Tragic Songs of Life

OK, I generally like country but this harmonizing, preachy stuff isn't my thing

It gets old. Really fast. The vocals sound like shit at many points during the album (not because they are bad singers, the recording sounds terrible), I mean that first track seriously made my ears hurt. There are some moments where I actually do get some level of enjoyment out of what the brothers are doing, but again, it gets old. This isn't exactly a versatile album. Overall, eh. Seems like a standard country record to me (ignoring the sound quality); not awful, but not really something I'd come back to either.

Interesting artifact of a long by-gone era. Traditional Appalachian country that evokes a surprising amount of hurt.

God, I hate country.

Good classic country.

Well, this is kind of a dark album. Especially since a lot of the songs have religious overtones, yet my man over here is bashing his girlfriend's head in. I do not know if I would ever listen to this album again but I did enjoy this rendition of "dark folk" and I know there was a need to have older albums in this book. The songs I liked best are: I'll Be All Smiles Tonight Let Her Go and God Bless Her A Tiny Broken Heart In the Pines Katie Dear (again, very dark) My Brother's Will Knoxville Girl Satan Lied to Me

Nice. But not for me.

I like that old country sound. I enjoy emotional, soft songs. I love an encompassing album with the same vibe or theme throughout. Tragic Sounds of Life is not it. This album was a drag and one note without any variance. The lyrics were always telling a story and, true to the album's title, the Louvin Brothers sure told depressing as hell stories. There was nothing appealing about this. (Un)respectfully, no thank you.

This type of country music is really not my thing and typically does nothing for me. This album wasn't really an exception. Doing an entire album in 1956 called "Tragic Songs of Life" and then having the majority of the songs be about unfortunate events is certainly a choice...definitely trauma-informed before these people probably even knew what personal trauma meant. I guess I'll say that the guitar and mandolin work on this album was nice, though.

surprisingly dark and uneasy ballads with close harmony folk singing makes this album fairly easy listening unless you're hearing the lyrics, in which case there's a deeper more unsettling sound to the project.

I imagine this is exactly what Kentucky sounded like in 1956 and while some of it is ok, I can’t do 47 minutes of banjos and southern warbling.

What is the meaning of this shit? Was this a joke another reviewer added? "You know what album you should include in your stupid little book? Tragic Songs of Life, The Louvin Brothers. (Snicker, snicker, snicker)" I can think of a few (real) artists who would not only make these songs better, but good even. At least this isn't another shitty European electronic album (redundant, I know). But the songs are just as repetitive and difficult to distinguish from each other. ZERO stars

I’m sure it’s quite good for what it is, but I don’t wanna listen to it.

Surprisingly not awful. I can dig it.

My honk didn’t need this much tonking

McLouvin, yeehaw!

Really takes me back to the time, listening to these songs. Love it

I can imagine my kin throwing unwashed ass to this at Jamboree in the Hills. 2.4.

This reminded me of a not as good version of the Everly Brothers Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5

One of many close harmony brothers in country music. The Delmore Brothers, Everly Brothers, Stanly Brothers, and Monroe Brothers all have their claims to fame with traditional country stylings, but it was the Louvin Brothers that brought together a group of morose songs that brought out the sorrow in their singing. Part of me wishes the list chose their later album Satan Is Real for its shock value, but perhaps that pick is a little too Christian. Tragic Songs of Life does a lot of things right, especially when representing the more traditional side of country music before the Nashville sound began to dominate. Country music is not for everyone, but the Louvin Brothers make a pretty good case for its most simple and enjoyable aspects. The only real sin is that Hank Williams doesn't get represented on the list. If you dare to venture further into classic country, give a listen to his 40 Greatest Hits.

Of you are looking for traditional bluegrass gospel, here it is. I am not looking for anything of the like.

Nice

Versão americana-crente de Tonico e Tinoco. Satan is real hahahahaha

This is fine 1950’s country / bluegrass but man you really need to be in the mood for this stuff. Got a little church in, in the end too.

A very long collection of very similar songs Not my bag Reflexively want to rate higher than I actually feel about it because I'm aware of my historical + genre biases But I don't want to hear anything from this album again Dnf after the first verse of Knoxville girl, what the actual fuck

The first song was novel, the rest were a chore.

Quintessential country - this is what nearly all old country music sounds like to me. It's not very good. The singing is like shitty harmonized yodelling....still better than techno

Christian crooners

It’s about time we got a proper country music record on this list. This is such an incredible record, but full disclosure: I’ve been a fan of the Louvin Brothers for a long time. I think the most striking aspect to the Louvin Brothers music isn’t their picking skills, incredible songwriting, or their talent for arranging traditional folk songs into heartbreaking country music. The thing that really stands out most to me is their use of vocal harmonies, which has been incredibly influential in country music since. It’s a beautiful and powerful record full of love, loss, heartbreak, and good old fashioned gospel. I’m glad I had an excuse to listen to this. 5*

There are few finer examples of the beautiful tight vocal harmonies from this era of country music. Just guitar, mandolin, and some sangin'. Such a great album. I especially love "Kentucky" and "Alabama", which makes me wish they had done songs about more states. They also do one of my favorite versions of "In the Pines". An absolutely classic album.

???

homie on the right is not doin too well kentucky- 5 ill be all smiles tonight love- 7 let her go, god bless her- 5 what is home without love- 4 a tiny broken heart- 5 in the pines- most boring version of this song. 4 or 5 alabama- 4 katie dear- 5 my brothers will- damn. 6 knoxville girl- what the fuck

4 stars because they are just heartbroken mexicans inside. I liked it

got boring quick

Blood harmonies

A tragic brothers story

Tragic that this is on the list.

This was a slog. Music has come a long way since this era. The Deep South twang to this had some charm but the God-fearing lyrics were just too much.

This might be the worst thing I have ever heard.

They look like they're gonna call me a slur at any moment now

****A true bluegrass album. Well done!

Although the harmonics are quite good, their voices are annoying to listen to. Also very boring country music.

Unexpected Nirvana :o Nothing out of this world but a nice collection of classic folk songs

It's fine

Good reminder of why I don't like country. I found it funny that there was not 1, but 2 songs named after a red state.

