Hank Williams - The Unreleased Recordings [Time Life 2008]

Holy Shit! it's the motherlode, finally available in a nicely trimmed down book-set from Time Life. The 'unreleased' refers to a treasure trove of 72 fifteen minute radio transcriptions recorded in 1951-52 for Mother's Finest Flour, all for one-shot broadcast at WSM in Nashville, broadcasting at 50,000 glorious watts back then. This 3-CD set excises the entertaining and historically enjoyable conversation and sales-patter of the full 16-inch radio transcriptions, in exchange for presenting wonderfully cleaned up and re-mastered live takes from the shows. A couple dozen of never-before heard renditions of popular spirituals, Appalachian standards and formative tunes in Hank's career like Fred Rose's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" make this a must-have for even the casual Honky Tonk Country fan. This is a gift that rivals the archival Dylan Bootleg series, fleshing out the inspiration and context of Hank Williams finest work.

Included is a 38 page booklet documenting the legal wrangling and history of these recordings, found in a dumpster behind the WSM studios in the early 1980's. The fragile transcription discs were recorded to tape by Bob Pinson and circulated among hard-core collectors and bit-torrenters until the legal arm stepped in to curtail their distribution in any form. What will happen to the complete recordings is anybody's guess. In the meantime, the opportunity to hear clear and mournful renditions of Hank singing material like "Drifting Too Far From Shore" and "Ill Fly Away" with the original Drifting Cowboys serving as a crack supportive honky-tonk backing band is worth the price of admission. My only quibble is this Time Life set is not as all-comprehensive as collectors like me have come to expect from the great Bear Family box-sets, and annotation of the recording dates and personnel are lacking, but I'll get over that pretty darned easily by listening. It's nice to have the individual songs in this format and quality in addition to the 15 minute blocks the circulating "Mother's Finest" tapes offered. This set offers a more digestible dose for just about everyone, and will it will surely show up on a number of 'Top Ten' lists as 2008 draws to a shuddering halt. -Uncle Jeff

Hear many of these songs in context on Route 78 West, Sundays 10-12 noon MST on Radio 1190, KVCU Boulder, or get your daily dose from the show archives at www.route78west.com

The Unreleased Recordings Track List:

Disc 1:

1. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
2. Dust On The Bible
3. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
4. I Heard My Savior Calling Me
5. Precious Lord, Take My Hand
6. Hey, Good Lookin'
7. On Top Of Old Smoky
8. I Can't Tell My Heart That
9. I Dreamed That the Great Judgement Morning
10. Next Sunday Darling Is My Birthday
11. At The First Fall Of Snow
12. Dear John
13. The Blind Child's Prayer
14. I'll Have A New Life
15. On The Banks Of The Pontchartrain
16. Low And Lonely
17. Drifting Too Far From The Shore
18. I'm Gonna Sing

Disc 2:

1. I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)
2. Seaman's Blues
3. The Prodigal Son
4. Cherokee Boogie
5. Where He Leads Me
6. From Jerusalem to Jericho
7. Cool Water
8. I've Got My One Way Ticket To The Sky
9. Searching For A Soldier's Grave
10. California Zephyr
11. Softly And Tenderly
12. Just When I Needed You
13. Gathering Flowers For The Master's Bouquet
14. Why Should We Try Anymore
15. The Old Country Church
16. May You Never Be Alone
17. When The Fire Comes Down
18. Lonely Tombs

Disc 3:

1. Pictures From Life's Other Side
2. I'll Fly Away
3. Cold, Cold Heart
4. Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
5. When God Dips His Love In My Heart
6. Thy Burdens Are Greater Than Mine
7. When The Saints Go Marching In
8. I'll Sail My Ship Alone
9. Wedding Bells
10. Mind Your Own Business
11. You Blotted My Happy Schooldays
12. Where The Soul Never Dies
13. Pins And Needles (In My Heart)
14. Tennessee Border
15. There's Nothing As Sweet As My Baby
16. Wait For The Light To Shine
17. If I Didn't Love You
18. The Pale Horse And His Rider

Uncle Jeff