Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs

YE-(and I cannot stress this enough)-HAW

gangsta songs to listen to when you wanna shoot someone

Unexpectedly wonderful. Great storytelling, sing-along-ability: proper cowboy waltzes. Loved it!

Can't believe how much I love this for a country album. Amazing lyricism, great voice, solid understated guitar work. I'm going to need to pick this up on wax

FUCK AMERICA, WE RIDE WITH WESTERN PRIDE BABY BOY

Fallout new vegas 10/10

This is a special album for me since it showed me that country music is actually kinda cool and is not always the mindless redneck pandering garbage that is polluting the genre.

I've always had a soft spot for Marty Robbins. I'm not sure why, as I didn't listen to him much growing up, nor was I overly enamored with the Wild West or gunslingers otherwise. However, I find I can identify him as singer even if I don't know the song. I've never actually listened to this album until today, but am happy to give it 5 stars. I don't know if I'll ever reach for it again, but I certainly wouldn't turn it off if it were playing otherwise...

A true classic right here. My first exposure to Marty Robbins, as is probably the case for most people my age and younger, was hearing "Big Iron" on the radio in Fallout: New Vegas. I was obsessed with that song (and several others in the game), and eventually I had the urge to seek out the man responsible. Robbins was an immensely talented country musician, who not only sang but wrote many of his timeless tracks. He found a lot of success and popularity during his time, but I think he's a little underrated by today's standards, at least in retrospective discussion of country artists like Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson or whoever else. I'm a Marty Man, and this album should show you why. All the tracks really do feel like they belong out on the range, on the trail. Great cowboy tales and imagery, and just infectious melodies to boot. The whole thing was recorded in one, eight-hour session! Sounds a bit like Black Sabbath's debut, another 5-star album from me. I don't know what it is, but some great artists seems to really shine when put in that pressure cooker. Anyway, go listen to El Paso at full blast and dream about that Mexican maiden. Favorite tracks: Big Iron, El Paso, The Hanging Tree, Strawberry Roan, The Master's Call, They're Hanging Me Tonight. Album art: Truly iconic, I love simple designs like this from the '50s, and it's also just an extremely bold color plus Marty in cowboy get-up. This one lives in my heart and mind forever. 5/5

Marty Robbins is a gangster. Dude can sing and his lyrics are so badass. I wasnt expecting to enjoy this but it was fire. Just wish a few of the slower songs were faster. Big iron is best song followed by Billy the kid

I think Marty has a beautiful voice and this album evokes the American imaginary of the time- heroic explorers using their bravery and ingenuity to tame the wild west. Music wise I can hear in the influence of Texas Swing, precursors to Johnny Cash and even glimmers of Charlie Feathers and rockabilly. Fun stuff!

Is this a book on tape?

I’ve written enough words over the course of the last 200 records to fill a book and, at this point, I feel like there’s no need to explain myself: This record sucks.

lmao drugs man

big irooooon, big iroooon

1959's Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs from Marty Robbins, a seminal C&W album with a one foot firmly in the Western half as it bridges the decades into the 1960's. These are like mini Western movie stories, with all the tropes, heroes, fair damsels in distress, love lost and gained, and guns a'blazin. If you're like me and spent a fair amount of time listening to the Grateful Dead, then you know the song El Paso, which the band performed nearly 400 times in their long touring career.

This was a real breath of fresh hair. I hadn't heard of this artist before and I loved this album. Added multiple songs from it to my playlist.

SYNOPSIS: Pretty interesting. Not entirely my vibe but I liked a couple of songs overall. TOP TRACKS: 1. Big Iron 2. El Paso 3. The Master's Call FINAL RATING: 5/10

Old cowboy running through the west

I have had this on repeat all day. That voice, like gold soaked in honey but with a slight hint of menace on par with Johnny Cash. I can hear Marty Robbins' sound in the DNA of American, Outlaw Country, Gram Parsons and even Nick Cave in his murder ballad era. Amazing stuff and an original artform

yep.. totally badass duh

I love this! I've heard They're Hanging Me Tonight before and instantly loved the sad, trembling 50s voice and gently plodding guitar strumming in the background. I feel like an old-fashioned cowboy listening to this and I'm sure that's what Marty intended.

That’s the Western album box checked then

Leuke country. Zo lollig dat het zelfs nipt 5 sterren verdient!

Like fallout and rdr2 had a baby

This is deceptively dark. The melodies are white bread and sound happy while the content is dark as any modern rap album. Old school country is so much better than the pandering red neck shit we have today.

