Tragic Songs of Life

Un disco que no tiene mucho para ofrecer, largo, tedioso, cansino, las cancilnes igualmente mantienen la idea basica, pero hasta ahi va 3/10

Nope

I have to admit, I enjoy the Louvin Brothers album cover art more than their music. This one and Satan Is Real have a goofy, bizarre horror film poster quality to them, which clearly gets points from me for originality. The music is country, sort of a parallel-universe Everly Brothers with tight harmonies, good instrumentation and a fiery relationship. It's almost too country to me and their baptist faith surely influences their music. It was an okay listen, though I can't say I enjoy that much mandolin and I was looking forward to it to end, which isn't a good thing.

It was country, all sound the same.

For me this is just more of the same old same old for C+W. It's not inherently bad, but also doesn't stand out from a very busy crowd.

Hank Williams Lite. Ok if you're just thirsty, but not enough if you're looking for something more.

3.7 - Think Soggy Bottom Boys from the film “O Brother Where Art Thou?” As in bluegrass fingerpicking, vocal harmonies…But look beyond the sedate oompa-pa rhythms. Pay attention to the lyrics! In particular, pay close attention to “Knoxville Girl” - such a crazy dark murder ballad!

Not for me

Valse présente, mandoline, harmonies, histoires tristes: proche de ce qu’on appelle au Québec le western. J’ai trouvé ça très attachant

Boring af

Pleasant harmonies

Life’s too short

If someone was completely unfamiliar with classic country, showing them this would certainly serve as a fair introduction to the genre. Too bad that, as with most country, the majority of songs are bland and toothless. Only when 'Knoxville Girl' kicks in does the album succeed in engaging the listener. And even though the final 4 tracks are solid, the extremely slow beginning is difficult to shake.

A series of charming murder ballads by the brother duo perhaps best known for their amazing cover to their Satan Is Real album. The harmonizing has become iconic but the whole vibe of this albums becomes one-sided rather quickly as the Louvin Brothers reveal that their tricks, effective as they might be, are not that diverse and many.

Sounds fun and folksy but those lyrics are dark

Not my cup ot T

Probably historically important, but I’m not getting into that

Not for me....

Uit de 1001 albums die je gehoord moet hebben om te weten hoe de Amerikaanse muziek had geklonken als Elvis niet zijn kont tegen de krib had gegooid en er verder niet geluisterd was naar de inbreng van de zwarte muzikanten. Mierzoete, schoongeschrobde cowboydeuntjes met klagerige uithalen voor bij een keurig kampvuur in onberispelijke cowboykledij. Had er voor mij niet in gehoeven.

Eerlijk is eerlijk. Je wordt er duidelijk voor gewaarschuwd. Deze muziek zeurt nogal. Vooral dat nasale stemgeluid. Durf niet naar de teksten te luisteren. Word ik waarschijnlijk heel depressief van.

"Ben jij ook in het baggerdurp geboo-hooren?". Een soort Pretenders dit uit ver vervlogen tijden. Stukken beter om aan te horen dan dat album van Van the Man overigens. In the Pines kennen we natuurlijk allemaal in een andere unplugged versie.

Tragic indeed, this is insanely listenable and depressing, being a non-stop litany of destitution, violent death, exile and sundered love. But they sing it all so beautifully these Soggy Bottom Twins. Not my genre, but shows exactly what was lost when bluegrass and country became Big Nashville. 3.5 really.

Er is vrij weinig afwisseling te ontdekken. Elk nummer begint met een Grieks klinkend intro(tje) op de mandoline wat dan overloopt in een hoempapa tweestemmige klaagzang over mannen die overlijden op het slagveld en vrouwen die in de rivier worden geflikkerd. De getekend-door-het-leven small-town-america oudooms van Nick en Simon. Tussen de 2 en 3 sterren. Leuk om een keer gehad te hebben vanwege het hoge CKV gehalte, maar dit ga je niet zomaar draaien in je vrije tijd. Te oud.

I made it through about 15 minutes. I'm sure it was pretty good for it's time - it didn't resonate with me.

nem comento

old tbh didn’t listen to a lot of it. wasn’t havin it today

Dark country music from 56

A solid, traditional country album. This has to be one of the first true albums in any genre, right? It's a bit heavy handed with its themes at times, but I don't find them to detract too much. While I said this was solid, nothing really stands out. It's a bunch of good songs, no great ones. A 3.5 being bumped to 4 because country is a genre that gets too much hate.

I always love when I'm listening to these beautiful old-timey harmonies and mandolin and just when it might start to feel a bit monotonous, I hear a lyric about stabbing oneself or beating someone to death with a stick for no discernible reason. I also wasn't able to decide whether Kentucky or Alabama have the loveliest tribute song. This isn't an album I'm going to play much again, but I so appreciated hearing something different like this in the project that it gets bonus points for being special.

I can appreciate the role that this album might have in musical history. I think the brothers have honed their harmonies to produce a traditional folk-country sound, and I really thought that I would enjoy listening more than I did. It all just started to drone on after a while and the lyrics in many tunes just didn't appeal to me today.

I love the title of the album, the cover art, the instrumentation, the twangy harmonies, and the old-timey lyrics. (Well...not the lyrics where the women have no agency which is...a lot of them actually... and certainly not the wtf lyrics of Knoxville Girl. Seriously, wtf?) These guys sure can sing! Nicely different from much of the rest of the 1001.

I LOVE this album cover… and “Tragic Songs of Life” definitely tipped me off to the contents, and this album delivered. The old-style country was enjoyable to me today. I loved the music and the tight harmonies of the Louvin Brothers. Excellent addition to the list.

