Hank Snow - When Tragedy Struck '1959

Tracks list

When Tragedy Struck was a concept album built around songs of sorrow -- life's
devastating blows, including abandonment ("Nobody's Child"), the death of
children ("Put My Little Shoes Away," "Don't Make Me Go to Bed and I'll Be
Good"), and the death of a pet ("Old Shep," "Little Buddy"), appear throughout
the 11 songs here. That might make the album seem hopelessly downbeat -- and to
be sure, there is a dark and serious tone to it -- but to call this a one-note
album would be a mistake, and under-estimate the musical talent involved. The
variation of sounds here, ranging from ballads to waltzes -- and ending with a
jaunty rendition of "I'm Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail" -- provides more than
enough interest to transcend the seeming limitations of mood. And what the
differences in sound (and some virtuoso playing, especially on the guitars)
don't overcome, the sincerity of Snow's performances do. Indeed, few singers
ever succeeded in making heartbreak so alluring within a country-pop context, as
Snow gives voice to regret and sadness with a depth that can pull even the most
jaded and cynical listener inside -- at the risk of engaging in stereotypes that
are out-of-fashion, country people lived with the kinds of tragedies depicted
here, but even jaded city people can resonate to Snow's portrayal of the
emotions behind them here. The production by Chet Atkins, which includes
gospel-style organ but also a healthy mix of guitars, is slick in the best
mid-'50s Nashville countrypolitan style, but never loses sight of the roots of
country and gospel. One of Snow's strongest albums -- and his earliest album to
remain in print in the 21st century (as of 2012) -- When Tragedy Struck still
carries a lot of power more than a half-century after its release.

Tracklist:
1.01 - HANK SNOW - The Letter Edged In Black (3:22) 
1.02 - HANK SNOW - Old Shep (3:37) 
1.03 - HANK SNOW - The Prisoner's Prayer (3:44) 
1.04 - HANK SNOW - A Drunkard's Child (4:00) 
1.05 - HANK SNOW - Don't Make Me Go To Bed And I'll Be Good (3:28) 
1.06 - HANK SNOW - The Convict And The Rose (3:05) 
1.07 - HANK SNOW - Put My Little Shoes Away (3:04) 
1.08 - HANK SNOW - Little Buddy (3:19) 
1.09 - HANK SNOW - There's A Little Box Of Pine On The 7:29 (2:58) 
1.10 - HANK SNOW - Nobody's Child (3:12) 
1.11 - HANK SNOW - I'm Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail (2:16)

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