It's a certified cowboy bean eating banger.

"This is Mr. New Vegas, and I feel something magic in the air tonight, and I'm not just talking about the gamma radiation.".

i really don’t know what or how to rate this. the songs were fine but with this genre i can’t tell them apart, they all sound the same to me

Thought I'd scan through the reviews as I listened to this. You really get a sense of the overwhelming lack of empathy from what I assume is mostly younger folks. Might not be younger folks. But the crowd that uses "I hate country" and "this is cheesy" and "I'm not a cowboy so I can't relate" and so on as their justification for dismissing this album are curiously bereft of any ability to connect with anything or anyone outside of their narrow range of interest. Even the video game crowd can sort of only connect with the one song that was in that video game they play. Isn't the point of going on this "1001 records" journey to be exposed to records from different genres, different cultures, different time periods? It seems as though many are seeing it as an opportunity to talk about all the ways they managed to be offended by a record. And then there's those who want to compare this to gangsta rap thanks to the subject matter. Some of the songs on Robbins' album are old traditional songs written back in a time when the west really hadn't been settled yet, and the world was an entirely different place than, say, '90s Compton. And recognizing the huge cultural impact this and subsequent albums, tv shows and movies had... the "western" was ubiquitous back in the day. This record absolutely deserves to be on this list for any number of reasons. For me, ultimately, I see his perfectly clean suit and shoes on the cover, and hear the beautifully sung music with no rough edges other than the words themselves, and it feels like a museum piece... unlike the feeling I get when I hear Hank Williams Sr. "El Paso" I've known since I was a kid, I don't remember where I first heard it, it's lilting melody belies the dark story... "Big Iron" is great and "Cool Water" I know from Sons of the Pioneers. I can do about 4 songs on this before the production start sounding samey. Beautiful, but samey. I just encourage people to see the beauty in the world, see the beauty in the records you are unfamiliar with, learn about the artist or circumstances around the recording the album or its cultural impact... practice finding something positive to say.

5/5 every song on this one is fantastic, any time someone tells me they don’t like country I point them in this direction.

I really enjoyed this! Lyrically, it's like a cross between a particularly detailed health and safety report crossed with proto gangsta rap, combined with assertive yet comforting harmonies. The music reminds me of the sort of hipster western music that had a moment in the 90s, no doubt strongly inspired by Mr Robbins - just getting me ready to hear the real-ish deal for the first time 25 years later.

It starts off extremely strong, and even though it goes in a different direction for the rest of the album, it's filled with soothing and enjoyable songs. No song in this album is wasted, even if they seem to be all the same. Overall, this album is great for just zoning out or feeling relaxed. Favorite track: Big Iron

Helemaal wat je verwacht op basis van de cover. Ik kan er wel van genieten.

I mean if you like gunfighter ballads, then I guess this is the album for you. I don't think I would include it on a list of albums you have to listen to before you die.

This album was just plain boring. Simple guitar strums with stories put to simple melodies. I wish I knew what made this an album that I needed to listen to.

Body count higher than a Quentin Tarentino film.

red dead redemption

Marty takes us on a cinematic journey through the old west in a musical style we just don't get much of these days. Sure, it's a bit of a one-trick pony, but the album's all about ponies...or horses...or something like that.

Reminds me of my Dad. :)

Made me feel like I was sitting in a rocking chair on a porch in a big ranch house drinking bourbon and smoking cigars

they all kinda sound the same, but thats not really the point. Quite alike Johnny Cash, which is great. cool storytelling. Favourite songs: Big iron, a hundred and sixty acres, Utah Carrol, El Paso, the hanging tree. Overall around 7/10

Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs I really enjoyed this, putting me in mind of The Big Lebowski or a very watchable western on TV on a Sunday afternoon. It’s an interesting genre, Western music, I do like it, mainly as I like a lot of the 50s and 60s western movies. It has probably been subsumed by Country and Country & Western, but I really like its Spanish influenced non-fiddle folk feel, and that it’s immediately evocative of a specific time and place, however mythical that world may be. He has a very 50s voice, almost like a crooner, and he has a great sense of small scale drama that really suits the relatively simple backing and the themes and well constructed stories of the songs. I particularly liked Big Iron, Cool Water, They’re Hanging Me Tonight, The Strawberry Roan, Running Gun and Utah Carol I could happily listen to this all day, it’s on the cusp of 3 and 4, I’ll tip over to 4 as I’m sure I’ll revisit this more. 🤠🤠🤠🤠 Playlist submission: Big Iron

Macho music that boosts confidence.