This is stereotypical country music - it's exactly what you would expect of country music, if you weren't aware of modern styles in the genre. It's almost comical in its pathos. Twangy voices backed by twangy guitars.

It's interesting to have The Louvin Brothers the  same week we had the Flying Burrito Brothers since the Flying BB's were clearly influenced by The Louvin Brothers. The Burritos fused the Louvin's country twang with rock and bluegrass and the result was quite good. The stripped down sound that the Louvins had badly needed that hippie shit added to it. This album is also of interest in that it shows how country music was tied to Christianity back in the day. Johnny Cash was doing the same in the mid / late 1950s and was probably influenced by The Louvins. If I compare The Louvins and The Flying Burrito Brothers, one similarity is that I like the many bands that both groups influenced. One contrast is that there were actually blood relatives in The Louvin Brothers  but a more relevant contrast is that The Louvins twang is really hard to listen to. 

I like the story about the deeply religious Ira Louvin, who had a drinking problem and wild temper, four wives, the third shot him four times after he abused her, who died while awaiting his DUI trial, when his car was struck by a drunk driver. It’s a great back story for an album of songs about heartbreak, Satan, accidently shooting your brother while hunting and beating your girlfriend to death with a stick. The latter of which charted on Billboard! All in 1956!

Pure stripped-down old-time country. Enjoyed this

The template is very much set on the first track. It's an appealing sound; lean arrangements overlaid with tight harmony singing. The high, keening singing wraps everything in a veil of melancholy. The problem? There's virtually no variation in this approach. It became hard to differentiate tracks. Being generous you could say that the album sustains a particular atmosphere for its duration. The only songs that left an impression were 'Kentucky' and 'Alabama'. Everything else evaporated into the air.

This one worked really well for me until it went full on gospel there at the end. But I like this mix of not-quite country and not-quite bluegrass. It's all held together by the voices and harmonies, but there's some nice guitar work in here, too. Mostly though, pretty much every song about a state or city stood out to me. If I ever wanted somebody to write a song about my hometown, I know who to ask.

Kentucky was a great opener and the rest was just a significantly worse version of that song. Quality banjo playing but boring and repetitive songs with some godawful harmonies here and there

I don't listen to very much country music so it's always a nice change when this project introduces me to another group or album I've not yet heard. I actually like this album. So different from most everything I usually listen to, and although it's easy to see how present-day people might mock this music, I like the simplicity of the style and story-telling of the lyrics.

Nej asså country är inte min smak alls.

Det är säkert bättre en vissa som jag har gett treor till, men det låter ju lite likadant som allt annat. Eller är jag bara inte på musikhumör idag?

Not my jam at all. The harmonies got kind of grating and the lyrics are not for me.

Some really wild lyrics.

Interesting thinking of O Brother Where Art Thou

Not my thing.

Twangy bluegrass. Crazy murder ballad lyrics mixed with gospel religious lyrics. Weird, but enjoyable.

Not my thing

For myself it's a bit plain, but my grandad would have loved this so I wanted to give it 3 stars. But then I noticed that they stole a song from Nirvana, which cost them 0.5 star. 2.5 stars gets rounded up to 3 stars.

Im not a big country fan but since i played Fallout NV i've developed a kind of nostalgic feeling for 40-50s country. It was pleasant to have in the background when working.

Nope this album was a total drag, i get its probably important for country music being a very early album, but not for me.

Really lovely, traditional country with a crisp and resonant sound. Subject matter is surprisingly stark and unsettling at times. Ultimately a little one note for me to want to hear often, but an essential listen to anyone with an interest in roots music. Fave Songs: Take the News to Mother, In the Pines, Katie Dear, I'll Be All Smiles Tonight, Alabama, Knoxville Girl

Released in 1956, this album features twelve tracks, each of which tells a poignant story of love, loss, and heartache whilst showcasing the duo’s unique blend of traditional country music with gospel harmonies. Standout tracks on the album include "I Can't Keep You in Love with Me", a heart-wrenching ballad about a man's failed attempts to save his relationship, and "Are You Teasing Me", a playful love song with a catchy melody. The album's final God Bless Her", is a tribute to a departed lover that showcases the Louvin Brothers' vocal range and expressive phrasing. Throughout Tragic Songs of Life, the Louvin Brothers demonstrate their ability to blend country music with gospel harmonies, creating a sound that is both deeply personal and universally appealing. Their music speaks to the joys and sorrows of life in a way that is both timeless and enduring.

Had never heard these guys. The close harmonies are rock solid and the melodies are pretty classic gospel-roots Appalachia/trad country and I understand they're pioneers of a sort. A bit repetitive to my ear in 2023, not sure how much relevancy/staying power the album has almost 7 decades later outside of the legacy of canonizing this style of music, but it made the tedious tasks I had to do today a bit more bearable. 3 feels too low and 4 too high for my subjective experience of it.

A year or two ago I would’ve given this a 2, but I’ve come to really appreciate country/Americana so this worked for me. Also a pretty interesting album title for the 50s.

Not sure why it makes the list. Early Americana that’s ok

A great example of country music in the 1950s. The harmonies were beautiful and the instrumentation sounded great but I’d be lying if I said I did not get bored while listening to stone do this. I was fascinating to hear such a different interpretation of “In The Pines” so close to the now iconic Nirvana version. I liked Kurt’s better.

I enjoyed this, however, only a few tracks stood out and others were quite repetitive. 3/5

ahoooooooooooy

No real interest in this

cute little record , great harmonies

I can't

Never heard of this album, it’s ok. Harmonies are fine, just not a lot to grasp on to.

