Green Green Grass Of Home – TOM JONES****

Riders In The Sky/He’ll Have To Go/Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings/Sixteen Tons/Two Brothers/My Mothers Eyes/Green Green Grass Of Home/Ring Of Fire/Field Of Yellow Daisies/Wish I Could Say No To You/All I Get From You Is Heartaches/Mohair Sam/Cool Water/Detroit City

Green Green Grass Of Home showcases Tom Jones' interpretation of classic country songs. The title track was a UK No. 1 hit single and reached No. 11 in the States. Also included are the UK top ten hits Detroit City and Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings. (US:65 UK:3)

"Many of the songs are remakes of classic country and western genre songs, along with a few standards such as My Mother's Eyes. Jones even covers the legendary Johnny Cash with a more rock oriented update of Ring Of Fire. Most of the songs tend to the romantic ballad side, although musical arrangements mostly stay true to a more country and less orchestral sound, which was uncommon for Jones in the late 60s. The highlight is the title track, an international smash hit single that gave Jones his second #1 hit in the UK."

"The music here is some way removed from the country music then coming out of Nashville. Three of the songs became huge UK pop hits for Tom, and helped to increase awareness of country music in Britain. This is an excellent album that showed how, with a little adaptation, country music could appeal to a much wider audience back in the sixties."

"Many of the tracks on this album look back from the sixties to earlier decades as Tom does his own versions of country classics such as Ring Of Fire and the Jim Reeves classic He'll Have To Go. From the similar genre we also have Ernie Ford's Sixteen Tons and Vaughn Monroe's Ghost Riders In The Sky. All interesting and all in the unique, and at this stage developing, Jones style. Green Green Grass Of Home is the obvious highlight, but this album will be of interest to country fans as well as the Jones faithful."

"This great album from Tom's early years shows the man from the valleys in fine voice. His choice of material tends to the mellow end of the spectrum - with a hint of melancholy. Tom has only a few 'belters' here - such as Detroit City. This is Tom showing his range of emotion and expression. Its also great fun. A good listen and well worth the purchase price."