Cowboy cuddles be still my heart. This hits that sweet spot nostalgia of a 50s version of Western that existed in the American imagination. Confection.

This is, of course, the ultimate western album. It is genuine cowboy songs from a guy who did not live to see the development of the western frontier. Depending on how old you are, you know this album best from El Paso (you're old) or Big Iron (you're not old). El Paso was Robbins' best-charting song during his career and was inducted into the grammy hall of fame in 1998. Big Iron was included in the soundtrack for video game Fallout: New Vegas in 2010, and was subsequently memed in various different ways. For what it's worth, both songs are excellent western stories but Big Iron has my heart forever. What a treat! Smooth harmonies, warm guitars, and vivid imagery make this a classic. It's no wonder why Marty Robbins was immortalized for his dedication to the western song.

"El Paso" alone deserves a spot on this list. That rare country-pop crossover that's as timeless as ever. And every other song on this album sounds like it's trying to be another El Paso. That's meant as a complement. None of have the magic of "El Paso" but are enjoyable nonetheless. It took Breaking Bad and a video game to introduce Marty Robbins to new generations. My second favorite Marty Robbins song is, "You Gave Me A Mountain", but I prefer the hundreds of live versions Elvis did in the '70's during his final fat years.

very cowboy age, easy to listen while applying for jobs

There was nothing offensive about this, and it was relatively pleasant to my ears, but I just can’t relate to being an old-timey cowboy.

Fun and charming, but also feels kitschy by today's standards. Also telling that people complain about rap being too violent, meanwhile this album might as well be call "Jaunty Homocide."

How do I rate a collection of songs that I personally do not care for or about but recognize the importance of to the broader cultural landscape of this country?

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Very different vibe than today’s country music. Enjoyed his voice and the more direct storytelling style, even if the stories were mostly about people he needs to shoot.

The juxtaposition of dark lyrics against upbeat music on some of the songs such as El Paso is masterful.

You don't hear enough "W" these days. El Paso I know, which drifts into The Wild Rover in my head if you let it. Highly enjoyable, with hints of earlier Elvis, although it can sound like a Mexican restaurant at times.

Super cheesy. Gorgeous recordings. What a voice. This is one of those, "yeah, but it just makes me smile" albums.

Elvis style voice with Johnny Cash style lyrics, this went hard. I recently got back to playing Fallout 3 and these tracks were grade A wasteland music (3.5/5)

I feel like every song on this album would kill at a campfire.

Sembra un pre Rock'n'Roll. La voce somiglia addirittura a Elvis Presley. Personalmente mi piace il tipo di ritmo ma l'album ascoltato tutto insieme è un po' ripetitivo perchè le canzoni si somigliano molto tra loro. Inoltre non sono riuscito a trovare una canzone che risaltasse in modo originale tra le altre.

Who knew Marty Robbins wrote the original Hanging Tree song

This cowboy novelty record has one good/maybe great song in “El Paso”, surrounded by infantile fantasy.

i hate country

This will be a sequel to my review of John Prine’s self titled album: Country music is like those Super Mario and Zelda games released for the Phillips CD-i. It’s that ‘Gollum’ game developed by Daedalic Entertainment the came out in 2023 (so bad it put them out of business). It’s the equivalent of being forced to play ‘Superman 64’ on the Nintendo 64. It’s the ‘WWE 2K20’ of the WWE 2K annual series. It’s like being forced to play ‘Rogue Warrior’. Or ‘Battlefield 2042’ at launch; oh yeah, that game. Have you ever tried to suddenly move with a broken shoulder? That’s what country music is like. When you stub your toe on the corner of your bed? That’s country music! You ever had a migraine so bad that it makes you vomit and confines you to your bed because any form of light just makes it worse? Yeah, that’d be country music. Back pain? Country music. It’s like getting severe leg cramps due to lack of potassium. Have you ever been shown an overly long YouTube video that your friend, who is right beside you, thinks is hilarious; but it’s 2 minutes too long and you have to sort of fake laugh so you don't offend them? Then you think “well that’s that”, but they unfortunately show you another one? That’s country music! Listening to this album was like pouring milk into your cereal, but the milk is well past its sell-by date and is just a gloopy and smelly mess; completely ruining your morning. It was like being stuck in highway traffic with your kid having a meltdown in the back seat. It’s like watching the first season of ‘The Office’. It’s like watching the last season of ‘Scrubs’. It’s like watching the entirety of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. It was like having my toddler scream in my left ear, and my cat screaming in my right ear. It was like watching ‘Kick-Ass 2’ right after the original. It’s like watching every mediocre spaghetti western on the planet (and they’re all mediocre). Hell, you’d do better to listen to a Wesley Willis album than this. It was like eating chicken that you thought was cooked properly, but you realize after a few bites that it could have used another 10 minutes in the oven and now you possibly have salmonella. It's like that time my toddler got hand, foot and mouth disease and passed it onto me. It's like my psoriasis when I have a bad flare up. It's like that time I fell and fractured my ankle. Fergie's rendition of the American national anthem at the NBA All-Star game a few years back is better than listening to this. Phew. I did listen to it, by the way. All the way through. And I hated it. It's just cowboy nonsense and country clichès. I have yet to come in contact with a country album that makes me even consider turning my opinion around on the genre. 1/5