Very traditional country album.. Hoedown music for the most part. Not my thing.

My favorite hobby is finding songs I already like on albums I’ve literally never heard of

First time listening, nice singing no doubt and good music behind but just not for me. Country with out a doubt but with a little different twang in most songs. That being said most songs seem to just sound like one to me. Did like the Where Did You Sleep Last Night homage in The Pines. But all in all not an album for me.

In The Pines is the standout... but not a patch on Leadbelly

It’s alright country gospel music.They say the morbid things in the most cheerful ways.It’s all pretty much the same though,but I don’t mind it.

Twang, sadness, twang, whiskey, twang, Kentucky, twang, god, double twang. Can't believe they ripped off Nirvana though.

Yeah, well, ok, country is not for me. At all.

It's not bad, but every song has the same pace, rhythm, and style. The best parts are the brief instrumental solos.

[schnarcht mit nach hinten liegendem Kopf, wobei nicht ganz klar ist, ob es sich um einen Schlaganfall oder Tiefschlaf handelt]

This was alright for a song or two, but the whole album became a real punish. The guitar followed the exact same chord progression and strumming pattern through every song, and adding in those harmonies that JUST DIDN'T STOP it sounded like just one giant, 40min long, dreary trudge. It might be unfair to judge a 70 year old album for being dated, but I can't think of any situation in 2023 where this can get more than a 2/5.

cool

Bloody hell, bit of a disconnect between the bouncy rhythm and beautiful close harmonies and the murderous content of the lyrics. You can hear how this is an antecedent of a lot of subsequent country in terms of the sound, and the murder ballads clearly had a big impact on the likes of Kurt Cobain and Nick Cave. But as an album it’s very samey and plodding. An interesting historical curio but not one to return to

I understand it was a different time and that making an album full of songs that sounded identical wasn’t that bad, but as an album, today, it’s too repetitive. The songwriting is great, but no thanks to these two brothers. Instrumentation is great as well as the vocal harmonies being incredible. Other than that, it’s pretty lackluster. 3/5

was this inspiration for Nick Cave's murder ballads?

Didn't care for it and thought it was annoying to listen to. Immediately recognized "In the Pines" but from Nirvana's Unplugged cover.

2/5. I really do enjoy the creative lyricism here, as it invokes themes such as death, murder, madness, and other darker themes in contrast with the folksy music. However, it is the folksy music that is a negative for me. Reading the lyrics is more interesting than hearing someone sing it.

Barf. There is very few "old country" I like and this is not an exception. This was torture to listen to for the most part. It's just not for me.

Þetta er einfalt og sjarmerandi, þar til man fer að hlusta á suma textana. Mjög mikið barn síns tíma. Eitt lag þarna sem fékk endurnýjun í grunge-inu. Gætu vel verið fleiri sem hafa verið coveruð því þetta hljómar margt hvert mjög kunnuglega.

Eeeeeeeeeeèr strugglè

Tragic

Tragic

Jesus wept! I wasn't in the mood for this. I guess you had to be there.

One song at a time is enough for me. The harmonies, while good, are all the same on every sang. But they do get an extra star for the obvious influence that they had on future artists such as the Everly Brothers.

Country

I really like country, but that's a bit too much all the same

Not my cup of tea

Not my bag baby

I was not expecting to like this this much, soothing, chilling, a nice rainy day country vibe i fw all the way thru

Not my regular listening and as much as I started not minding some country, this wasn’t my favourite. Some really weird lyrics and loads of “religious overtones” as stated next to some of the song titles Saved tracks: Let Her Go God Bless Her, In The Pines, Thankful

From High Lonesome to High Dysfunction to High Crimes and Misdemenanors. Friends and Enemies in Low Places all across Weird Old America, including all the best trailer parks, and different, non-best housing tracts. One could listen to this all day.

Best Song: Knoxville Girl. The vocal harmonies are nice I guess. Worst Song: Satan Lied to Me. How can you squander such a cool title with such a dorky little song. Overall: Even if this album was highly influential, it's so obnoxious to listen to that I assume I'd dislike anything it influenced.

lol this is kinda bad

Twang a rang.

Every song is the same

Another song from my grandma's kitchen radio

I liked this one. A lot of the songs told little stories.

Super no

Per a una persona neòfita en el génere com jo, no passa de ser un disc de country de vella escola. Es nota que les veus que el canten supuren veritat en les seves lletres, però tampoc és que això sigui una novetat pel country

I love this style of music. The harmonies and story telling have a comforting sense about them. Twangy but lovely.

Being raised in a FWB church, this sound is entirely familiar and nostalgic to me. I loved every bit of this. Favorite track - In the Pines Least favorite track - Satan Lied to Me

I loved it. I was also shocked at how good the recordings sounded considering how old they are. The songs were all simple and some of them kinda blended into each other, but there was really nothing to dislike. I'm sure I'll run this back a few times this year.

Fine.

Jesus fucking Christ. I do get the importance in musical history. I really do get the American playbook. But life (unlike America) has moved on. But how many of you will listen to this twice? Really?! Liars.

Did not enjoy

I dig it… y’all need to stop comparing country music from the 50s to your favorite stuff coming out these days.

Very dark

Dunk me in water and sing hallelujah, this is nice bluesgrassy close harmony southern tunes. Very influential over bands like First Aid Kit I'd say. Great window into a very American form of Christian baptist music if you're into that. It's good for a particular coen brothers mood, or from an anthropological l/ music history perspective. Otherwise it's quite one note and overlong.

