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Album Description: Millenium digipak edition, with original artwork and 8 previously unissued bonus tracks, 'You Got A Reputation', 'Lazy Days', 'Pretty Polly', 'The Christian Life' (rehearsal take #11), 'Life In Prison' (rehearsal take #11), 'You're Still On My Mind' (rehearsal take #43), 'One Hundred Years From Now' (rehearsal take #2) & 'All I Have Is Memories' (instrumental). 2001.Amazon.com essential recording: After Chris Hillman dragged new friend Gram Parsons into the Byrds, they made an album as close to a country masterpiece as a rock act could ever make. In fact, the only tunes better than the definitive covers here of songs by Bob Dylan ("You Ain't Going Nowhere"), Guthrie ("Pretty Boy Floyd"), and the Louvin Brothers ("The Christian Life") are Parsons's originals, especially the incomparable "Hickory Wind." Sweetheart wasn't the first country-rock album, but with its gorgeous three-way harmonies and sweet pedal steel, it remains the best. --David Cantwell
Customer Reviews:
- Cherished--A true "gem": After a recent conversation with my 14-year-old son, I got struck by the notion of writing reviews for some of the "gems" of my CD collection, probably to avoid doing something less appealing--but that's another story. In this context, "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" was the first CD that came to my mind. I don't know why exactly, but I listened to the original vinyl record countless times in my younger days because I just loved the lyrics and the folk-rock twist on country music. I was very happy when it was re-issued in CD format. The extra tracks on the CD are truly a bonus, but for me just being able to listen to the original record again is the real attraction. A true gem. Not to be missed.
- Gorgeous, beautiful, heartfelt, sincere, one of the greatest albums I've ever had the pleasure to own...: This is one of all time favorite albums, one that I've never gotten tired playing. It is also, I believe, the best album the Byrds ever put out. It gets labeled country rock, but to me, it is country music, pure and simple. It's not an album of a rock band dabbling around with country music, it's an album of a rock band actually playing it and playing it superbly. The feeling and love of this music comes through every note. If you didn't know better, you could have sworn this album was made by a real country band performing at the Grand Ole Opry.
The opener, You Ain't Going Nowhere, is one of the best Dylan covers the Byrds ever did. The song wasn't even recorded by Dylan by this time (it eventually appeared on Dylan's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 in a vastly inferior version to the Byrds's rendition). I always think of it as a Byrds song first. The version of the folk classic I Am a Pilgrim is the best I've ever heard. I love The Christian Life. Gram Parsons's vocal is so heartfelt that even non-believers can enjoy the song. Their rendition of You Don't Miss Your Water (a blues/country classic) is the best I've heard as well. Otis Redding covered this song too, but the Byrds give it more soul than Otis (which is not easy to do). I could go on praising every song, but I'll digress for now.
This is as great as any classic country album out there. It's a really special, moving, heartfelt, and beautiful album, made by a very underrated band. It's their best album, and one that grows even more profound and gorgeous everytime you listen to it. - 40 years hence, it still holds up: Sweetheart of the Rodeo
I was 14 when this LP was released. 40 years hence, I buy the CD. Loved it then; love it just as much now. The Byrds in their Nashville period. Simply great; 'nuf said. - Worth the price: I prefer a harder country sound, but my wife enjoys this CD and plays it often
- origins of the california rock sound: Like the review says, this a full immersion into the Bakersfield sound and big departure from the Byrds work to date. This Buck Owens sound in heavy doses like this can be overwhelming to those not expecting it. Use with caution,
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