Tragic Songs of Life

This is the kind of music my dad would play to get me out of bed if I slept too late on the weekends. I like this style of music more now than when I was a kid but still have a bit of trauma from the audio torture from my teenage years.

Honestly a fun change. Not really my jam but a good cultural experience.

This is extremely classic country / slowgrass. Beautiful harmonies, nostalgia. Objectively good quality even if it's not really something I want to hear often.

Definitely the most honky tonk album I’ve heard so far. Think all of the songs sounded a little tooo similar

Amazing songs. What would have seemed tired and cheesy before alt country now sounds fresh - if a little conventional

If that’s the sort of thing you like, then you’ll really like that sort of thing! Crisp, olde tyme country music with good harmonies and all the instruments you’d expect from a 50’s country album. Not my cup of tea, but I respect the collection for what it is.

I have not heard of the Louvin Brothers let alone heard their music. The title of the album sounds intriguing. The music is mostly acoustic guitars which is not bad. The vocals are the twanging sanging country style which I am not that fond of. There are some nice harmonies. Mostly the songs are sad songs.Sometimes murder is involved. I prefer the songs that are a little more upbeat. This is an okay album. You would probably like it better if you were a true country fan. An average album. Three stars.

I do like the bluegrass style and I like the harmonies on this album. To me it's not Earth shattering, nor would I choose this album to play regularly as it's otherwise not something I'm terribly interested in.

Generally really enjoy country, but this was a bit whiny for me vocally. Enjoyed the guitar and banjo work.

Painfully samey bluegrass country cry in your beer stuff. It isn’t terrible, but it’s certainly not good. Couldn’t finish. ⭐️.5

Much too samey.

I understand why it's here, but I don't have to like it. Rating: 4/10

2.8

Just didnt get it

Well I thought these good ol’boys were a bit shit.

Man get these guys some bitches, Jesus Christ liven up a little bit.

Some of the most beautiful vocal harmonies you’ll ever hear, performing heartbreaking songs of death and heartbreak.

This is a rough listen for modern audiences. It did feel thematic after coming home from church though

This album is downright depressing. Twangy country music, songs of murder and Kentucky, wrapped up with songs about Jesus. Tragic indeed.

Well - that was interesting. I do enjoy traditional country, although not as a steady diet. The harmony was good, I didn’t have to skip any tracks in frustration, and I got a chuckle that on Apple Music they have a warning that some tracks are labeled “religious overtones” - 😆- meanwhile Biggie’s recording himself having sex on his album and just gets the standard “E”. So plus one for not being gross.

Way too twangy and country for me. Can't really stand country at all. But again I can't bring myself to rate it 1 star. Just because I can appreciate old school country for what it's worth. Much more bearable than modern pop country.

Стандарт реднек кантри Мне зашло яху

At least old country is more bareable to listen to. Not a big fan of country. But they're both good at harmonizing and singing. 1/5

Tragic Songs of Life - The Louvin Brothers (1956) With this album and Will The Circle Be Unbroken by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, I'm afraid Country just isn't for me. At least this one is much shorter. ⭐⭐ 4.5/10 EDIT: Every track sounds similar but I liked the last one (Mary of the Wild Moor) more than the rest.

I can’t quite decide what style this is but it was pretty boring to me

At first it sounds like so many other albums from the genre and period, but there is something about this that really warms my cockles.

Every version of “In the Pines” I’ve heard is great, though I am partial to the Nirvana Unplugged version. It’s also the best thing on this album.

1.25 - I can die without hearing more music like this. Not for me.

I generally like country music; these guys, not so much

54

The feel like it should be a Type O Negative record. 😂🤣 Really enjoying this records so far. I like good folksy music.

I know this list includes a variety of eras and genres, but this album was so hard to get through. It has not aged well. Not so much tragic as maudlin and cringe inducing.

3.2

They’re ugly as hell that’s why this isn’t that good.

One of the best harmony singing hypocrites in country music. The song lyrics are nearly always insipid.

Antecedente claro de los Everly Brothers, perocon sonidos country. Prefiero a los Everly o al Kingston Trio. Suenan bien, eso sin duda. Kentucky o Leth her go, God bless her me gustan más que I´ll be all smiles tonight.

You have to be a real country fan to listen to this. But why would you?

I'm not the right person to judge this type of music since it is as far as possible from what I like.