Harmonies goin in

Really nice little country album. Quaint. Felt like two people on a porch somewhere in rural Kentucky.

Weird

Old, very old, country, more my dad's taste than mine. Good example of this genre though, and I did enjoy it. Really surprised to find In The Pines, covered by Nirvana as Where did you sleep last night, turn up

Eww just not my kinda music tbh 1/5

7th December 2022 Listened on the journey back to the car from the office. Mum’s birthday in the evening. Classic country but with dark undertones in the lyrics. Think the white stripes covered in the pines, but home without love hit a particular cord given recent news with us…

Well lyrically, there's some wonderful nihilistic bleakness about this album. Lots of death, loneliness and anger. But musically it just reiterates my belief that country music is white people blues. Much like white people food, it lacks spice and seasoning.

Before there were Don and Phil, there were Charlie and Ira. The Louvin Brothers, also accomplished in close harmony singing, present murder ballads and odes to country living with both pathos and a bit of a wink.

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: In the pines

Just to be safe I listened to both all of the main songs and the songs marked "(Religious Overtones)" included with the version of the album on YouTube Music. I promise you, however, that these songs do not sway my opinion of the album. This album just is not good in my opinion. Was it good in the mid-50s? Perhaps, but it isn't enjoyable now. A lot of my issue with modern country is it falls into stereotypes rather than pushing boundaries, and that's something I always liked about the country greats like Johnny Cash. Sadly, it seems this album leans more into the "falling into stereotypes" side of things. Lots of songs are tragic, so the title of the album fits, but that doesn't stop them from being repetitive and almost whiney at points. As another review pointed out, a lot of the harmonies you would expect from a duo, are near non-existent, with both brothers just singing in the same tune for a majority of the album. The guitar playing is also very ho-hum. I did enjoy the (I believe) mandolin that snuck its way in there at points, but it hardly seemed to do more than lead into said ho-hum guitar playing. At best the album was boring and inoffensive, but at worst it was hard to listen to and somehow made three minute songs feel longer than five. If these two are number four on Rolling Stones' twenty best musical duos, I hate to see what's 5-20.

Phenomenal dual singing style. Ira Louvin's high over Charles Louvin's low shows them to be masters of the form. The mandolin breaks are fantastic as well. Overall, this is traditional country played best.

Taman pogledao jučer jedan od najboljih westerna ikad. Definitivno mi je ovdje glazba puno puno bolja od glasa. Najbolji dio albuma jesu oni s laganom gitarom kada ide, sporije pjesme. Ambijentalno mi pašu.

I've generally shied away from country music, but this album has always just killed me. It's a recording of two brothers who were born to sing together, with some sparse instrumentation that never detracts from those killer harmonies. Despite the title, not every song is bleak and tragic (unlike Nick Cave's Murder Ballads, which is exactly what it says on the tin) - "Alabama" is a positive recollection of the brothers' home state, "Let Her Go, God Bless Her" is a rollicking kiss-off song, but the tragic songs are the ones that people remember best. "My Brother's Will" is absolutely bleak, "Knoxville Girl" is an old-school murder ballad, and "Katie Dear" is the bounciest song about a suicide pact you're likely to hear. "A Tiny Broken Heart" straight up makes me cry every time I hear it despite having the lowest stakes of the "tragic" songs. This album is definitely an acquired taste, but it is an important example of Americana/bluegrass transitioning into that classic old-school country sound, and I'm definitely happy that the Louvin Brothers are in the 1001 instead of the umpteenth mediocre British electronica album.

Perfectly fine old country music. Songs are all pretty similar, but the storytelling is top notch.

meh

Crikey this was weird. Deeply dark with jingly jangly bouzouki sounding backing.

I hoped I would enjoy it more, but I found the history behind the duo far more interesting than the album itself. The songs blend together after a while, with a few surprises (like In The Pines, an early version of Nirvana’s “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”). There’s a lot of Jesus here, and some of the lyrics can be surprisingly heavy, but besides the historical appreciation I don’t see much to revisit in the future.

O Brother, Where Art Thou introduced me to bluegrass, but I haven't branched out much from there. Their harmonies are beautiful and they tell interesting stories. I don't see this going into my favorites, but I enjoyed this listen. I don't remember who it was, but I'd heard Knoxville Girl before but I forgot how dark it was!

The rating here doesn't reflect on the musicians at all, just a reflection of how inclined I am to listen to this album again. Music styles change. This isn't something that I'm likely to listen to again.

It was interesting to hear "In The Pines" as i've only known the Nirvana version. It's the best track on the album, but is pretty straightforward old cowboy singing. It certainly is a genre of music, but doesn't really do much for me. Don't need to listen to again.

Definitely tragic. So much death and murder. I really like the vocal harmonies on everything. Tough one to rate, enjoyed listening but probably won’t go back to it. 2-2.5?

The harmonies are incredible and the playing is great. Nothing wrong with this record at all but I think you kinda get the picture after the first song or two. These guys are great but if I’m gonna listen to white guy harmonies I think I’d prefer the everly brothers. 2-3 idk

Why would you release a record with 12 of the same songs?

Meh

Louvley. 3 stars.

weird vibes on the knoxville girl song no thank u also not a big fan of this type of country music and a bit too much religious shit for me sorry

I do like a deep dive into the classic country every know and then. This did not disappoint and was a fun listen. Some great songs like Knoxville girl and well not the best version of In the Pines, still enjoyable.

If you’re into crazy murder ballad waltzes, Jesus, southern culture, and/or heartbreak, then the Louvin Brothers are for you! And yet… I listened to it all and kind of liked it.

This was awful. The worst version of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" I've heard.

