Greatest Hits - Morgan, Lorrie (CD 1995)

Lorrie Morgan's sixth album on BNA is a milestone which every artist strives for--a greatest hits compilation. Here three3 new singles, and even a duet with her late husband, Keith Whitley.

Of the new singles, the first one on the album is track #7, "Back In Your Arms Again". Slightly reminiscent of oldies music, here is a song about a woman who has taken her man for granted for the last time. She wakes up one morning to find he has left her, and she immediately regrets that she had not been treating him the way he deserved. With the potential to be melancholy, the song instead has quite a bouncy feel which keeps things from getting downtrodden. The second single released from "Greatest Hits", it became great by rising to #4 on the charts.

"I Didn't Know My Own Strength" quickly became another signature song for Morgan, much like "Something In Red" did in 1991. This song is very upbeat and more positive than the previous single. The woman here is in the throes of a breakup of a relationship, but she is not about to let that keep her down. She bravely puts on a smiling face after realizing that she has the strength to get on with her life, and can continue living without letting this instance weigh her down.

"I Didn't Know My Own Strength" is one of Morgan's greatest hits without a doubt, as it was the first single released from the album---and it zoomed up the charts to #1. Part of the reason for the song's success most likely stems from the fact that Morgan herself has endured many tragedies and hard knocks in her life and career, and has always relied on her inner strength to persevere through those times, which she did . . . and still does.

The third and final single on "Greatest Hits", "Standing Tall", is a wonderful cover of the original recording by Billie Jo Spears in 1980. Here is a woman who is determined to leave the man she has been with for too long, and nothing will stop her tenacity for doing so. The piece peaked at #15 for Spears, and it went to #32 for Morgan. Not as successful as the other singles here on radio, but a most worthy rendition nonetheless.

As for Morgan's duet with late husband Keith Whitley, she recorded her vocals to the already recorded vocals of Whitely on "Til' A Tear Becomes A Rose". This became a big success in country music--the song went to #13 on the charts, and the Country Music Association granted it the honor of being the CMA's 1990 Vocal Event of the Year. Morgan accepted the award for this unique duet that holds a special place in her heart.

As for the other seven songs in this compilation there are the sassy, straightforward favorites such as "Five Minutes", "Except For Monday", "Watch Me", and "What Part Of No". Morgan's balladry is represented with such delicate classics as "Dear Me", "A Picture Of Me (Without You)", and "Something In Red".

The songs are not presented in chronological order, which seems strange for a greatest hits album (though plenty out there are like this). Hearing the growth of the artist from their earliest recordings to their most recent would be preferred, but this seems almost trivial when the material itself is purely excellent.

There are also, surprisingly, only seven of Morgan's hits here from 1989-1994. Several other candidates were in the running to be included on the album but for some reason the number of tracks was not expanded. Still, what did make the cut are unforgettable and worthy of the title "Greatest Hits"--particularly two of Morgan's most popular songs, "Something In Red" and "What Part Of No", which have strong appeal to even non-fans.

An album like this is a terrific goal for an artist to have reached, and with one as successful and diverse as Lorrie Morgan, it can only mean more wonderful and unexpected treats ahead in the future.