The music is slightly better than the album cover. Good voice but no thanks. Also he’d be cancelled for singing about a “hanging tree”. Meant to be played on vinyl- El Paso on there two times…

This album is simply awful. Nonsence cowboy music. Favourite song: There really wasnt one Least favourite: All of them Album artwork: Very American

That was a bit hard to listen to. Far too country and western for me.

As a UK resident living in West Yorkshire this album is of very little relevance to me. Although parts of Bradford do nowerdays resemble The Wild West. But I do appreciate that these songs are of significant historical value to my American friends so do not want to dismiss this album out of hand. I’ll leave it at that with a rating which reflects my own personal enjoyment the album. As a historical document I’m glad the album exists for future generations. 1/5 (over 200 albums in and my stats indicate that the 1950’s are my favourite decade - which it isn’t. This rating has nothing to do with bringing the average down but can’t help hoping that it does so that the 60’s and 70’s rightfully go top!) 9/8/24

Definitley not my Style

I had no idea being a cowboy was so boring.

not my style of music

well it's 1959 country. We are past that and it's for the best. 1 stars

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn.

NOPE!!!

This is an all around no for me.

I tried but couldn’t.

not a cowboy music fan

Possibly the worst style of music I can think of. He wasn't bad but I didn't enjoy it at all.

Absolutely awful.

Qué se yo, el country me chupa la pija. Si lo reemplazo por Este Destino Cantor de Cafrune serían 5 estrellas, pero el disco que que estoy reiteando es esta cosa.

Lots of gun lyrics.

Not really a thing I would seek out, but it's extremely pleasant to listen to. The RevOla remastered release also sounds great for a 66-year-old record.

This is one of my favorite albums. I've listened to Marty Robbins my whole life. I remember when he had a variety show on tv. He's the real deal. A true entertainer.

"Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs" is the fifth studio album by American country and western singer-songwriter Marty Robbins. Country and Western are the Wiki-listed genres. We got both kinds, we got country and Western. I did not expect the Blues Brothers turning up twice on the bingo card this week. The album is critically cited for being the most influential album of Western songs in post World World II American music. The bandmembers included Robbins (vocals, guitar), Grady Martin (lead guitar), Jack Pruitt (rhythm guitar), Bob Moore (bass), Louis Dunn (drums, fiddle) and and backing vocalists Tompall & the Glaser Brothers and Bobby Sykes. The album reached #6 on the US Pop Albums Chart and #20 in the UK. In 2017, the album was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for its artistic significance. The album opens with "Big Iron." Acoustic guitar and soft drum ticks. Robbins with an outstanding high tenor voice. Harmony backing vocals. Robbins describes the legendary dual of an Arizona ranger and the notorious Texas Red who meets his match. The fiddle is featured in the Bob Nolan cover "Cool Water." Strong harmonization as Robbins' vocals soar as he struggles with despair and searches for hope. The narrator struggles to tame his horse in the waltz-timed "Strawberry Roan." A comparison of life's challenges and taming his horse. A Spanish-sounding guitar is one of the highlights in "El Paso." Robbins falls in love with a Spanish girl. Outstanding vocal harmonies as Robbins' vocals approach mythical Roy Orbison levels. "The Master's Call" is a religious parable of a man with a life of sin who gets redemption. A softer song with a strumming guitar and soft backing vocals harmonies. This album is outstanding if just for Robbins' tenor voice which is on par with Roy Orbison and for the outstanding backing vocal harmonization. The stories are compelling true to the album title with gun duals, a religious parable and tales of outlaws, cowboys and hitmen and with themes of regret, jealously, loyalty, hardship, redemption and love. The music is sparse with acoustic guitars, soft drums and sometimes a fiddle. It's easy to hear the album's influence on country, folk and country rock music over the next two decades. This is an outstanding album well deserved of its historic placement. A very high recommendation.