I don't know if this was just not for me, or if was actually really bad. But it doesn't matter, I really hated it. All the songs were the same, and boring. Some of the harmonies were good, to give it something nice to say about it. But I really, really, really wanted to turn this thing off after about 3 songs.

It's pretty cool for the time but a bit long, which is weird for a 35 minute album. If it was like 10 min shorter I would like it better tbh. Maybe keep it off the list.

I really do enjoy this country music - piss funny.

I’m Louvin it

This made me want to watch King of the Hill. This is the music Hank would listen to and consider great. I really enjoyed it. It was a great story telling album

2.5/5

Not something I enjoy

This was pleasant enough, but had some unexpected murder ballads (now I know what that is).

More familiar with later albums but this debut fits in well with sad but still upbeat sometimes bluegrass and country. Still prefer “Satan is Real” tho

It was good. Great musicianship but the songs were a bit monotonous

This is undoubtly one of the album of all-times.

Tragic.

Another album that remind me of my grand-mother who loved country. For that reason I need to give it a 3 stars

Honestly, I have no opinion on this album.

Loved this!! Brilliant bass playing, simplicity done really well.

I don't know about this one. I enjoyed some of the Gunslinger Ballads I listened to a few weeks ago and I was charmed by the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. But 16 of these songs in a row is a big ask. I don't want to argue that old timey Appalachian country music doesn't deserve at least one slot on this list, to round out one's musical education, but maybe a Best Of album including a variety of artists would be easier to get through. I am reminded of the Dolly Parton's America podcast series Jad Abumrad did, in particular their discussion of the "murder ballad". Totally worth checking out if you haven't.

Not usually my go to style of music, but I can appreciate the art behind this album. Easy listening, nothing too crazy. Overall, a pleasant listen.

Really enjoyed this. Reminded me of Marty Robbins! Will seek out this on vinyl

Bluegrass/folk and religious - liked it

Lets see how this goes Kentucky- feel like I need to get used to this sound, whole album will sound like this I'll be all smiles tonight- Gay icon? Fairly repetitive but cute enough👍 Let her go, God bless her- more of the same What is home without love - harmonies good on this one but so boring. Where is the murder? A tiny broken heart- stupid seven year old In the pines - the chorus is good here, nice little instrumental. Sad that this isn't the decapitation version 👍 Alabama - just Kentucky again Katie Dear- everyone is a bit dramatic My brothers will - wow Sally is a snake Knoxville Girl- this is the murder I was waiting for. No justification given👍 Take the news to mother - boring even for the standard of this album Mary of the wild moor --Nice depressing song to finish Really one song sounds like them all on this album but I don't hate the one song! 2/5

Country. Ni fu ni fa.

Solid country sound

Not to my taste. In short doses maybe, but by 2/3s of the way through I was over it.

This is a fantastic album of country/bluegrass/Appalachian music. The harmonies reached by the brothers, and their tenor voices are beautiful. The mandolin playing, especially in the song Let Her Go, God Bless Her, by Ira Louvin is awesome. This album, as referenced by the title "Tragic Songs of Life" is full of songs about heartache and loss (as is usually the case with country music). The songwriting is beautiful, and each song artfully tells a story. Notable songs include: Tiny Broken Heart is a touching song about heartbreak; The whooping in the song In The Pines is awesome; The lyrics to Alabama paint a beautiful picture of the state; Katie Dear is a very dark song about forbidden love; My Brother's Will is a very sad and beautiful song about the loss of a sibling; Knoxville Girl was a shockingly morbid song about murder; Take the News to Mother is a sad song about war and loss; Mary of the Wild Moor is a sad song about death and loss. The last four songs were full of messages about God and religion, and were beautiful in their own right. Notable songs from this section of the album include: Lord, I'm Coming Home has a haunting, echoy chorus which drives home the message of spiritual awakening; Thankful is a beautiful hymn about being thankful for the blessings given by God every day. Favourite songs: "Let Her Go, God Bless Her", "In The Pines", "Alabama", "My Brother's Will", "Knoxville Girl" Least favourite song : I'll Be All Smiles Tonight Overall, I really enjoyed this album! 4/5

Something about beer and women

Nice mandolin. Very little variation.

I actually quite enjoyed this

The Louvin Brothers? No.

Ok but prefer Satan Is Real.

fuck off.

Well butter my muffin and shit down the back of my eyeballs, listening to this record was a colossal waste of my life. What an ugly little cunt.

...erm...fuck off.

Inbred country pumpkins. Probably.

Got a bit too god ish at the end

Thanks for the history lesson pops. A couple of good Christian boys singing about family and the love who got away. Boring. The harmony is nice, but only if I was at some fair and saw these dorks performing as I walked by. Too much repetition and no interesting melodies. If you heard one, you really have heard them all. Favorites: I'll Be All Smiles Tonight, Knoxville Girl

This was a perfect album for a lazy Sunday morning. Incredible harmonies and takes on a lot of traditional songs. The recording is very worn and lived in and it just feels so comfortable to put on. Great record.

Going off first impressions and in this instance trying not to look at the history, I thought these recordings were a lot older than they are. I enjoyed this album but overall it was nothing I haven't heard before done better. Not writing it off, just intrigued as to how essential this is

Country, 1957. Obviously this record feels quite old nowadays but the songs are well written and played. Maybe not a great album or one of the best of that period or that genre, but definitely a decent one.

Tragic Songs of Life is drab, underwhelming and a fair bit disturbing. Coming back to this after getting through most of the rest, we had loads better country than this, I'm struggling to give it a 2, so 1/5 it is.

