The Definitive Collection [Remaster] (CD - 2004)

All things considered, The Definitive Collection is an excellent single-disc sampler of Patsy Cline. One could easily point out that there have been a lot of Patsy Cline compilations, many of them in print on the day this one was released, and validly ask just why the world (or even the U.S.) needs another one. From Universal's point of view, there remained an unfilled niche in the marketplace for a full-length CD compilation selling for more than the short discount albums but less than the multi-disc sets. That is where The Definitive Collection, with its 22 tracks, selling for a mere $14.99, comes in. The track list, sequenced in roughly chronological order, presents all 14 of Cline's country chart hits, among them "Walkin' After Midnight" (heard here in the original hit recording, not the re-recording found on Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits), "I Fall to Pieces," "Crazy," and "She's Got You." The eight additional tracks have been judiciously selected and include two songs that made the pop, but not the country, singles charts ("Heartaches" and "Strange"); two B-sides written by noteworthy country artists (Hank Cochran's "Why Can't He Be You," and Bob Montgomery's "Back in Baby's Arms"); and a handful of pop and country standards (Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues" and "Half as Much," the Bing Crosby/Grace Kelly hit "True Love," written by Cole Porter, and Bob Wills' "San Antonio Rose"). The result is a well-rounded 58-plus minutes of Cline (about one-fifth of her total recorded output) that presents the highlights of her career. True, a few more tracks could have fit on the CD, but then the publishing royalties might have necessitated a higher price. ~ William Ruhlmann

For many legendary artists, it's difficult to choose what material should be commemorated on a best-of compilation. The tough question inevitably arises, "What does one leave out?" Because Patsy Cline died tragically in an airplane crash at the age of 30, she left behind only about 100 songs. Nonetheless, the compilers of the single-disc DEFINITIVE COLLECTION must have still had to make difficult decisions here, since the genius of Cline was that once she sang a tune, not only did she make it her own, she turned it into an ineradicable hit.

THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION presents many of these chart-toppers, including the classic singles "Walkin' After Midnight," "She's Got You," and "I Fall to Pieces." Of particular note, this album contains Cline's original version of "Walkin' After Midnight," not the 1961 remake that is heard on the ever-popular GREATEST HITS. Of course, Willie Nelson's "Crazy" is also included on this album, as are many other Cline favorites. If you are looking to buy a well-thought-out anthology of Patsy Cline, THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION is the perfect choice. minimize