A Decade of Hits [Remaster] (CD - 1983)

Producers: Charlie Daniels, John Boylan, Paul Hornsby.

Compilation producer: Al Quaglieri.

Recorded at Woodland Studios & Mercury Custom Studios, Nashville, Tennessee; Capricorn Studios, Macon, Georgia. Includes liner notes by Charlie Daniels.

Digitally remastered by Chris Athens (Sony Music Studios, New York, New York).

More than half of the songs from the Charlie Daniels Band's compilation A Decade of Hits were chart successes, especially the fiery "Devil Went Down to Georgia," a boot-kickin' mix of rock and country fiddle that proved to be this group's biggest hit. Played on both country and rock radio, it hit number three on Billboard's Top 40 in 1979 thanks to its hard-based rhythm and entertaining narrative. A Decade of Hits puts together ten of the band's most solid songs that integrate both a country and rock feel. "The South's Gonna Rise Again" unleashes Daniels' pride of being from North Carolina and the attributes of being a good ol' boy. "Long Haired Country Boy" does much of the same, but with a more generous amount of countrified fervor. "Still in Saigon" leans on a more rock-oriented style, and loosely deals with one veteran's flashbacks to the Vietnam War. As a story song, "The Legend of Wooley Swamp" basks in the Southern slang of Daniels drawl, which contributes to its bayou campiness. The most delightful aspect of the Charlie Daniels Band's music is the way in which Daniels uses his fiddle to liven up his music, customizing it to the drums and guitar. Most of the tunes on this album contain a feisty mix of instruments that gives the band a different feel and a slightly unique sound. Not the typical country norm, this collection of the Charlie Daniels Band's best songs will satisfy anyone who is interested. ~ Mike DeGagne

Though originally released back in 1983, A DECADE OF HITS has yet to be topped as the best single-disc compilation of Charlie Daniels Band hits. From their hilarious early days exploring the longhair-redneck dichotomy--"Uneasy Rider" and "Long Haired Country Boy" are comic story songs as good as anything else in the genre--to the crossover pop success of songs like the inescapable "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" and "The South's Gonna Do it Again," this collection hits all the high points.

Perhaps more importantly, it collects the last couple of truly essential Charlie Daniels Band hits, the atypically serious veteran's lament "Still in Saigon" and "Stroker's Theme," the goofy theme to the Burt Reynolds film STROKER ACE. This may be the only Charlie Daniels Band record you need. minimize