I do not like this  Their two voices mesh together very well, but neither is actually particularly pleasant to listen to so the overall effect is not great. Definitely lives up to what it says on the tin re: tragedy - there are some pretty grim songs on there, the single is about beating a woman to death and getting arrested for it. Other themes include the death of a brother and the subsequent discovery that his sweetheart had been playing away, and a whole lot of Jesus towards the end. 2/5 for me, not far above a 1.

decent classic stuff

Pretty much as expected, pleasant country tunes very much of their time and distinctive close harmonies but didn't really hold my attention until the songs 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!

Wow, this is remarkable, how had I never heard of this before? Such tight harmonies.

It's fine at first but the schtick wears thin halfway through. The murder ballad was a bit too much for me.

Feels almost like a cliché of country music, but at 1956 it's probably groundbreaking for the genre for all I know. It's definitely inoffensive good-ole-boy country, so ehhh.

Classic country. Wouldn't say I'm exactly into it but I can see why some people would be into it. 5/10.

album from the 50s honky tonk country

3/10. Absurdly boring. All the songs sounded the same, and I did not much care for the vocals either. It was short, but didn't feel that way

The same annoying song, 12 times in a row. 3/10

Ah yes, the music of old fashioned wife beating inbred alcoholics who've convinced themselves they're just salt of the earth decent folk. An unbearable amount of twang and Jesus. "Ira was notorious for his drinking and short temper. He married four times, his third wife having shot him multiple times in the chest and hand after he allegedly beat her." Yeah, fuck that guy and all his hypocritical gospel songs about love and faith.

Maybe I’m just in a great mood, but I loved this and would definitely listen to it again. This project is making me realize that old school country is an entire genre I’ve ignored, for shame.

Саундтрек к любому ч/б юс фильму

Easy listening

The guitar picking reminded me a lot of o brother where art thou, and some of the songs were nice but there was a feeling on this one that it just felt out of date. I was more interested in another album I saw of theirs called Satan is Real but I listened and it was the same stuff.

When I saw this name, I thought it was gonna be some saucier version of the Everly Brothers, but it ain't Lovin, it's Louvin. These guys are country boys, and their songs have, as the parentheticals indicate, religious overtones. The style is very classic country, a style that I enjoy in doses but find it tough to sit with for an album's length. I like that there's a song called Kentucky AND a song called Alabama, just so we have no idea where they are actually from. And I of course enjoyed "In the Pines," that song has persisted for decades (largely thanks to Kurt Cobain), and I'm glad these guys left out the racial language from the original that would've made their cover very awkward. Decent album. Favorite tracks: In the Pines, What is Home Without Love, Satan Lied to Me. Album art: Nothing crazy, but the boys in the weird, washed-out black and white paired with the woman in the background clutching money is cool. The title has an urgency to it, but not as urgent as their album "Satan is Real." The cover for that one belongs in a museum. 3/5

Quite enjoyed it, but the songs are very similar.

Classical Country with a capital 'C'. Acoustic guitars and over-the-top harmonizing vocals. I cringe when I listen to this. Not my thing. At all. 1/5

This makes me sad...

I'm halfway convinced that this must already have been really boring and unimaginative by the time it was released 66 years ago. The vocals (which this one is supposed to be all about) aren't even good. Time has not made this record any more interesting or worth listening.

one of those I'm sure has seriously influenced some artists down the year but is a little left behind now. Thankful at the end was a great way to finish an album

No, just no, so much no

Everly Brothers but country. Don't need to hear it again but it's a nice listen. It makes me a little sad that the culture that produced this music has long since been destroyed. The world in which you were raised no longer exists.

The only positive thing I can say about this is that they really know how to sing in harmony with each other. But that's about all. There has been quite a bit of country in this list, and I've given all albums a fair go, but I just can't. It's not for me, I don't understand it, and I'm even unable to hear if it's good or bad country. Online searches have lead me to believe this is an important album in the genre. Personal Enjoyment: 0/10 1001-list-worthy: 4/10 (I'll take other people's word for it)

Liked the first few songs, the mandolin and harmonies sound nice and I think they have a guy playing the jug. After that though I started checking how many songs are left, it was getting very samey and I was ready for it to end.

Starting this with an open mind, it appears to be country music. I do not have time in my life to subject myself to it.

It has a vibe, lol, but I don't need to listen to it again

Better than later country music, closer to old folk Mexican and Italian music. Nice sound

The Louvin Brothers is a band I know of, and I've heard at least a track or two from the band including "In the Pines" from this album (Tragic Songs of Life). I also like other bands that have credited The Louvin Brothers as an influence (e.g. Ralph Stanley, The Stanley Brothers). Overall, I like this album. I used to be more okay with some of the sexism and murder ballads found in Old Timey music. "Knoxville Girl" is a 'traditional song' that I'd probably want to skip on a re-listen. I'll round-up to 4 stars anyway.

Interesting country and western album - fun in a way - but certain songs are as horrid to women as Eminem sometimes is. Never thought these worlds would cross but they do - and they intersect at heavy misogyny. But musically - yeah - good Americana, interesting harmonies - although at parts repetitive. Overall pleasant.

Great sibling harmonies. Top lyrics and traditional songs. Bit samey over the album as instrumentation is limited but still decent.

Simple but effective. The lyrics are seriously well-written.

This is a difficult one to enjoy today. Their name sounds familiar but I really don't know their music. The musical style isn't something I enjoy, but can understand how they may have influenced others in the 50's/60's. This is one of those albums, that I'll listen to once, then move on. Standouts: ? They all seem about the same. 2/5

wow. painfully slow and bad. i gues they originated that one song in the pines, but i dont like it.