This was not an enjoyable listen. It was at least interesting to hear a version of "In The Pines" with all of the pathos sucked out of it. I only made it through half of the album but it seemed to consist of very limited chord patterns (don't think they managed any chords other than I, IV, V). I can't fathom how this wasn't derivative even for its time unless they invented the D chord or something. I struggle to pay attention to lyrics but it seems to be a series of - well - tragic tales. It basically amounts to True Crime in a musical format.

I’m (sort of) Louvin’ this! I said before that I wanted more Buster Scruggs ass singing cowboy music & this scratches that itch perfectly. Repetitive in terms of content & sound, I’m just lucky that vocally that sound is exactly what I asked for two weeks ago. Because of the melancholy nature of all of these songs, and the acoustic openings to each song, a lot of these sound almost like Portuguese Fado music at first.

"Kentucky, I miss the hound dog chasing coon" *Big eyebrow raise* I need a bit more than the storytelling aspect of country music, and this doesn't have that "bit more".

Listened to this at 11pm driving through the rain and gotta say, at least for that, it works. Not particularly adventurous but stays in a decent lane. I'd be bumping this down if there were any bad songs but it's fairly consistent. Shame there aren't really any actually good songs here. I didn't know the name of In The Pines before so it's been cool to spend a lot of the day just listening to variations on the same song. Nothing I've heard has topped Nirvana though, but shout out to the Leadbelly, Smog (or Bill Callahan who I did not know until now is behind Smog), and Norma Tanega versions. Highlight: Let Her Go, God Bless Her

I did not enjoy this album. Another country album that I just could not get into.

A busy Tuesday at keyboard and computer screen leaves me lacking the imaginative power to unlock the appeal of this ghostly, slightly terrifying collection of ballads. But I know weird when I hear it.

Pretty much as expected, pleasant country tunes very much of their time with distinctive close harmonies, but didn't really hold my attention until I noticed the song about marrying their dead brother's cheating wife and the next one about murdering their fiancee for no apparent reason. Probably worth a second listen!

No. 310/1001 Kentucky 3/5 I‘ll Be All Smiles Tonight 2/5 Let Her Go, God Bless Her 3/5 What Is Home Without Love 3/5 A Tiny Broken Heart 3/5 In The Pines 3/5 Alabama 3/5 Katie Dear 3/5 My Brother‘s Will 3/5 Knoxville Girl 3/5 Take The News To Mother 3/5 Mary of the Wild Moor 2/5 Average: 2,83 Bleak in it's lyrics, especially for the time it was released. But musically unremarkably.

These songs pretty much all sound the same.

4/10. I. Don't. Care.

Don't like country and probably never will except when you are at Buffalo Grill ! The mandoline is probably the nicest bit of the songs

Some good songs but overall repetitive.

am i tripping or is this the same song with different lyrics for an hour

I joked about Over Under how many songs I get through before I stop this… Well I made it through all of one, and that was all I needed to know about what this garbage would produce. Song 2 started and I just said awww hell no and hit that stop button. Like this shit has no place on this list. GTFOH

1.9 really not my thing

When I started listening to this album I thought, “oh no, gospel”. However I focused on the lyrics and noticed most of the songs were actually just about sorrow, tragedy and pain. There was some religious overtones but most of it was about lost love or death. And then came the murder ballads like “Knoxville Girl”. I didn’t expect to hear that one. Also, “In The Pines” was a surprise. I knew parts of it as “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”, as made famous by Nirvana on their Unplugged album. Their version was done by Leadbelly in the 40s before this album came out. The Louvin brothers version seems to be based on the original Appalachian version instead. Still a sad and memorable song. And then the album ends with a number of overtly gospel songs. Sung and played well but not as interesting to me. Overall an interesting album and pleasant to the ear.

I’ve heard this album before. Very strange album that I guess was instrumental in country music. Definitely country music has changed throughout the last 70 years

Maybe the most surprising 1-star album so far. I need to be in the right mood to have patience for incredibly normal and unassuming 50s country. And even then, I doubt this would do much for me. Every track sounds identical, especially for a listener who pays little (if any) heed to lyrics. A 3/4 time signature, a chord progression with some matchup of I-IV-V, two vocals that are so boringly harmonious that I instinctively try to tune them out... And then, after doing so, you're left with some incredibly amateur acoustic guitar and bass playing. I mean, come on, can you do much worse than plucking one note per bar after squinting at a lead sheet cluttered with a multitude of exactly three different letters? Even John Cage writes more interesting music than this nonsense. What I'm saying is this: if I died without listening to Tragic Songs of Life, I would feel just as fulfilled. Perhaps even more so. (Darn.) 1/5 Key tracks: none

Learned about them and blood harmony on the cocaine and rhinestone podcast. Good stuff

For the whiskey swillin, god fearin man who’ll never love a woman as much as his dear ma.

The harmonies here were very inspiring. This is some very old music

This brand of western folk music is incredibly familiar to me, and unfortunately there's just not a ton here that distinguishes these brothers (at least from a 2020s perspective). My favorite track on the album is "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight," but there's a band local to me that performs it better, in my opinion. I am fond of the mournful, human realness of the lyrics, though.

This is the 24th album I’m rating. This is not something I know. I wished for something I know and I have no idea what this is. I’m guessing Bluegrass because I haven’t had any Bluegrass yet. Kentucky - Adding to my Playlist. Pretty cool country song. I’ll Be All Smiles Tonight - Adding to my Playlist. This is really nice. Let Her Go, God Bless Her - Adding to my Playlist. Country is pretty good. What is Home Without Love - Adding to my Playlist. A motel. A Tiny Broken Heart - Adding to my Playlist. This all sounds the same. In The Pines - Adding to my Playlist. This is good. Alabama - Adding to my Playlist. This sounds like every country song. Katie Dear - Adding to my Playlist. Best song so far. My Brother’s Will - Adding to my Playlist. This albums feels like one long song. Knoxville Girl - Adding to my Playlist. I always hear the name Knoxville but I don’t know where that is. Take the News to Mother - Adding to my Playlist. The Way Things Are. Mary of the Wild Moor - Adding to my Playlist. Great song but what’s a wild moor? All in all I liked 12/12 songs. This is the second country album I’ve listened to and it is much better. Great album front to back.