Sometimes the best music is little more than a hoot and Gunfighter Ballads is a hoot and a half. Even when the subject matter is more serious Gunfighter Ballads is a feel-good album that leaves you in high spirits with a smile on your face - sometimes art has no higher purpose than to keep you company on a cold Monday morning as you drink your first cup of coffee and feel all but certain that it would be a good week because no bad week has ever started with the reassuring music of Marty Robbins. Happy trails young buck happy trails and lots of luck.

An enjoyable album. Marty had a pleasant voice. His songs told a story. I liked the Spanish guitar in "El Paso". Worst song: "Cool Water" and two very emotional songs: "They're Hanging Me Tonight", and "Utah Carol", and best song: "El Paso".

A classic country album .

Great stories and western music

CLASSIC. Always loved this record. It gets a lot of love for Big Iron, and rightfully so, but the whole album is chock full of wonderful tales of the wild west. Marty's singing perfectly captures the aesthetic he's going for, and the tunes are all catchy and fun. Despite the fun musicality of the record there's an underlying darkness that the stories don't shy away from. If you take the time to follow Marty along on the adventures he takes you on, you'll find death and despair at every corner; I appreciate this kind of sad, grounded presentation of the lawless west, which is often sanitized in the same way pirate stories are. *Heard before

Holy shit Marty is amazing. I am a bona fide Marty animal. Life for the marty over here. Marty down that’s what I say. Seriously this is great.

EVERY SONG IS A 10/10

easy 5! great storytelling and simple twangy old boy country. Marty nailed it with this one. Also my introduction to Marty was Big Iron like everyone thats played Fallout, wish I came across his stuff earlier.

Love love love this album! I once bought an entire crate of records because this album was one of them. The rest were mostly junk but it was worth it for ol Martys cowboy songs. I love that most of the people in these songs are absolute fucking idiots. El Paso is literally about a guy who shoots another man in a bar because he’s talking to a woman the first guy… likes? She doesn’t even seem to really care about him at all and he just guns a man down. He’s down bad. Marty wrote lots of great albums but this is his best!

I really loved this album and realized El Paso was very familiar from my childhood! The vocals were great throughout the whole album!

This was great! I don't like more modern country, but the older artists I can usually enjoy and this was a big surprise. I had heard El Paso before but the rest of this album blew me away. This will probably go into my regular listening rotation.

Great

I know "El Paso" from the Grateful Dead.

Gunfighter Ballads is not only a culturally significant album but it is a delight to listen to. Robbins not only wrote 4 of the songs on the album, all of which have become legendary folk songs, but his renditions of the other songs have become the versions that introduced post-War America to the Spirit of the West. Robbins' singing, storytelling, and strumming is earnest and yet performed with the ease of a Cowboy.

Classic stuff from one of the greats! saw him live at the Grand Ol' Opry back '73... fun stuff.

I love Cowboy ballads. And this is one of my favourite albums

This is the two hundred fifteenth album I’m rating. I've heard many great things about Marty Robbins, but I've yet to listen to a song. Adding to my Playlist - Big Iron, Cool Water, The Strawberry Roan, In the Valley, The Master's Call, and The Little Green Valley. Not Adding to my Playlist - Billy the Kid, A Hundred and Sixty Acres, They're Hanging Me Tonight, El Paso, Running Gun, and Utah Carol. All in all I liked 6/12 songs. I liked it but not as much as The Louvin Brothers which came out around the same time.

Wow! Did not expect this to be as incredible as it was. From the first guitar twangs in Big Iron to the last beat in the repeated El Paso, I was hooked. Marty Robbins has the perfect voice for this country/western style, the music was a treat to listen to throughout, and the storytelling was top notch. There were several highlights on the album. Starting off with a bang, Big Iron is the best track on the album, fun story. Billly The Kid also has a good story going. They're Hanging Me Tonight is sad and sweet. The Strawberry Roan, The Master's Call, Running Gun, Utah Carol and El Paso are all great. No blanks in Marty's revolver, he's firing all shots off. Loved it! Best song: Big Iron