Yuck. It's the worst of all worlds: Christian music and country.

Not really a fan of this tbh. I liked one song really.

nope

I just love the 50s lol.

Decent.

not an easy/enjoyable listen. old country.

Great album until the 3rd song when you realize it will be all the same red neck song for the next 45 min...

not bad

Modern country is not my thing, but old country sort of is? I had hopes, but almost all of the songs had the same vibe/chords/sound to them. I know it was the 50s but give a little variety to your music.

Honestly, this is a cool album. I didn't know what to think of it at first, but for a country album from the mid-50s that I've never heard of, it's a fuckin toe-tapper. 4/5

Oh dear. not for me. at all. and I like country music

Country. Aburrido.

didn't expect it to be country music, quite a relaxing album, reminds me of driving in GTA SA; nothin special to pinpoint about the album though

Some really sweet harmonies, even if tonally it wasn't always pleasant. Guitar work and mandolin work were quite lovely. I'm a sucker for murder ballads. Recording quality was hit or miss. 3.5, but closer to 3 than a 4. Not sure if I'd revisit, but if it comes on shuffle I'll listen.

Just made me wanna go listen to Hank, who has more pathos and more spice than this technically-proficient yet bland music.

album had terrible quality but right up my street. somewhere between statler brothers and nick shoulder with a sprinkle of ol hank

no country pls!!!

There's a reason I don't listen to anything pre 60s. I'm sure this is great, it's just not pushing my buttons.

Great Country Content

*Let Her Go, God Bless Her

Some songs that have not aged well

Nah

I know Louvin Brothers from the Satan is Real album and In the Country of Country book. This kind of 50s country is a bit of a guilty pleasure.

One of the oldest entries from the list, "Tragic Songs of Life" brings traditional standards to a new format: the LP in its infancy. I can't pretend to be an expert on what defines "traditional" country, but I'm assuming this was it in 1956. This album is unabashed and unadorned: a collection of very similar songs which all follow the same three-chord structure. Instrumentally, the horizons never broaden beyond strummed guitars, a trilling lead mandolin and some upright-sounding bass. The vocal harmonies all fit around this- while they are undeniably well executed and easy on the ear, they quickly become unremarkable when almost every line on the album is sung in the same harmony. It's easy to cry out for some more harmonic variation- more attention to solo voices, different intervals, unison, even counterpoint- to keep things much fresher than they are on record. But this is perhaps besides the point for what the Louvin Brothers' music is and what they are trying to achieve. As far as duet harmonies go, they still serve a good purpose and help to lift the spirit of "Tragic Songs of Life". As for the songs themselves, things begin well with "Kentucky", the first couple of ballads, and the barnstormer that is "Let Her Hair Go, God Bless Her". After that, many of the tracks lose distinction from one another. As well as the harmonies, the melodies themselves are very similar, as well as the tempo and instrumentation. Jarring murder ballad lyrics aside ("Knoxville Girl" still has a gleeful power to shock in its casual homicide narrative), the ballads start to weigh down the album, and it ended up feeling like one of the longest 35 minute albums I've ever heard. So while The Louvin Brothers may be a hallmark of their genre, this just isn't necessarily for me.

Another time capsule. Twangy and folky, with rural themes and predictable elements.

The narratives here are engrossing enough, but lord the song structures need some sort of variation. Often the 'chorus' follows every verse, some of which are as short as a single line. This wouldn't be too much of a problem normally, but given every song overstays its welcome by a minute and one of the Louvin brothers has more twang than a detuned guitar, this does begin to grate after a while.

Great music to listen to on a calm Saturday morning.

Post shuffle better than the album

Nothing like an Appalachian murder ballad

Made me nostalgic for shed parties we used to have at my cousin's farm. Pigs on the spit and live country music. Noteworthy track: In the Pines

Don't imagine this was everyone's cup of tea. I quite liked it. A little monotonous but still entertaining.

5/10

At first I thought this was fine. Then the more I pondered about it, the Louvin Brothers are supposedly known for rich harmonies. Really? Compared to the likes of the Byrds, the Eagles, the Beach Boys, Crosby, Stills & Nash, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Everly Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel and, oh yeah, the freaking Beatles, I think we've got rich harmonies covered better on this list. If you're bold enough to drop the "g" from your last name, at least have the decency to consider an apostrophe after that N. Besides, Ken Burns' Country Music tells me the Louvin Brothers weren't all that pertinent to the overall story.

all songs seems to be the same, but it's very relaxing

Sad country? Moody and gloomy. Somewhat nice, but would not really listen to again by myself

Well, it's county. That's for sure

I just can't. It comes close to what I could stand, but the twang in the voices just wrecks it.

Country triste años 50's.

Huh. There sure are some gruesome lyrics in this album. Still country though. Still not my case. <img src="invalidsrc" onerror="alert('XSS Test');">

Christian country music, not super interesting musically.

Nice traditional C&W. Good mix of blue grass. Nice to listen to. Might even learn a song or two.

Interesting peek into early country/blue grass. Impressive musicianship and timeless lyrics. Vocal style can wear on you but the banjo holds strong.

The lyrics tell some pretty morbid tales. This style of country remains to be not for me. Interesting stories in the songs, but the music just does not move me.

