Lee Greenwood "Greatest Hits, Volume One" (Curb Records, 1985)
Lee Greenwood "Greatest Hits, Volume Two" (Curb Records, 1988)
Yeesh. What cheesy crapola... a country Lionel Ritchie, as if we needed one. For what it's worth, Greenwood's had a better voice than Kenny Rogers -- or at least one a little less identifiable and overtly unctuous and irritating. If he could have just once resisted the temptation to throw that gratuitous vibrato onto every single line he sings, his music might be almost tolerable.. As it is, this is super-cheesy, bad, poorly crafted, overwritten drek, peddled as country ballads, but really just second-string rejects from the Pop charts. What's most surprising is how rickety the studio work is on many of these old Curb recordings: same thing with the Judds; it's like the guys in the studio booth just didn't care that we can hear the gaps and empty spaces in the mix. Weird. But even if they'd engineered it perfectly, this would still just be horrible, over-the-top MOR pablum.
Lee Greenwood "The Best Of Lee Greenwood" (Liberty Records, 1993)
Lee Greenwood "God Bless The USA: The Best Of Lee Greenwood" (Curb Records, 1996)
Lee Greenwood "Super Hits" (Epic Records, 1996)
Re-recorded versions of old hits...
Lee Greenwood "20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection" (MCA Records, 2002)
Lee Greenwood "The Definitive Collection" (MCA Records, 2006)
Lee Greenwood "Inside And Out" (MCA Records, 1982)
Lee Greenwood "Somebody's Gonna Love You" (MCA Records, 1983)
Lee Greenwood "You've Got A Good Love Comin' " (MCA Records, 1984)
Lee Greenwood & Barbara Mandrell "Meant For Each Other" (MCA Records, 1984)
Lee Greenwood "Streamline" (MCA Records, 1985)
Lee Greenwood "Christmas To Christmas" (MCA, 1985)
Lee Greenwood "Love Will Find Its Way To You" (MCA Records, 1986)
Lee Greenwood "If There's Any Justice" (MCA Records, 1987)
Lee Greenwood "This Is My Country" (MCA Records, 1988)
Lee Greenwood "If Only For One Night" (MCA Records, 1989)
Lee Greenwood "Holdin' A Good Hand" (Capitol Records, 1990)
Lee Greenwood "A Perfect 10" (Liberty Records, 1991)
Lee Greenwood "When You're in Love" (Liberty Records, 1991)
Lee Greenwood "American Patriot" (Platinum Records, 1992)
Lee Greenwood "Love's On The Way" (Platinum Records, 1992)
Lee Greenwood "Totally Devoted To You" (Arrival Records, 1995)
Lee Greenwood "Wounded Heart" (Kardina Records, 1998)
Lee Greenwood "Good Old Country" (St. Clair Records, 2000)
Lee Greenwood "Same River Different Bridge" (Free Falls Records, 2000)
Lee Greenwood "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" (Free Falls Records, 2001)
Lee Greenwood "Inspirational Songs" (Curb Records, 2002)
In the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Lee Greenwood found a new audience for his patriotic gospel number, "God Bless The USA," which, in a re-recorded version, became a staple of the first wave of patriotic and topical songs that raced up the country charts. The album that accompanied the single was made up of more re-recordings, including gospel standards such as "Amazing Grace" and "Rock Of Ages," as well as Greenwood's "Totally Devoted To You," and a few covers songs including Kris Kristofferson's "One Day At A Time" and the old Carpenters hit, "You Light Up My Life." I'm personally not a fan of the synthetic, tinkly keyboards that are a hallmark of modern country gospel, but for Greenwood's fans, this album may be a delight.
Lee Greenwood "Stronger Than Time" (Curb Records, 2003)
Lee Greenwood "All-Time Greatest Hits" (Curb Records, 2004)
(Produced by Lee Greenwood & Jerry Crutchfield)
I think these are new sessions, including remakes of some old songs, and some of those dandy flag-faving anthems that revived Greenwood's career after 9/11...
Now, I have listened to a whole bunch of commercial country music in my life, and I can usually find something from just about any artist that I'll like, at least a song or two with enough twang to make it fun. Not so with Lee Greenwood. Everything I've ever heard by him has struck me as utterly repellant... the worst of synthy, smarmy, louche '80s faux-pop, inexplicably marketed as country music. He's like a Nashville version of Lionel Richie... as if we ever needed that to exist! Anyway, here's a listing of his records; don't expect me to expand on it or plow through a bunch of reviews anytime soon. I've got lots better things to do.