I'm not a fan of country music but there's an undeniable beauty in the aching harmonies of these boys. Not sure when or why I'd choose to put this on again but I've enjoyed it today, nonetheless.

TRAGIC SONGS OF LIFE - The Louvin Brothers (1958) - 11/1001 I cant believe Joe Biden made an album. And it's ass.

Solid country harmony not as good as satan is real

The harmonies were decent but all the songs sounded the same. And the lyrics…yeesh. Different type of country music than others on the list (some of the guitar work sounded like mariachi) but still not my thing.

Are these the songs that were sung around Confederate campfires? What kind of troglodyte chauvinist does this appeal to? This is not Post-Appalachian nostalgia, it’s just discordant digression.

Back in the days when Country and Western actually were two different genres. This is as Country as is gets. This is horrible.

eh

Echt niet voor mij, aangepaste standards zijn ook matig

Folclor gringo. Muy agudo y pueblerino.

50's bluegrass country music. Not my jam.

a chill hootenanny. 2 stars

Repetitive, monotonous, boring country music. You've heard one song you've heard it all.

Yeah, not my thing. I can tolerate bluegrass when it is live, sometimes, but this was a tough one to get through. I'm glad some people like it. I appreciate that later artists claimed that it was an influence years after its release, so it belongs here. The albums I persoanlly appreciate from their importance in music history are those that contribute new and unique threads. There is nothing original nor perticulalry innovative here. Mostly, I'm with the folks when it was released on this one. I reserve 1* for albums that for me are unlistenable. This is a perfect example of an album I can both respect and absolutely hate. My cat was yowling toward the end of my listen. I suppose that could mean that she really likes the album, but I like to think that she is with me.

You know what, that was a nice change of pace. Not my normal cup of tea, but just glad for something interesting with little stories (and a fun easter-egg with the Nirvana inspiration).

meh for me even though unique in terms of what i listen to

Nope. This is my idea of hell.

Consigo visualizar facilmente um bando de caipira da terra do Tio Sam cantando loucamente pra esquecer a loucura que é ser um estadunidense

excellent. More of a greatest hits or compilation than an album tho.

Pretty much what it says on the tin. Tragic, with a real old folk song feel. Just feel like I've heard more compelling versions of many of these.

2,5 stars

Decently pleasant sounding country interspersed with horrifying tales of murder and suicide. Old country music subjects are as varied and interesting as the time signatures they use. 6/10

Yee haw! I love a good Appalachian murder ballad, and I love a good close harmony. This was a really enjoyable listen while I cleaned the house, unfortunately I did need to stop after “Satan Lied To Me”, as my skin started to smoulder and the Holy Spirit appeared across the street and started heckling me. I know she was talking to me because it got very specific and quite hurtful. (I’m okay now, thanks for asking)

Very pleasantly surprised with how enjoyable this was, I thought it was going to be repetitive or annoying being from the 50s. But it’s really cool to see where some original country music recordings started and where they went to, four stars.

Damn if this wasn't a lil bit of a slog. Cute songs here and there but sames bass lines and drums hold this back. 5/10

kinda hokey but ok

I suspect The Louvin Brothers are included here as representatives of traditional country/bluegrass music. In any case, I can’t find anything on *Tragic Songs Of Life* that would justify its inclusion on this list. Sixteen mind-numbingly boring songs that not only sound the same but were also all arranged and produced using the same formula - even the vocal harmonies are always the same. At least the sound is clean... I could have recorded this album this morning before breakfast. I don’t see anything noteworthy here.

We've been through some country records on this list by now, While each sounds different from the other, this still has to end up in one of the least standout ones. Throughout the album, but especially in the opening song 'Kentucky', some guitar melodies resemble something that you'd hear in some Italian alley. Like I usually say about country: it wasn't bad or anything, it just didn't move me really, and no song really stood out either. Maybe this was groundbreaking when it came out in '56, but I would never know. Weak 3.

Pretty forgettable country album. The guitar made it sound more like something you'd hear playing in a Mexican restaurant before the singing started. Not really sure when I'd ever listen to this. 2 stars.

I like bluegrass harmonies. Most of the album was quaint, but then Knoxville Girl was like Slim Shady (a song about killing a girl).

Not bad and the harmonies are impressive at times, but feels more like a curio piece than anything. Makes me realize why this list only goes back so far in time.

Not bad but does all kind of sound the same over the course of listening. & probably prefer just about any other version of 'In the Pines.'

