Classic Album Review – Eddy Arnold “My World”
From 1965, comes this gem of an album from the legendary Eddy Arnold. My World contains two of Arnold’s biggest hits, “What’s He Doing In My World” and “Make The World Go Away”. Both songs were number one country hits, while “Make The World Go Away” also reached the top ten on the pop charts.
The album begins with aforementioned “What’s He Doing In My World”, one of this blogger’s favorite Arnold songs. Next up, we get Eddy’s version of Brenda Lee’s “Too Many Rivers”. It’s a good mid tempo number, and I’ve always thought it sounds as he was really having fun singing this song.
“It Comes And Goes”, a decent mid tempo country song from the pen of the legendary singer/songwriter, Bill Anderson. It’s followed up by Eddy’s mega-hit, “Make The World Go Away”. It’s interesting to listen to Eddy’s version, along with that of Ray Price’s, which had been a top ten hit two years earlier. They give two entirely different interpretations of the song, yet in both cases, at the end, you are shaking your head and saying, “Now that’s a record!”. Rarely can you (in my opinion, at least) say that about multiple versions of one song.
“The Days Gone By”, a song that touches on the sentimentality of the past and those from the past, is the kind of song that can easily turn into a sappy number, yet Arnold is able to avoid that trap.
The original album’s side one is finished with the up tempo “Mary Claire Melvina Rebecca Jane”, a decent song, nothing special or spectacular. Unusual for and Eddy Arnold record, particularly of this era, is the banjo as the featured instrument.
Moving onto the record’s side two. It opens with “I’m Letting You Go”, the third, and often forgotten hit, on the album. The single did reach the top twenty in 1965, as the follow-up to “What’s He Doing In My World.” I think it has one of the most interesting melodies of that era, country music-wise, as it takes you way beyond the standard three chords.
Another remake of a Brenda Lee hit, is next, this time with “As Usual”. Arnold’s recording is certainly single-worthy, but unfortunately, was never more than an album cut. Eddy, again, nails the song, sounding almost as good as the original.
The next cut, I think, is better than the original. In 1953, Eddie Fisher had a huge pop hit with “I’m Walking Behind You”. Here, Eddy Arnold speeds up the tempo a bit and it makes an old song sound fresh. This may be the best cut of side two.
“If You Were Mine, Mary” and “Taking Chances” are both decent songs, again, nothing stands out about either, but they are pleasant and easily listenable.
The late Merle Kilgore contributed the final cut, “You Still Got A Hold On Me.” Kilgore, best remembered, today, for his many years of managing Hank Williams Jr., was quite a songwriter, as well. Eddy makes the song his own, singing as though it was written especially for him.
I give this album a 5 out of 5. One of the first two albums I recall ever hearing (Dean Martin’s Greatest Hits was the other), it has remained a favorite to this day. Like any album, some songs are better than others, but unlike many albums, you really can’t say there are any weak cuts. All are at the very least, good.
It appears that this album is currently out of print, though it has been available on CD, of which I found several used copies listed on various websites, along with original vinyl copies, as well.
I highly recommend this one.