I've despised country for most of my life. I have since come around to the genre, and this era of country, western, and folk songs is typically where I spend most of my time. Despite a lack of musical variety and overabundance of religious content, the Louvin Brothers manage to keep the record feeling fresh and interesting; the musicianship more than makes up for it. The vocal performances are fantastic and the harmonies are divine. The album rushes by on a Kentucky breeze and plays well upon additional listens.

I think it was interesting enough. I did not enjoy their rendition of “in the pines”. They made it worse. I wouldn’t listen to it again probably since country isn’t a favorite genre of mine but I think it was unique enough for this list. I don’t care for the ultra religious stuff though.

3.5

Perfect example of an album and style that I am physically unable to listen to. I hate this type of vocal, the melodies are unbearable, it's all just so old and bad. I don't like country, but I especially don't like this type of country music. Too much to bear.

On todella synkkää. Toki uskon valo siellä loistaa. Aika kivan kuuloista. Mutta joka biisi on ihan sama (sanoitukset vain vaihtuvat). Countrya joo, kansanlaulupohja ilmeisesti, mutta silti kaipaan enemmän vaihtelua.

Jos kaikki biisit levyllä kuulostavat samalta, ongelma on yleensä kuulijassa. Väitän, että tämän LP:n tapauksessa ei ole: vaikka seassa on muutama piristävä, nopeampi kappale, kaiken kaikkiaan harmonialaulun ja honky tonk -rytmien sekoitus jää hieman vivahteettomaksi. Ehkä tarinat olisivat avain tähän? 2,5

Favorite Track: In The Pines

A slice of Americana. From a pie I do not care for, but understand its value. Simple music with storytelling.

Definitely got a bit samey but the harmonies were great and the songs were fun!

A sweetly narrated Kentucky lullaby I will probably never listen to again. Cool that they’re brothers.

Country. No puedo estar más alejado de estas baladas que hablan de EE.UU. y el campo. Nota: 1.9

proto slim cessna

A pleasant enough novelty for half a dozen tracks but a little goes a long way with this procedural old-timey country stuff. Historically significant I’m sure but basically two-dimensional. A chore.

A little to slow and religious for me but the country vibes are right

Wow c'est vraiment insupportable, arrêtez s'il vous plaît

Really tinny mandolin music with squeaky cartoonist country vocals. "The Pines" and the vibes can't save this one. 1.3/5 -> 1/5

A suprising amount of songs you'll know, and yes they are all quite tragic.

This, now this, this is the kinda stuff I grew up with. I enjoyed this album a lot, although I’m partial. It’s so simple, and it feels so real and heartfelt.

01) Kentucky - 6,0 02) I'll Be All Smiles Tonight - 5,5 03) Let Her Go, God Bless Her - 6,0 04) What Is Home Without Love - 5,0 05) A Tiny Broken Heart - 5,5 06) In The Pines - 5,5 07) Alabama - 5,5 08) Katie Dear - 5,5 09) My Brother's Will - 5,5 10) Knoxville Girl - 5,0 11) Take the News to Mother - 5,0 12) Mary of the Wild Moor - 5,0 TOTAL: 5,42 (54/100) Current ranking: 373/425 Remember this album the next time you see a comment that there are too many British albums on this list due to the author's bias. I'd rather listen to the Spice Girls than the Louvin Brothers.

Justice for Knoxville Girl!!!! Appalling songs of life, maybe.

Loved it for one song. Liked it for two. Got pretty old after three.

Dang da dang dang dang

I just love folk harmony. It didn’t blow me away but was top tier background reading music.

Yes, it's twangy. No, you don't need to listen to all of it - the songs are all the same.

I feel like I listened to the same song 20 times in a row... maybe better for people who listen more to lyrics, but this wasn't for me.

Generic country album, every song sounds very similar but good for its time

Not for me

It’s some 1950s country! And yes, that’s all it is. Perhaps issued just before the genre’s ‘golden age’, any historical significance this record has is negligible as, well, it’s 12 similar country songs. And they’re nice songs. But just that; nice. Nothing’s going to jump out at you or be experimental or anything of the sort. And why would it be? It’s not trying to be anything more than a few country songs. That’s all.

A sorrowful and quaint country album from the 50's. Enjoyable and sweet.

Classic old country, whether or not someone likes this really depends on their tolerance for old ass guitar music. I liked it at least.

I get it

Classic old school country from some of the best brothers to do it. Reminded me of getting Flagels with Grampa with the country radio station on.

I'm usually not a big fan of country music, but somehow I enjoyed this. Good stories, the music is OK, the harmonies are great. About halfway in it was too much of the same. Favorite song: in the pines

Love this!

This is real country. Sad songs about how life is tragic. Not cars and how great everything is being a poor sucker and not being no city slicker. It's about the human condition and longing.

I understand this was about tragic stories but the juxtaposition of a very jaunty song about a man murdering his girlfriend, where he is the sympathetic character, is still annoying to listen to. The other songs less like this and nice harmonies. Is samey though ennit

I liked this. Can't say I listened to all the lyrics of every song but on the whole I thought it was cool. Quite repetitive but still good stuff

Has precisely one sound but it's a good sound. 10/10 mandolin pickin' Hard not to be sentimental coming to the end of this journey (give or take a few months), but after this, the only 50's album I haven't listened to is Miles Davis's Kind of Blue HL: "Alabama", "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight", "Let Her Go, God Bless Her" December 20, 2024

Nice vocal harmonies and some disturbing lyrics. Why did he kill poor Knoxville Girl?

Very classic old school country.

I don't think it's terrible but it's too repetitive and too samey. I've heard worse but I'm never gonna listen to it again

In the pines, in the pines… 3

Good!

If you like listening to one bar repeatedly for nearly an hour, then this is for you. Might as well be called Tragic Song of Life.