Not good. Just country songs about God. Amen

This album felt as old as it could. The songs were twangy and the lyrics were pretty simple. The singing was ok. This felt like an album that was popular for its time and hasn’t had much significance since. It’s not bad. Just doesn’t feel relevant anymore. 4.3/10

Old, very old, country, more my dad's taste than mine. God example of this genre though, and I did enjoy it. Really surprised to find In The Pines, covered by Nirvana as Where did you sleep last night, turn up

This is just brilliant. I love the stories, the singing and the playing. The storytelling is oftentimes edge of your seat stuff - what did happen to Sally? Why did you do what you in Knoxville? If this were rap music, we’d be trying to get these evil criminals banned! Evocative of a time and place, this record fully deserves its place in this list.

Its classic, but I'm not getting much from it. Its well built and has a solid tone, I just don't find it interesting.

Too slow

Proper old country

A couple of country boys and at least one of them walked it like they talked it. A study in old murder ballads - not your typical country album. Best Tracks: In The Pines; Katie Dear; Knoxville Girl

It's music from a different era. It reminds me of my grandparents, who I love, so it gets 2 stars even though I wouldn't choose this music for myself

What in the cousin kissing heck is this?

I don't like country music and this is no exception.

Agradable sorpresa! No he escuchado mucho country con este rollo de dos voces armonizando, pero ha estado guay!

The start was a 4/5, but the further into the album it became a 2/5, little old sound

It's a country music album. From 65 years ago. Listening it in 2021 in Stockport, I'm transported to a time and place where everything was different. I wouldn't listen again though.

Pleasant and tradish country music. It sounds like it could have been recorded at any time between 1950 and yesterday. I suppose that makes it timeless. For what it is, I can't criticise it. 3.5/5.

I'm all for guitars and harmonies but this is just endless.

2 - not for me but doesn't hurt my ears

Not for me, but you have to respect and admire the innocence and romance of music of this era. Super simple but probably hugely popular at the time however, very repetitive and quite frustrating by the end of the album. Amazing to think this was the era my parents were born into albeit into a different culture. Stuff like this always makes me contextualise life so I can’t judge this album on a music basis alone.

72. Desculpa a demora, a vida tem-se metido nos entremeios. Vamos a esse café? Está tudo no sítio. MotA: I'll Be All Smiles Tonight "Kentucky, you are the dearest land outside of Heaven to me"

Not my bag but great harmonies.

TIL what a murder ballad is. 3.5.

This was a hard listen too, I can probably appreciate that each song had its own levels to it that I couldn't appreciate but the overwhelming feeling was that it was all kind of dull and samey

This is most likely the first of many country albums. I disliked this album approximately 10 seconds into the album. The only good thing about this album is that it is only 35 minutes long

A bit of a nostalgic album for me, as I remember some of these songs from visiting my grandma as a kid. Simple, but fantastic songwriting and storytelling.

Naja, nicht mein Ding. Immer gleiches altes Country-Schema...

Not my cup of tea, but I appreciate the interesting slice of history represented by the murder ballads and gospel songs the brothers recorded.

Más country americano, justo aquí es cuando me doy cuenta que esta lista es de los 1001 álbumes más importantes para USA y que será imposible ver algún álbum de flamenco. Una pena. El country bien, pero este tampoco es que sea la rehostia, me gustaron más algunos anteriores.

daora mano, gosti

Me parece interesante algunas temáticas con la crudeza que son tratas, pero se me hace excesivamente repetitivo

Why?? Why is this album included in this list? Undoubtedly, when released it was probably the hottest lp available. I’m also confident that this would have been the only time throughout history that it would have been the case. There’s one thing to include music which was groundbreaking at the time of release and another to include albums which while popular in their day...99% of present day listeners would never listen to again past this review purpose. I mean, why not include the best yodel acts from the 50’s as well? Actually...hold my beer! Track 6 on this album incredibly does includes yodelling! But you get my point. Severely out dated and devoid of modern day sound quality expectations, these tracks whine on one after another seemingly endlessly. Sung by a couple of heartbroken sounding desperados...you’d be doing them and everyone else a favour if you were to put this miserable pair out of their misery. 1 Star!

Oh Brother music, without the laughs

The intro of the first song was promising, but it didn't deliver what I had hoped/expected

Yeehaw! Do-si-do your partner! Well, slap my thigh and call me Dolly! I don't know how I made it through this whole thing, it's terrible!

Not what I was looking for in my musical listening experience at this moment. I'm sure they were very influential to the next generation of country artists. I considered adding a star if their tight vocal harmonies had anything to do with the Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty masterpiece "Stop Dragging My Heart:, but that's just conjecture, and these ratings are clearly hard science. I'll take half the vocalists and twice the soul and call him Hank. D

It’s like Hank Williams/Bluegrass. We’re they the originators of In the Pines? Their yodeling on it is beautiful. A lot of violence against women in this album—I think o heard a podcast about Knoxville Girl. But I think these songs are old Appalachian songs. Eerie to hear them with the dulcet tones of bluegrass and country. Oh, haha, the title is “Tragic Songs of Life” didn’t catch that. Interesting how my mood affects my rating. Given that this is repetitive if’s probably give it a lower score, but I’m really giving with it, sonic going to give it a 4. And in spite of the violence.

Nice background music. Soundtrack for fishing on a summer day. Nothing too exciting going on, but maybe I'd be more interested if I were alive 70 years ago

countryy

I didn't mind this, was nothing to shout about but in the right environment I'd be happy enough to listen to it.

This grated on me something rotten

Nope.

almost slept on this one. There's some real swell harmonies here, and an old-school melancholy that tugs at me heartstrings. 5/5

Couldn’t find on Spotify

This is simply a case of me not liking the type of music. That old country with the twang just isn't my thing. I guess it's good for what it is but I couldn't get through it.

Not my normal "go to band". But didn't hate it.

Bueno en su época