Crystal Gayle

We Must Believe In Magic / When I Dream (2-CD)
$16.97
Crystal Gale's first half dozen albums are a real treasure. For many years they've been out of print, and it thrilled me to learn that they are all now available. She doesn't have a great range, but her voice has a kind of jazzy pop sound that's cheery and delightful. There's really nothing country sounding about her voice, nor are there any twangy guitars in the arrangements. I suspect she got tagged as country because she's Loretta Lynn's younger sister. On the other hand, there's no reason why country music lovers wouldn't like her music; it's pretty universal. "Don't it Make my Brown Eye Blue," which is on the first CD (it's a two-CD set), is a real classic and in my opinion her best song ever. I never get tired of it. Her warm voice contains just enough emotion to convey the pain but not enough to make you feel the pain. She does such a wonderful job on it that I don't think anyone else has dared cover it. Most of the other songs on these two albums sound great, and a couple of them are memorable, especially the title song "When I Dream." Also, the production of these CDs is impeccable. They sound like they've been perfectly remastered. If you like Crystal Gale or superb female vocalists, you will probably love these CDs. Highly recommended.

Cage the Songbird/Nobody Wants to Be Alone
$19.98
This is one of a series of twofers released in Britain coveringing Crystal Gayle's Columbia and Warner albums. Here you will find her second and third Warner albums (Cage the songbird, from 1983, and Nobody wants to be alone, from 1984). I do not play these albums as often as most of Crystal's other music but I always enjoy hearing them. They are high quality albums featuring the type of pop-country music that was popular on American country radio at the time, helping to maintain Crystal's position as one of the most important female singers in country music at the time, though she did not maintain that position for much longer.
The title track of Cage the Songbird is a cover of a relatively obscure but wonderful Elton John song. Other great songs include The sound of goodbye, I don't wanna lose your love and Turning away as well as fine covers of Victim or a fool (Rodney Crowell) and Take me home (Tom Waits).

The second album here, Nobody wants to be alone, is similar in style and quality. It includes more great songs such as A long and lasting love, Tonight tonight, the title track, Coming to the dance and Touch and go.

If you are a fan of Crystal's music, you will love these albums.

Crystal Gayle - All-Time Greatest Hits
$7.98
This is early Crystal, classic stuff. She's never received the critical appreciation she should have received, but she's put out some very unusual songs, for a country or pop artist. Her two biggest hits, Don't it make my brown eyes blue and Talking in your sleep, are cases in point. The first is almost a jazz piece, with the lilting piano and Crystal's subtle rhythmic changes as a counterpoint, while the second is one of the only hits I know that starts out with a single chord, declarative voice, almost talking, and very slow pace. Loretta Lynn says that no one sings a torch song better than Crystal, and Talking in your sleep provides all the proof you need. It's a great song, and I think it hasn't been recorded much because no one thinks that they can improve on Crystal's version. The entire CD is full of good songs, only gets 4 stars, because these are not Crystal's all time greatest hits. She has many more. For those who still follow her music, get her Hoagy Carmichael CD. It's a classic.

Top 10 Country Hits
$19.98
Crystal Gayle is one of country music s reigning chanteuses, her unforgettable rendition of 'Don t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,' made everyone with ears eminently aware of her, be they country fans or not. 'Greatest Country Hits' is a 2-CD collection that includes a dozen of her Top 10 Country smashes and other great songs representing nearly 20 years of Crystal s fabulous career.