January 13th, 2010 
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This collection offers a fine introduction to the most agreeable of country crooners, sampling a variety of styles. Red Foley puts his conversational baritone to gospel favorites, catchy novelties (including one here with Ernest Tubb), souped-up boogies, and of course, the sentimental classic “Old Shep,” a boy-and-his-dog tale that manages to be both mawkish and moving at the same time. –Marc Greilsamer
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That famous line from the musical Oliver fits this CD to a T. Not that there’s anything wrong with it. Here you have 14 of his Top 40 Country hits, three of which – Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy, Sugarfoot Rag, and Alabama Jubilee – crossed over into, and did very well on, the pop charts in 1950/51. Along for the ride are lesser hits like When God Dips His Love In My Heart and Deep Blues, which was overshadowed only by the fabulous A-side Midnight in 1952.
No, the problem is Red Foley had SIXTY-ONE Top 40 Country charters between 1944 and 1959, including ten more that made noise on the pop charts. And, with all of them on the Decca label, some don’t seem to be available anywhere! The list is far too long to go into here in any detail, but certainly very conspicuous by its continued absence from the market is his first big hit Smoke On The Water which stayed at # 1 Country for thirteen straight weeks in 1944 and even went to # 7 pop. The flip-side – There’s A Blue Star Shining Tonight – also scored, going to # 5 Country. A year later he hooked up with, of all people, Lawrence Welk, to record Shame On You/At Mail Call Today which went to # 1 and 3 Country respectively, with the A-side again scoring on the pop charts at # 13.
From 1944 to 1956 he was constantly on the charts, highlighted by 1950 when he had sixteen make the Top 40, including four at # 1 – Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy which is, of course, on this CD, and Birmingham Bounce, Mississippi, and Goodnight Irene which are not. His last Top 40 charter was Travelin’ Man which peaked at # 29 Country in the summer of 1959.
Red, who passed away on September 19, 1968, unfortunately didn’t get to see his son-in-law make the Top 40 Country charts with Texas Woman in 1976, nor his granddaughter’s eight between 1977 and 1981, but he was justifiably proud of Pat Boone and his 38 Top 40 pop hits between 1955 and 1962.
To paraphrase granddaughter Debbie’s biggest hit, he indeed “lit up our lives.” Come on MCA or whoever, get with it and put out some more Red Foley CDs. In the meantime, enjoy these 16 delightful tracks in wonderful AAD sound reproduction, not to mention the three pages of liner notes written by John W. Rumble of the Country Music Goundation, and the contents partial discography (no chart details).
Rating: 4 / 5
Some nostalgic albums reissues from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s just don’t age that well and just don’t sound as well as you might remember them if you were alive in that era. This is a wonderful exception and its sounds as fresh as it did when these songs were first popular. Lots of artists have done Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy, but I never cared for most of the versions; this one by Red Foley is the best version I’ve ever heard. I came across this album by accident, as you don’t often hear Foley’s name. Strange since he had the first million seller gospel album and sold over 25 million records in his heydey and influenced many other artists. I am sure I must have heard Foley in the 50’s without knowing his name. At that time, this was not called country or country western music. It was cowboy music or it was just the music we listened to on the radio; we didn’t really classify it. This is a nice variety of songs all the way from the sad (Old Shep) to the humorous (Don’t Be Ashamed of Your Age). There are a few really nice duets too. The sound is sharp and Red’s voice is smooth and pleasant. If there is anything disappointing about this album it’s that it doesn’t go on a lot longer; still with 16 songs, one can’t complain too much.
Rating: 5 / 5
I am looking for a record he released. I think the name was “Peace in the Valley”,the old version.He narriated a song in it. It was about a little childs death. One line was “HE didn’t give that child by a hundred thousand years, He just thought you needed some sunshine, so He lent him to you for a whle” Other songs were “Lady of Fatamia”,If you go first, Peace In the Valley, and Just a closer Walk with Thee.” If anyone can tell how to get a copy of this album,I would be vere happy. It (the album) got lost when my mother died. It means a lot to me.Help me if you can. Thanx.
Rating: 5 / 5
The first time I heard Red Foley was on a demo disk featuring him and the Andrews Sisters singing one of the songs on this CD Hang Your Head in Shame, on the flip side was another song “Where Is Your Wandering Mother Tonight”. So the first song Hang Your Head In Shame brings back memories. When the Pointer Sisters came out with their song Fairytale I imediatley thought of Hang Your Head In Shame they are both in the same genre of song. Other songs on this CD also bring back memories of a simplier time Old Shep. Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy is a wonderful example of Texas Swing often associated with Bob Wills. While the years seem to have buried Red I feel he is an intergral part of American Popular as well as C&W Music. I only have to hear”Don’t your conscience ever bother you everytime you hear my name. Try and think of all that I’ve been through and Hang your head in shame. You don’t miss me since we’ve been apart, I wish I could say the same…
Rating: 5 / 5
Few people today realize what a major impact Red Foley once made on country music, because so little has been written about him over the years. In the 1940s, Foley was a household word in country music. As the host of NBC/WSM’s Grand Ole Opry, he was heard coast-to-coast on one of network radio’s highest-rated shows, and was highly respected by fans and fellow artists alike.
Foley’s smooth vocal style–quite a lot different from many country artists of the day–helped give him broad appeal. It also enabled him to capably deliver many different types of songs, and this CD presents a great cross-section of them. Here, you’ll hear “Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy,” a number-one boogie-woogie tune from 1950 (number one on both the country AND pop charts at the time), “Careless Kisses,” a great example of Foley’s delivery of the smooth ballad, and “Peace in the Valley,” one of the many sacred songs Red sang so beautifully on his radio programs, and the record that has the distinction of being gospel music’s first million-seller.
If you want to get a glimpse at one of country’s giants at the absolute peak of his performing ability, listen to this album. Artists ranging in styles from Hank Williams to Elvis Presley loved his music and admired him, and the songs here clearly demonstrate why.
Red Foley was the consummate entertainer, and was loved by fans around the world. It’s a shame he gets so little credit for the influence he has had on the country and gospel formats, but this CD goes a long way toward keeping his memory alive.
Rating: 5 / 5