Songs of the West

by

Emmylou Harris

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While a PROFILE III: THE BEST OF EMMYLOU HARRIS collection could have been a better addition to her catalog, SONGS OF THE WEST is still throughly enjoyable. The most valuable songs on the album, are the ones issued on domestic (or any) CD for the first time. THE BALLAD OF SALLY ROSE, and CIMARRON are two of my favorite, and two of her most beautiful, albums. Unfortunately, Warner Bros. has pulled these records from print, THE BALLAD OF SALLY ROSE is available through import, CIMARRON isn't available at all. This album includes the first two songs from CIMARRON, the magnificent "Rose Of Cimarron", and the beautiful "Spanish Is A Loving Tongue", and the Emmylou Harris origninal "The Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" from THE BALLAD OF SALLY ROSE. The other seven songs are equally fantastic. These aren't the only songs that would have worked on this collection, "Pancho & Lefty" (from LUXURY LINER) or the also unavailable "Sweetheart Of The Pines", penned by Emmylou Harris (from THIRTEEN), are just a few additional songs. The review from DIRTY LINEN fails to recognize is the value and beauty of "Rose Of Cimarron", "The Sweetheart Of The Rodeo", "Spanish Is A Loving Tongue", and all the other great songs on this album. I'm hoping that Warner Bros. will bring CIMARRON back into print, along with THIRTEEN, EVANGELINE, and LAST DATE (at least WHITE SHOES, and THE BALLAD OF SALLY ROSE are available through import). If Warner Bros. would bring these albums back in print I think they'd have some really quick sales.

I'm a big Emmylou fan, but this cd was a disappointment. Her more recent western songs, like "Ballad of a Runaway Horse" from _Cowgirl's Prayer_ and "My Antonia" from _Red Dirt Girl_, are far superior than any on this cd. The one thing I like about this cd is that I can put it in my cd player with other western cds and put it on random play without breaking the cowpoke mood (except fot the unfortunate pinball machine in Amarillo), which doesn't work with her other cds with their more southern flavor. Still, I might have used the money more wisely elsewhere, on some other Emmylou album or some other western cd.