I don't hate it, in fact it feels familiar. I didn't grow up in the US but the melodies from their singing and their guitars reminds me of these oldies I'd hear in the radio back where I grew up. The sort of male duet playing tremolo style stuff which I would never pay attention to but it became a fixture of what I associate with some old music. Maybe it was country inspired I don't know for sure. I think because of that familiarity the album didn't feel like this alien country thing to me, the total outsider to country but instead something just nice to listen to despite the fact that it is repetitive and mood wise it isn't varied either, but this kinda thing isn't too different to having a Sinatra album in the background for ambiance, so personally I think it's pretty nice

It was a different listen but it got very samey after a while. Nothing wrong with it but not something I’d return to so 2*

Fell on the wrong side of novelty for me.

Not my taste

No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction Hey it's the Where Did You Sleep Last Night lyrics No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction No reaction

Naw

I don’t mind a good murder ballad. This was quite good, albeit on the long side. Quality harmonies, a nostalgic golden oldie country & western feel, very interesting stories to say the least. Knoxville Girl was the standout - the juxtaposition between the brutal narrative and the easy-listening musicality is incredible. It takes me back to a memorably dingy bar I went to in London in 2008 where I saw a duo performing in a similar style. I browsed through some of The Louvin Brothers discography and loved the cover art for their album Satan Is Real. A high 3, just scraping past the threshold to round up to a 4.

Brother where art thou

Not bad.

That's some twangy country! I don't hate it. The sound really isn't my favorite but the songs themselves lyrically are pretty fun.

Eh, did nothing for me.

Certainly tragic.

Yeehaw.

I guess they had nothing else to listen to at the time

Country & Western old style. I found this album too whiny.

I dig the sound but 45 min of gospel was a lot

I’m not enough of a fan of this type of music to understand why this didn’t seem to carry much import for me. Really I can only make comparisons to performers like Hank Williams or Johnny Cash, and say, in that case, I didn’t find much soul or honesty here. Granted, these are largely covers of traditional songs, but even then, there are many artists whose interpretive work is deeply inspiring, while this, despite seeming accomplished, I just found eerie and off-putting.

It’s so easy to sit back and discard this music. To think it’s outdated and to not quite grasp its significance. What if I said to you, without The Louvin Brothers there would have been no Houmous & Chutney - what about that? 2.2

This sounds like a Norman Rockwell painting. Pretty nice, very 50’s and more boring the longer you listen to it

Lovely harmonies. And historically, really cool, influenced The Everly Brothers and Johnny Cash. Buuut I’m not a fan of country at the best of times and some of these lyrics have not aged well…

A little too hokey for me. Stale harmonies about Jesus

Just too traditional for me

They have nice harmonies, but it's really not my style. That twangy religious music doesn't do it for me.

This is #day96 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... oh well, there you go with another country album... I pulled myself together and listened to it to the very end, though. Still, this is a 1 out of 5. As I've said before, it's not my genre. Looking forward to #day97.

Interesting (I use the word loosely) to hear an example of this type of thing and not without merit. Perhaps, even, evocative of the time and place. Also interesting to read about the brothers falling out and the bad behaviour - same old same old, eh? Musically this stuff doesn't move me though.

Not really my cup of tea.

Surprisingly great! Love those harmonies. Although I can't help remembering their other album Satan Is Real, whose cover art became an obscure internet meme. Key tracks: Kentucky

No nyt on perinteistä kantria. Leppoisaa ja aurinkoista. Kesämusiikkia ehkä enemmän. Parhaat: Kentucky, In The Pines,

Good old country

In the pines, in the piiiiiines, where the sun don't ever shine.... oops, wrong band. Loved this.

5/10 Pleasant enough but no variety. I just imagine the brothers swaying back and forth for eternity as the smiles on their face threaten to break their heads in half. 10-30-2024

-has some moments of artistry and aesthetic appeal but overall… yea… not beating the “country music all sounds the same” allegations even though ik it’s not true. Saw someone on RYM say it sounds like a stereotype about how bad country music is and i can see it -Favorite is Let Her Go, God Bless Her

Definitely not my type of music

I enjoyed the themes of nature and mourning in the album, but I found it to be musically similar throughout the whole album. It's not a bad album, but just a bit boring after a while. Didn't mind the religious overtones tracks as much as I thought I was going to. Favorite song: Alabama Least favorite: Pray for Me Knew before? No

Overall: 2/10 I actually tend to enjoy country from the 50s, I just find these songs kind of annoying. The higher voice of the two is really grating to my ears. The songs themselves aren't terrible but I didn't like listening to this. Fav Song: Alabama Least Fav Song: I'll Be All Smiles Tonight

Ok

The TPAB of Close Harmony. B

Well written alright guitar.meh vocals 6.6/10

The religious lord praying bullcrap is definitively not my thing and this is a prayer album Still at the time Elvis was already out with something new and the platters, fats domino and little richard were rocking hard by then. Their harmonies are tight thou. Two voices one high another low but great equalizing for a cool sound that at the time might have been diferent It was a time that music was changing from traditional stuff like this country to rock and roll and this album might be some of the last of its kind so in context it was a good album to depart from that time.

Could have made a Fallout soundtrack, Lonely Country vibes

Old timey country Pleasantly bucolic feel Yet drama plenty

I'm not into Country, but this wasn't too bad. I did a tremendous double take when I read the Knoxville Girl lyrics. Man, that's a really dark song that hasn't aged well. I say it's a dark song, but you certainly wouldn't know it listening to the yearning slow waltz-time music with those sweet harmonies...but these guys would be cancelled so fast if that song was released today.

I understand why it's a good album but I don't like listening to it

Some classic simple ditties about beating fat chicks to death. Nothing I would listen to by choice.

Really good

Film Noire plots with an Appalachain setting relayed via bluegrass tunes. Amazing brotherly harmonies, cool mandolin parts, and some nearly Hawaiian twang. A truly American album that pairs sweet and innocent gospel music paired with dark themes of murder and abuse, a classic folk tale/music tradition.

...

Strange record.

These were nice, reminded me of gunfighter ballads but slightly worse. I enjoyed it but am unlikely to revisit. 3.5

There is something about the harmonies made by family, especially siblings. Beautiful example of Appalachian music that could have come straight from The Soggy Bottom Boys (iykyk).

