Wooley,Sheb Collection 1946-62 CD

Sheb Wooley was a cowboy-styled country singer and character actor in western movies and TV series, who is best-known for his unique landmark No. 1 novelty rock 'n' roll and pop hit "Purple People Eater" from 1958. It was such a distinctive and memorable record that it made an impact on people who had no interest in pop and entered the annals of the greatest novelty hits in pop history. Born in 1921, he started making country records in the late 1940s, often in a distinctive humorous style, and made his first movie appearances in the early '50s, including a role in the 1952 classic "High Noon" - his biggest screen success came after the success of "Purple People Eater" when he was cast as Pete Nolan in the western series "Rawhide". His early music was characterised by hillbilly and western swing styles, but he readily embraced rockabilly and rock 'n' roll styles as the market changed in the 1950s. This excellent-value 60-track 2-CD collection comprises selected A and B sides of his singles, from his recording debut in 1946 on the Bullet and Blue Bonnet labels and his career on the MGM label through to 1962. "The Purple People Eater" is naturally the centrepiece, but the set also includes other chart entries, notably his 1961 country No. 1 "That's My Pa", and another off-the-wall novelty "Don't Go Near The Eskimos" in his TV guise of Ben Colder. It's an highly entertaining and varied collection of excellent country and country/pop performances, often with a humorous novelty twist, and underlining what a versatile and unusual talent he was.

1. Oklahoma Honky Tonk Gal 2. I Can't Live (On) Without You 3. Lazy Mazy 4. Wooley's Polka 5. Peeping Thru the Keyhole 6. Time Won't Heal An Achin' Heart 7. Too Long with the Wrong Woman 8. Indian Maiden 9. Texas Rose 10. Cherokee Waltz 11. Rover Scoot Over 12. Mule Boogie 13. (Now You Are) Changing Your Name 14. Country Kisses 15. Over the Barrel 16. Down in the Toolies 17. You're the Cat's Meow 18. Wha' Happened to Me Baby 19. A Cowboy Had Ought to Be Single 20. You Never Can Tell 21. A Heart Bound in Chains 22. Freight Train Cinders in My Eyes 23. Love Is Just Another Merry-Go-Round 24. Texas Tango 25. Goodbye Texas, Hello Tennessee 26. Knew I Had Lost 27. Don't Stop Kissing Me Goodnight 28. Panama Pete 29. White Lightnin' 30. I Go Outa My Mind 31. Hill Billy Mambo 32. I Flipped 33. Speak of the Devil 34. Love at First Sight 35. It Takes a Heap of Livin' 36. Humdinger 37. Are You Satisfied' 38. The Birth of Rock 'N' Roll 39. You Can Do It 40. First Day of School 41. Let the Big Wind Blow 42. Honey, I'm Lonesome (Telegraph Song) 43. Recipe of Love 44. I Found Me An Angel 45. The Purple People Eater 46. I Can't Believe You're Mine 47. The Chase 48. Santa and the Purple People Eater 49. Sweet Chile 50. Josie 51. Roughneck 52. Luke the Spook 53. Taste of Ashes 54. Skin Tight, Pin Striped, Purple Pedal Pushers 55. That's My Pa 56. Laughin' the Blues 57. Somebody, Please (Say Something Funny) 58. Land of No Love 59. The Legend of Echo Mountain 60. Don't Go Near the Eskimos