Search - Skeeter Davis :: Rca Country Legends

From Rock-A-Bye Boogie to a Legend!

Larry L. Stout | Rushville, IN USA | 09/29/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The complete title of this CD tells it all: "RCA Country Legends - Skeeter Davis." Skeeter is truly a legend in both the country and pop recording industry. She opened the doors for such greats as Patsy Cline but has never been given the recognition that she deserves. She had 42 country charted recordings, 15 of which crossed into the pop charts; however, she was critized because of it while Patsy Cline was praised. This collection of 16 of her recordings includes her first chart recording (as half of the Davis Sisters) - "I Forgot More (Than You'll Ever Know)" which spent 8 weeks as #1 on the country charts and went to #18 on the pop charts. Also included are 3 other Davis Sisters recordings (including one previously unreleased in the U.S.) as well as "Oh Boy!" from her tribute albumn to the late Buddy Holly. The other 11 cuts are all Top 20 country hits, 8 of which made the pop charts including, of course, the recording that took Skeeter and country music to the world - "The End of the World." This CD presents the best of 2 eras, that of the great harmony of the Davis Sisters to the showcasing of the many talents of Skeeter Davis, a true legend that deserves to be in the Hall of Fame!!"

An interesting selection

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 04/16/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The strongest collection of Skeeter's music so far released is Essential, which I've already reviewed and is still in print as I write this. Half the tracks included there are reprised here including (of course) End of the world and I forgot more than you'll ever know. The other six are I can't help you I'm falling too, My last date with you. I'm saving my love, Gonna get along without ya now, What does it take to keep a man like you satisfied and Bus fare to Kentucky.Three of the other eight tracks are recordings that Skeeter made as one half of the Davis sisters, including a cover of Foggy mountain top. Another track is a cover of Oh boy, recorded for a Buddy Holly tribute album - this was released in the UK as part of a twofer with a Dolly tribute album. The remaining four tracks were all top twenty country hits for Skeeter - He says the same things to me (also a minor American pop hit), I can't believe that it's all over, There's a fool born every minute and Home breaker.It seems that Skeeter's fans will just have to get used to buying multiple copies of some songs. In 2004, Taragon and Collectables each released Skeeter compilations. Both contained tracks previously unavailable on CD but both had their quota of obvious tracks.If you haven't got any of Skeeter's music and you just want one collection, I recommend the Essential collection rather than this one - it includes several important songs that are missing from this collection. Despite the overlap with that collection, this is a good second choice."

Skeeter Davis One of the True Queens of Country Music

"Tee" | LA | 03/11/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's wonderful to see another collection of tracks by the great Skeeter Davis, the only woman who had big country music hits at the start of the 1960's and was still having them at the end of the decade. It is a bit dissapointing though that 8 of the 16 can be found on the classic ESSENTIAL SKEETER DAVIS cd from RCA in 1995 which is still in print and still selling great according to amazon's numbers. Still, the cost of this new CD is fairly low and not a bad deal to get eight rarer tracks along with eight classics. "The End of the World" continues to be one of the most legendary country records, in just the past few years , this Skeeter classic has appeared on the soundstracks of GIRL INTERRUPED and RIDING WITH BOYS. (Can hardly believe the last reviewer doesn't care for it, that's like a Tammy fan badmouthing Stand by Your Man or Loretta fan thumbs-downing Coal Miner's Daughter! though I do like his choices of rare old album cuts of Skeeter's that hopefully will one day become available on CD) I love the pop Skeeter (as she can be as pop as Carole King) AND the country Skeeter (she can be as hillbilly as anybody!), both sides of this talented lady amazingly will appeal to fans of both music genres. It's good to see "I Can't Believe That It's All Over", one of Skeeter's last big hits (a top 12 record from 1973) finally on CD as well as her Grammy-nominated "He Says the Same Things to Me" which was a top 20 country and top 50 pop hit in 1964. Skeeter's fine performances of "Oh Boy" (from her Buddy Holly tribute LP) and the rare early Davis Sisters tracks should hopefully lead others to the great CDS of Skeeter's that offer more of the same. When will RCA finally wake up and realize this lady has a big cult following in the USA (and her international following is well-known)? There is a market for CD reissues of her classic RCA albums!! Maybe when the CMA FINALLY puts this lady in the Hall of Fame where she has belonged for years!! (Skeeter is overwhelmingly the public's choice for the star who most deserves to be in the Hall of Fame and isn't yet from what I've seen on the internet.)"