The musical equivalent of a slice of white bread. Wholesome but bland as fuck.

Nope nope nope

So fun! So slay! I love country music

Lol I have no idea why this is rated so low on RYM. Though cliche, it's just a solid list of country songs from the 50s. Obviously many of the themes are stories are ones already explored many times. But they are universal in our lives, and for an album from the 50s, the guitar plucking and harmonies aren't so bad.

I was surprised at how engaged I was, most of these songs were wholesome little short stories. Until of course we get to just straight up murdering a girl in Knoxville. But yeah I surprisingly like the melodies and a Tiny Broken Heart was a sweet song.

Different, started well but got a bit samey and whiney

Ooh boy, that’s some twang. It grated on me after a while so I couldn’t finish the album in the first sitting. In small bursts, it’s charming. My dad would have loved it.

not even one song about drinking from a red solo cup

Great old timey country album, reminds me of the Osborne Brothers. Good gospel songs too, just a great album from start to finish. I may even buy the vinyl.

Well that was…….fine.

I am very much appreciative of music created by musicians who can sing, compose, play, and tell a story. This album checks all of those boxes. I am not a fan of much of contemporary country, but have always appreciate bluegrass - a subset of country. I enjoyed the pickin & grinnin in this album.

Over een 'cultural gap' gesproken. De 60s stonden bekend als een stroomversnelling van alle vormen van media, en dat begrijp je direct als je een aantal platen uit de 50s hoort. The Louvin Brothers ken ik vooral van het album met één van de hardste covers ooit, "Satan Is Real", maar ik kende eigenlijk geen muziek van ze. Een conclusie na het luisteren is dat ze wel echt goede yin en yang vocalen hebben, die zich qua hoogte haaks op elkaar begeven maar toch sterk samen gaan. Doet me een beetje denken aan alt country duo The Handsome Family. Een tweede conclusie is dat ik weinig andere elementen of unieke kenmerken hoor waarin dit zich zou moeten onderscheiden van elke random local bluegrass band in de Appalachen - die naast z'n muziek ook in de moonshine business zit. Elke melodie is het zelfde, alleen gebruiken ze telkens als context een andere topografische plek in de backwoods van de USA (Alabama, Kentucky, Knoxville). 'Tragic songs of Life' leest de albumtitel. Ik krijg zelf weinig mee van die tragiek, maar dat zal dan wel die culturele kloof zijn. 5/10

Best geinige country-plaat. Eén van de twee broers heeft wel echt een matige stem die niet zou misstaan bij een Sesamstraat-karakter. In harmonie klinkt het nog wel aardig, als hij solo zingt krijg je zin om zijn mandoline kapot te slaan. Blijkbaar was één van de twee daar ook om berucht. Naast zijn mandoline sloeg hij ook zijn vrouw, trouwde hij vier keer, schoot één van hen hem drie maal in de rug en verongelukte hij na rijden onder invloed. 5/10 Highlights Kentucky In the Pines (shoutout naar Nirvana die dit nummer ook speelde bij hun legendarische MTV Unplugged)

Nice harmonies, but I felt they didn't put emotion in.

pretty good but not particularly noteworthy

3.5

Couldn't get into it

I really, really didn't like this one. It was extremely nasal, very old-fashioned country and I honestly struggled to get to the end of it. Rating: 1

Wow that was depressing

Very classic old time country/folk, very much sounds true to the era it was recorded in. Not really a genre or a sound that speaks to me but I appreciate the sounds, and here influences in a lot of what was to come in future music.

"Tragic Songs of Life" is the debut album by American country duo the Louvin Brothers. Theis country album was somewhat of a concept album dealing with tragic heartbreak and misfortune songs and classic murder ballads. Yep. The Louvin Brothers are Charlie (vocals, guitar) and Ira (vocals, mandolin). A quote from a critic: "A landmark of traditional country music that remains powerful more than fifty years after it was recorded." A mandolin and guitars open " Kentucky." Great harmonization by the brothers, a tenor and a bass. The music falls more in the line of bluegrass. His sweetheart will be coming home soon. More of the mandolin and strumming guitar in "What Is Home Without Love." Great lyrics. What is home without sunshine? Without wine? I know I heard "In the Pines" before and, sure enough, it's the song Nirvana covered on their unplugged album. The bothers' vocals give this a spiritual feeling. A bleak outlook, though, with death being the only certainty in life. And then we begin the murder ballads. In "Katie Dear," there's silver and gold daggers. There's a Mother, a Father and a boyfriend that got stabbed. They had planned on running away. "Knoxville Girl" tells the tail of a man murdering a girl and going to jail. He did cause' he loved her so well. I thought the 50's were a happy time for all Americans; not these two brothers. Listening to this felt like it belonged somewhere between the watching "No Country for Old Men" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Both Coen Brother films. Any connection? On the musical side, just great vocals and harmonization. The guitar and mandolin pickin' had a strong bluegrass feel. No doubt the vocals and the storytelling are the highlight of the album. And, an album I quite enjoyed and, I think, most people would too.

Good ol’ good ol’ music

I wish this website had a written justification for its selections.

please give me an album i have opinions on

Amazing

Forgettable album, only highlight for me was the "In the Pines" cover.

it was okay, not the best, found some songs annoying

No. Absolutely not. No.

p26. 1956. 3 stars. The primeval ancestor of Nick Cave's "Murder Ballads". Most C&W songs are about jail, cars, trains, a dog, your partner cheating on you, or drinking. The only thing missing from this album is a song about a man who breaks out of jail, steals a truck, drives over a railway line, hits his dog on his way home, finds his wife in bed with his brother AND his sister, and then goes to a bar to get shitfaced.