I dont like country

I'm sorry to say that I'm just not really that bothered about this one.

It's not really my cup of tea, but I get why it's such an important album.

What a great, crazy, virtuosic, creative piece of work. The Louvin Brothers were probably no fun to have dinner with, but they were inarguably some of the most influential musicians ever. You can draw a (nearly) direct line between this record and loads of contemporary pop, rock, country, etc. Plus, great harmonies!

50s country, sure. It's probably better than what else was out there at the time, and probably better than modern country. 3 Heard before? No Owned: No, 106/412 (25%) Will I get: No

Aptly dark and heavy songs (as if the album title wasn't already an indicator), but all too similar sounding in the harmonies and overall song construction.

Of an era

These guys were probably the Arctic Monkeys of their time.

All very one paced but an interesting glimpse into traditional American music before it morphed into country and western nonsense.

I really need some more context as to why he murdered the Knoxville Girl. That was just brutal! That aside, this is some weird intense religious juju. Did people really listen to these lyrics and go with it, it just makes me feel anxious?! Musically I guess the tight harmonies are entertaining (for a while), but the Greek taverna like guitar licks are just weird and off putting. That’s one of the most unintentionally odd records we’ve had in here.

I have not heard this before. I’ve heard most of these songs before since they’re all classic country and folk standards. Some versions of these I’ve heard are better and some of the ones on this album are the best I’ve heard. The harmonies are outstanding and the backing instruments are great, although some are a little derivative of bill monroe, but it’s hard not to be for this era. One thing with classic country standards is it gets a little repetitive after a while, but it’s a short enough album that it doesn’t become unbearable.

This is a pretty enjoyable album, a very tranquil and serene, soft one. True, it flows so greatly quick, and the songs are fine. But this is it, it is fine. There are no outstanding songs, nor moments that catch your interest. It all is fine and nice. I could never say it has not been of my taste, or, in other words, that I have not liked it, I sure have. But I have not found anything to love in here, I have not found anything to make me want to return, or anything to amaze me. It is fine, I guess.

My feelings toward this album are pretty much the same to my feelings of the Paul Revere album. Literally just in one ear and out the other. Just a nothing burger album. It's not offensively bad though, so I'm gonna give it a 2

Hoooooeeeee, this is old school country. I don't love it, but it is bouncy and catchy. Right now, it is 2 stars but let's see how it goes for the rest of the album. ...might be a bump up to three stars! Three stars for the song "Satan Lied to Me!"

I enjoyed this. A couple tracks really caught me, like in the pines but also the Knoxville girl song was so violent and sudden I had to look into it. Very interesting.

I liked the album, although I imagine the folksy charm would wear off after extended listening

please no more country - and why is this one like an endless italian american album?

Brand New to me. Incredible old school country album. Loved every second.

50's popular country, slightly dark, ⭐⭐⭐

This sounds a lot like Brazilian sertanejo — same close two-part harmony, same rural tragedy songs. Loved it.

Nothing wrong with this one. Beautiful harmonies, transports you to another time and place but still somehow timeless.

I do not love the brothers' brand of Christianity, to put it mildly, but I do love the h*ll out of their music. Those close harmonies are magical, and if the songs tend to be a bit rhythmically plain, nothing ever outstays its welcome. Satan is Real is a better album, but this is still lovely stuff.

скука 3/4 - танцуем 2.0

Funny to hear In The Pines. Anyway, I do enjoy a classic country album.

Don't get why the average for this is so bad. Not everybody likes country, obviously, but I think this is one of the better country albums I've had I enjoy the mandolin parts, there's some great guitar playing like on Let Her Go, God Bless Her and a lot of the vocal harmonies are great, especially What Is Home Without Love Highlights: What Is Home Without Love, Katie Dear, Let Her Go, God Bless Her

Folksy bluegrass

El country no es como que sea mi género favorito pero este álbum se me pasó rápido y no me molesto

I'm not too keen on "Tragic Songs of Life". None of the songs brings anything new to the table. It's all boring country music. Luckily, "Tragic Songs of Life" isn't as bad as others say. I think it's best to listen to it in the background. 3 stars for "Tragic Songs of Life".

They really wrote the exact same song a bunch of times with different words. It's not a horrible song, but still.

What a crock of shit. Surely there was something from the 1950s more fitting than this to make the list

The core roots of country music.