tucker's early classic songs) and Your good girl's gonna go bad (Tammy Wynette's first big American country hit).
There was a time when Billie Jo was the most popular female country singer in Britain. Those days are long gone but this compilation reminds us how good she was. It is actually my second double CD of Billie Jo's music, the first (EMI country masters - 50 original hits) being long out of print. While there is significant overlap, I found enough songs here that weren't on the earlier compilation (about twenty) to justify the purchase price. If this becomes your first collection of her music, it's even better value."
Big Bang For Your Buck
Gerald B. Gibbons | Dowling, MI USA | 08/14/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"2 CDs = 48 tracks of the best of Billie Jo Spears - !
I think she is great and the songs are a very good match.
Buy it and enjoy."
Wonderful old country
Thomas P. Mcauliffe | Michigan | 01/06/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"An excellant cd, can't find anything negative about these cd's,should be in every country collection.Priceless.Great music!"
Track Listings (48) - Disc #1