Old timey bluegrass

very samey but just good vibes tbh

Just finished listening to Kendrick Lamar and now this? Wow! Both alien genres to me and again I don't hate it so a cautious *** stars. It's the difference between 1.5 Billion listens and 200,000 but to me it's a case of sheer popularity and not merit.

really good old time country. Surprised. Never heard. of them. Pleasant. 313/1000

bello redneck

Worth a listen to get an idea of what country music was like back in that era. Doubt I will ever return to again. It has value, the review at the top of the review list sums it up really well, but overall not for me.

gets a bit repetitive but its good

Hát én ezzel vibe-olok, mint a veszett fene. Az In the Pines mondjuk még mindig más szöveggel és még mindig Kurt Cobainnel szól a legjobban, de hát mit van mit tenni. Ezt el tudom hallgatni, ha létezne négy és fél csillag, megkapná – így sajnos lefelé kerekítek, mert azért továbbra sem az _igazi._

Ez annyira jólesett most, hogy megkapja az első ötöst hetek óta 😍

beautiful harmonies, that song about the kid whose heart was broken because his bff/sweetheart's family next door was moving away might be the saddest thing i've ever heard

Old, old country. That’s what this is. Sad but happy sounding old time country music. I hate to cut this short but that’s all you need to know. Do you like a drum beat that goes bass, snare, snare? Yea? Well then there you go. Nothing wrong with this album in my opinion other than lacking a “blow it out of the water” track. Choice cut: In the Pines

This is one of the few albums I've encountered so far where the lyrical content not only surprised me but directly influenced my vote. On its surface, this just seems like a stripped down country album with nice harmonies but very simple instrumentation, and I wouldn't have given it a second thought. But some of the lyrics, in Knoxville Girl in particular, kind of blew me away. I imagine this would have been quite shocking to hear at the time of release.

Music has come on a long way since this. The sound was probably appreciated at the time but ‘tragic songs’ sums it up.

Honestly some very beautiful tunes and harmonies and playing here. Very much enjoyed this one

What is home without love, the original Gold Digger 😂

wat doet dit in deze lijst?

Weirdly enjoyable

2.5 not bad but every song was the same

#62 - Wow, one of the few I've heard so far where I couldn't wait for it to be done. It has it's niche but it's definitely not mine.

This album makes me think of a sleepy, dusty Texan town. Definitely dated and it lacks a lot of the charm from some of the other early country we've gotten here like Ray Price. Mostly a boring album to me, though the harmonizing is solid. My favorite was probably Katie Dear.

What a strange album. I cant see myself recommending it to anyone, but its interesting as hell. Bluegrass-y songs about tragic failures and death in post-war America. 3/5

Rather enjoyed the pathos of this album. The harmonies grew a bit repetitive but the instrumentals were lovely—especially the mandolin—and while I wouldn’t want to listen to the whole album at once again, I’d certainly listen to individual songs in a mixed rotation. They certainly brought you in to the tragedies oft their time and place.

Nope.

No way these guys weren't in the Klan. Also, the only good part of the album was the mandolin/guitar player (who apparently wasn't even one of the brothers"), so . . .

Knee I was in for a tough ride after one song. Had to convince myself not to turn it off after three tracks. Accepted my pain for the rest of the album but never want to go through it again.

I loved this. Classic country songs.

I just can't listen to C&W.

A typical twangy 1950s male duo; not bad for what it is, a lot of the songs sound the same, as was typical for the time. Several religious songs, not my style.

Fine for what it is.

After the first listen I wasn't sure I wanted to listen again, it's just a bit too much country for me. Second listen I did start to get into it a little more and In The Pines was a particular standout. Overall thought I'm Thankful that it's over.

I dug this - country closer to Appalachian folk than anything else, and who doesn't like a good murder ballad! Fave tracks - "In The Pines" - this version is positively cheery compared to modern versions. Also liked "Alabama".

I could do without the song about bludgeoning a Knoxville Girl to death. How in the world did that seem like something they needed to commit to a record, let alone write a song about.

The title of this album made my heart ache, and the songs got my heart even more. Country life ballads at its finest. I wouldn’t normally gravitate to this type of music but it has touched me.

Basically live for this kinda stuff… a couple of country brothers harmonizing about some real sad stuff. Legends!

This goes so hard. I love songwriting with a very specific perspective. Clear narratives and direct emotions matched with some good old fashioned country tunes.

Now this is the kinda music white people should be making instead of pastiche-y blues.

Ultimately a rather competent 1950s country album that provides a good listening experience, long as you're actively listening to the lyrics. The instrumentals are bright and cheery and do a good job setting the tone of the Appalachia/blues style of country on the record. But the lyrics ultimately round out the listening experience, and live up to the album's name - "Knoxville Girl" in particular is delightfully morbid.

Kinda boring and then all of a sudden he starts singing about murdering some girl. Super weird.

These guys are crazy. Great voices though.

Good

Felt like I listened to the same mediocre song on repeat. And then it got real religious. Definitely not in a good way

Charming narrative driven country. Interesting to hear an alternative to in the pines compared to the famous Nirvana version 3.5*

Good but every song sounds the same

There's something special about this area of Country Folk. The things I can hear in this album that influenced the next 15+ years of Country Folk, and the two individual iterations of those genres, are too many to list. A brilliant album for its time and a classic sound that holds up well with time. Great Listen!

Tragic Songs of Life is the debut album by The Louvin Brothers, originally released in 1956. When reviewing albums from the 50s and early 60s, I try to keep in mind that albums were not necessarily the king format in those times. Singles were the highest selling, so most artists tended to focus on those. Albums were usually an afterthought, which led to them not having the strongest material and sounding the same across all the songs. Unfortunately the Louvin Brothers kinda fell victim to that. Their main trick was their harmonies, which are no doubt great, but can be a bit much when the whole album is basically in the same key. Another strength I think went a bit underrated with them is the songwriting/song selection. These tunes cut pretty deep. They do a good job of framing depressing lyrics through a country instrumental, which is less-depressing. I mean, the US was 10 years removed from World War II at this point, and the 50s was returning some normalcy to that generation's lives. The suburban areas were booming and the country was prospering. Easy Listening music was topping the charts. And here come the Louvins to bring us back down to earth with tales of heartbreak, murder, and jealousy. You can also tell these guys were impactful. CSN most likely took notes on harmony from these guys. You can trace their imprint in country folk-adjacent music from The Everly Brothers all the way to modern acts like Mapache. This is a really important album and although not the strongest content-wise, it left a standing impact on American music.

