"Did ya happen to see, the most beautiful girl the world?"
That was the first time I heard Charlie Rich. That single and "Behind Closed Doors" dominated pop and country radio in 1973. Then, some years later, after buying Elvis Costello's "Almost Blue" and wanting to track the original versions of those country covers, I found more Charlie Rich. Better Charlie Rich.
Rich had started recording in 1958 for the Philips label and continued to record for RCA, Smash, Hi Records in Memphis, Epic, United Artists and Mercury, and there is solid stuff on all of it.
Then on Saturday, I heard another gem. This one, played on Becky's Honky Tonky show on WFMU. This was a b-side on the Groove label. Check out my new favorite Charlie Rich tune, "Turn Around & Face Me."
Charlie sure got around. That's about eight labels in ten years, but man, it's tough finding a stinker in the lot between 1958-1970. And actually, whatever I disliked about "The Most Beautiful Girl" in 1973," no longer bothers me now.
Here's the one that started it all.
7 comments:
Tough to beat 'Philadelphia Baby', one of my all-time favorite tracks by anyone. Robert Plant turned me on to 'Life's Little Ups and Downs' (Epic 1969)- in an interview, he said he had been carrying it around in his hip pocket for years.
BTW, Plant did a smashing cover of 'PB' on the Porky's Revenge soundtrack.
Randy
The older I get, the better Charlie Rich's music gets.
paulinca
Similar story. Thought he was a hack, based on those two big hits at the time. But when I heard 'Mohair Sam' in the early 2000s, I opened my ears and have been rewarded since.
C in California
Charlie Rich put out some wonderful music. Turn Around and Face Me is excellent, such a great arrangement and performance.
While I'm not sure of a direct connection, I expect he had an influence in Australia. There's a book/CD/video called Buried Country that is worth checking out (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS34sBnVx3s). The first big single by an aboriginal was Jimmy Little's Royal Telephone in 1963 which could have fit into one of Charlie's albums (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7DqNqh9jQ8)
- Paul in DK
Charlie Rich's I Feel Like Going Home knocks me out every time I hear it. An extremely talented musician.
Never thought I'd add a Charlie Rich song to my library. Like most people, my perception of him is colored by "The Most Beautiful Girl ..."."Turn Around and Face Me" is fantastic.
Sam Philips said Charlie Rich was the single most talented individual he recorded.
There's a great story about Charlie Rich auditioning for one of Sam's producers (probably Jack Clement) who handed Charlie Rich a stack of SUN Singles and told him to: "Come back when you can play this lousy."
I heard an interview with Charlie who said Jerry Lee Lewis didn't want two piano players on SUN--and Charlie actually played piano on a couple of Jerry Lee's singles.
- Stinky
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