Billy Joe Shaver
Greatest Hits
Compadre Records – 87482
visit Billy Joe's website
and also on myspace
also available on amazon
How they limit his greatest hits, and just maybe it should be called greatest songs, to just 18 songs is a wonder. This songwriter is the man that put, not only the word, but also the notion of outlaw, into the lexicon of country music. Here instead of hearing George Jones or Willie Nelson or Bob Dylan sing his songs you get the man himself singing them the way he meant them, with the soul and heart that they deserve, not that the others didn’t do them justice but here is the fine nuance that makes the songs spring alive. Some of it is recorded live and the stories behind the songs are there for the background they provide. On some of the cuts it is just him and his guitar, and on others he has a solid band playing with him, including a couple of cuts with his too soon
departed son Eddy, working his magic on the guitar strings. There are also 2 new songs included and they stand up to the benchmark that is set so high. You might complain that a favorite of yours isn’t included but jeez there are only 16 of his enormous catalogue included and they had to leave room for the 2 new ones, just be happy that “Georgia On A Fast Train,” “Old Chunk of Coal,” and “Honky Tonk Heroes” are covered. This is a good selection by any standard and he is a national treasure that should be celebrated.