Great selection of songs. Great simple arrangements. Extraordinary voices.

It is what it is. Thank god for the rock 'n' roll revolution. Bit sad that their most popular song was a murder ballad.

Another country album that I'm sure is great of the genre but isn't for me. Nice harmonies. Pretty samey all the way through.

Country album from the 50s. The sound quality is excellent and the album contains some famous songs like Knoxville Girl, and I can see why this is a classic in its genre. On the downside, all songs sound more or less the same.

Nice country music without much variation though. I recognized In the pines from the Nirvana Unplugged session. The delivery is flatter here, but ok, it's the fifties and it's hard to top Cobain in that respect.

There’s beauty in the simplicity of the approach from this era. The downside of this style is that anything subpar in the writing or execution has nowhere to hide. The vocals may not be very “good” by traditional critical standards, but they work with this genre and the bros do a great job with melodic interplay. Listened to: walking on LVRT. Favorite tracks: Let Her Go God Bless Her, Knoxville Girl

Not for me. I could only make it a few songs.

Not bad but I don't think it's for me. General 50's folk/country stuff. Almost like you're playing fallout but it doesn't hit the same for me.

With a side dish of religious overtones (something they'd revisit, to much infamy, some time later), The Louvin Brothers provide us with these tragic songs of life. And these are songs that are imbued with a lived in quality, as though they've been through the wringer; weary, pining, reflective. And it's all due to the harmonious tones of Ira and Charlie's singing, they make you feel what they feel and vice versa. Although it can sound monotonous on occasion, Tragic Songs of Life often feels like lessons learned over the course of forty plus minutes and there is some things that can be taken from. Favorites: Kentucky, Let Her Go, God Bless Her, What is Home Without Love, A Tiny Broken Heart, In the Pines, My Brother's Will, Mary of the Wild Moor, Satan Lied to Me, Lord, I'm Coming Home.

1. kentucky - 1.5 2. zmilez - 1.5 3. blezz her - 1.5 4. uuithout love - 2 5. broken heart - 1.5 6. pinez - 2 7. alabama - 2 8. katie - 1.5 9. brotherz uuill - 1.5 10. knozville - 1.5 11. mother - 1.5 12. uuild moor - 1.5 13. zatan - 1 14. pray - 1 15. lord - 1.5 16. thankful - 1

I really don't like country music

Not for me

I like bluegrass and this reminds me music my grandparents & great-grandparents would listen to but not really my cup of tea.

I wanted to like this. Especially knowing that Nick Cave did a version of Knoxville. Just not for me

I love this. The Louvin bros' blood harmonies are amazing, that sound has lived in my head since I was a kid. Also crazy lives lived. Gorgeous, simple country

I’m a bit bewildered about what makes this album essential. To me, it just sounded like a coming of guys singing pretty badly over country music. There were certainly parts that pricked my ears up occasionally - guitar playing that sounded a little flamenco, or otherwise compositions that could have sounded Greek if not for those shrill vocals over the top. But it just wasn’t enough to make me enjoy it. Too many cons, not enough pros for me.

It’s no secret that music as a whole has gotten better since the ‘50s. Of course the ‘50s were vital in pushing music to where it is now, but that doesn’t mean everything during that time was GOOD.

Sometimes you just want some old time music — despite this record's occasional charms, today wasn't one of those days.

Country. Ni fu ni fa.

Country triste años 50's.

This is great. Yeah, some of the songs sound a lot alike, but this sound is right up my alley. 5/5

Not my cup of tea

1 for the lyrics Religion and misogyny

Not often that you find a new album where you already know most of the songs on there. Hugely important band, but I’m not that much of a fan of the Louvin Brothers vocal performance.

Every song on this album sounds the same and this is not one of the genres I would normally listen to. The album is mostly country songs sung in a southern accent with rather basic melodies. The songs on their own are not bad, but an entire album of them is rather boring as they all sound the same.

Album 467 of 1001 The Louvin Brothers - Tragic Songs of Life Rating : 2.5 / 5 This is an interesting listen for a few songs but it soon becomes apparent that just listening to one track will give you what the entire album has to offer. Harmonies are interesting but, again, if you hear them on one song you've heard them on all. If you don't like it, your grandparents probably would. A step back in time.

Interesting but not for me. Then In the Pines grabbed my attention as it was covered by Nirvana on their unplugged in New York show. Kind of a fun little footnote.

Probably the darkest record I've heard from the 50s, which isn't really saying too much but still. 4/10

Cool tunes. Seems like the basis for old country music

Music to fuck your sister to

One enjoys the sweet and lilting vocals quite a bit and feels a touch guilty given the grim subject matter (see "Satan Lied to Me"). The playing is tight and crisp but seems quite by-the-book. The gospel-y tunes seem slightly more compelling than the murder ballads. And rarely have murder ballads been more listenable. One admits to not knowing enough about this genre or this act to understand the historical significance but it sounds pretty authentic and offers nice variety to much else on the list.

Go down Knoxville girl

Ol' country!

Thoughts before listening: Interesting addition to the list. I half a soft place in my heart for these early folk and country songs, although the recordings can often make them hard to listen to. Looking at the songs on the cover, I do recognize a number of these songs, mostly from covers by more contemporary bands. It will be nice to hear these songs in an earlier form. Review: Well, this definitely sounds better than I thought it would. Maybe I am listening to a remastered version, but its much more crisp than I was anticipating. Other than the clarity of the recording, this reminds me a lot of music that I have heard throughout my life. Being from the south, my family listened to and played old country music very similar to the Louvin Brothers. This album would have been released when my grandparents were in their 20s so perhaps this was something I actually heard them play when I was a kid. I really like some songs and others are a little grating honestly. I'll give it 3-stars.

Kind of a cool document of its time but today it sounds outdated and the religious part then killed the vibe.

