Number One Songs

While it's true that, strictly speaking, all of the titles included on this compilation reached the number one spot on the country charts, it is also true that the title and cover are more than a little misleading: none of these versions are original versions, and all of them are re-recorded jobs. Consequently, they all suffer when strictly compared to the singles. That's not to say that redoing some of his classics is a bad thing; it's not. He changes arrangements only slightly here, but it is quite noticeable to those familiar with his catalog. This is a typical repackage job, offering as little information as possible and not bothering to license the classics as they were first released. Despite a budget price tag, the consumer should be forewarned that this set doesn't hold a candle to any of the many best-of sets where these tracks appear in their initial incarnations. ~ Thom Jurek