He penned 15 of the 20 songs on this CD, among them many of my favorites like "She's Got the Rhythm" and most of all, "Midnight in Montgomery"...the entire CD is worth buying for this song alone...a moving tribute to Hank Williams, with a haunting, beautiful melody.

The musicianship thoughout is top-notch. Just listen to "I Don't Even Know Your Name"...it's spectacular, and those guitars on "Mercury Blues" !...just amazing. The booklet is great, with lyrics and commentary by Jackson about each song (though you'll need a magnifying glass to read it, it's worth it), and lots of photos, including a back page "centerfold" of Mr. Long 'n' Lean himself that's really, I mean really good.


Upbeat traditional country for the nineties   April 5, 2003
 8 out of 8 found this review helpful

Alan's brand of traditional country, with just enough of a contemporary edge to appeal to a modern generation, provides a contrast with the prevailing pop country normally recorded by Nashville's major label singers. This collection contains all his big hits from the early part of his career.

Many of the songs are upbeat, happy songs but I was drawn to his music originally by Here in the real world, a sad song that Alan delivers superbly, which was the title track of his debut album.

The album opens with Chattahoochie, a very upbeat song that should get those toes tapping. There are so many great songs here, including Gone country (an amusing song about failed pop and folk singers trying to sing country), Midnight in Montgomery (an ode to Hank Williams), I don't even know your name (which Alan wrote as a joke) and Someday (about always putting things off to be done some day).

Alan writes or co-writes most of his own material, but has also demonstrated his brilliance with covers. On this collection, you will find covers of Tall tall trees (George Jones), Summertime blues (Eddie Cochran) and Mercury blues.

This collection covers the hits from the albums Here in the real world, Don't rock the jukebox, A lot about living and Who I am, together with two songs especially recorded for this collection - I'll try and the previously-mentioned Tall tall trees. As I write this, there is no volume two, but there is certainly enough material for such a volume.


Traditional country in a mainstream world!   August 6, 2004
 7 out of 9 found this review helpful

Alan Jackson is one of those few stars who's made a career in the nineties out of sticking to his roots. George Strait's another I can think of...and Randy Travis...you gettin' the picture?

A traditionalist through-and-through, Alan Jackson is country to the core. Hell, his hat tells you all, but that's not enough to make a great artist. Nope, you need a smooth, country voice...a kind heart...one hell of a talent for songwriting...with those qualities, no one's gonna dispute that Alan Jackson is a great artist. No one.

From such honky-tonkers as "Don't Rock the Jukebox;" to more rockin (but still country, ya'll) songs like "Mercury Blues; to heart-wrenching ballads like "Who Says You Can't Have It All;" to confessional pieces like "Home"--this CD has it all. If it's country, it's here. This is Alan Jackson's early years...and guess what? He's still making music like this today, and he's still churning out #1 hits. In my book, that's incredible. "Greatest Hits Collection" is definitely a CD that all country music fans should own. And for those of you out there who listen to some other type of music...buy this CD and see what you're missing.