Meh

Yeehaw, the song about the girl he murders in Knoxville has me fucked up. Pretty easy listening overall

Deeply titled

Now that's country

Part of me feels weird to like traditional country music as much as I do. Not country music as a whole; I've listened to too much Cledus T. Judd to say I don't like country. It's **traditional** country in particular I feel odd about. I grew up in the mid-/late-2000's. I became a teenager in the early 2010's. What is someone in **my** age range doing liking music this (to use this word as much as I can in the non-political sense) conservative? And if I was younger—goodness! Like, I'unno. This kind of sounds, these arrangements and instrumentations, the way they sing... It just does it for me. Like, this to me is **COUNTRY**, no extra qualifiers. I can totally see the appeal of just kicking back with a beer to this stuff. Even if the songs that aren't about heartbreak are about murder. It's not a sound I'd seek out all the time, but every once in a while, if I don't wanna put on Cledus or go the "I only listen to Johnny Cash" route... Sure. I can throw it on. Part of me wants to give this a 4 because of how much I ended up liking it despite my expectations (before we got it I was ironically hyping it up to my group), but... Eh. I like it, but I'm not in **love** with it. Definitie "It's fine" energy. Now if this had a goofy lookin' Satan on the cover like they'd have a few albums late, whoo! Five stars! A+! Six stars! Hot damn!

This is the most deserving of 3 stars I've given an album. Just your standard 50s country album.

I’m at a 4. Of course, I’m a little biased towards the soundscape, but this is a very lyric-heavy album, and I just really liked the storytelling on it. Yes, they’re all songs of tragedy, and yes, the stories get a little predictable the later you get into the album, but for my money’s worth, this has fine instrumentation, fabulous harmonization, and ultimately, I’m just super satisfied with it. I don’t think there’s a bad track here, just a few slightly duller ones, but I enjoyed this a lot. It’s not a 5 – it doesn’t do enough to get up to that level, but it’s just good country music with a very traditional lean, and I’m a sucker for a good story. Pretty solid 4.

I really enjoy bluegrass and old country. Very familiar with Knoxville Girl and other Appalachian murder ballads. Which is a crazy genre when you think about it. I like the Louvin Brothers but hadn’t listened to a full album in one go. Thought it would get boring and grating. However I enjoyed this one from start to finish. The vocals do get repetitive. Lyrics are cool, just the vocal style goes to the well a few too many times. I definitely miss country like this, though pigs’ll fly before modern country stops focusing on getting drunk in a lifted truck and throwing furniture off balconies.

I hated this so so much and I am irrationally upset that this album is included while nothing by Weezer is. 1.3 stars

Yikes not for me

The only tragedy was listening to this album

Just set the metronome and count 3/4 for 36 minutes and you've got yourself a Louvin Brothers album. 2/5

Simple folk album. I liked it, thought the brothers harmonized well. Not enough to elevate it for me but still I enjoyed.

I didn’t really hear anything special in this album but I love this kind of country folk blues so it ended up being a nice way to spend 45 minutes. It even had a standout track in Knoxville girl which is unusual for a broader experience-type album like this where every song sounds basically exactly the same except the lyrics are different.

if you want depressed when you started listening to this album you will be borderline suicidal by the time you finished. Absolutely God awful country and western, nothing but depressive drowning on a monotonous tone

The songs sound all the same and the vocal performance is not quite there, very nasal. 2/5

Too old for me I guess

I found The Louvin Brothers a pleasant mix of traditional country, folk, and bluegrass with a delightful undercurrent of darkness and horror. I had fun hearing their interpretation of the classic murder ballad "In the Pines" of which modern audiences are probably more familiar with from the Kurt Cobain's cover of the traditional song with the Lead Belly title of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?". One thing this listening project has done for me is to educate me about the murder ballad format, and how much I am growing to love them. This whole notion of the evolution of the murder ballad over the past centuries and how each artist over the years subtract lyrics, or add lyrics, and sometimes change the title of the song, in order to tell a tale that is relevant to that artist in particular, is fascinating to me. My favorite tracks were "In the Pines", "Katie Dear", "Knoxville Girl", and "Mary of the Wild Moor".

Tragic Songs of Life was an album that i just found average but it did have some good things going for it. The lyrics are generally some of the better lyrics of this genre with them having some fairly serious themes around them which most country albums released after this could not really do. This album also is really short so even if it was less pleasant to listen to, it wouldn't have lasted too long. However, what i can't get over is how samey and uninteresting the actual music is. I actually had trouble picking a favorite and least favorite song because every song sounded so similar. There are some good things about this album but unfortunately, they aren't enough to save this album from being average. Best Song: I'll Be All Smiles Tonight Worst Song: Alabama

Had to check out these guys discography and they have the most metal names - "Satan is real", "Are you afraid to die", "The drunkards doom" and "Satans jeweled crown". Sad to say it's all shit tho.

4 stars

Acho que o termo mais adequado para este álbum passa por tragic songs to listen. Possivelmente estou a ser injusto, acho que estou a focar-me demasiado na idade do álbum que tem um som muito envelhecido. A música In the Pines até é interessante, contudo todo o álbum parece um álbum de country velho saído de uma cena do velho oeste. Pode não ser justa esta avaliação mas o tempo é um juiz importante que devemos levar em conta e este álbum teve uma sentença pouco risonha. Julgo importante frisar que as músicas tem algumas coisas interessantes especialmente quando existem um foco no instrumento, quase que um solo. As vozes dos senhores são terrivelmente agudas e a sua elevada repetição, bem, não poderei dizer que é agora que se queira ouvir durante 16 músicas, exatamente, 16 músicas. Não é que o álbum seja longo, tem por volta de 48 minutos, mas tem 16 músicas, que poderá ser considerado excessivo. A versão que estou a ouvir tem estas 16 músicas sendo as 4 últimas extra, todas elas religiosas, o que aos meus olhos não agrega valor, inclusive piora a obra aos meus olhos. A melhor cantiga parece-me ser a Knoxville Girl. Nota: 4/10 Data: 05/06/2024

Repetitive song structure and piercing vocals (high pitch harmonizing) make it difficult to listen to more than one song.

not my cup of tea.

Yeehaw. Couldn't wait to finish this so I could clean my ears out.

I definitely like their style but these songs didn’t really captivate me.

I thought this was ok. There wasn’t anything here that I would go back to but it was fine.

Knoxville Girl

Some mighty fine music ! Yes, mighty fine indeed !