The Greatest Hits - Black, Clint (CD 1996)

Clint Black has enjoyed over ten years of success in country music. The Katy, Texas native broke onto the country music scene in 1989 with the incredible album, Killing Time. Since that time, Clint Black has been an artist in constant flux. While he hasn t always been in the public spotlight, his music has always given his fans a view right into his personal thoughts and emotions. The Greatest Hits released in 1996, really puts his musical career into perspective and is without a doubt the best compilation of all his work.

Like the Rain
This is one of four songs found only on this album. It s a slow, quiet ballad which recounts the connection a man has made between the rain and his love. It has a very simple bare quality which complements Clint s lonely vocals very well. Simple acoustic guitar chords accompany the verses of the song, until the song picks up at the chorus with a barrage of drums and electric guitars. This song is one of the best musical portrayals of a storm I ve ever heard. Clint s wife, Lisa Hartman Black sings background vocals on this song, and it s the first time the duet ever sang together.

Summer s Comin
Summer s Comin is one of my favorite songs on the album. It recalls all the great memories of college road trips, no responsibilities, and a time when there were no weekdays. Every time I hear the chorus, And every night is a Saturday night and everything s right with the summer comin I m the first one standin in line for my day in the sun, I ve been workin till the sun don t shine, I can t help but remember all the great times I had during the summer months.

A Good Run of Bad Luck
Every Clint Black fan should have seen the movie Maverick. This song was written for the movie and fits in perfectly. A driving bass and pulsing guitar chords create a sense of urgency and intrigue that embodies high stakes gambling the subject of the song. The movie Maverick features a cameo by Clint Black in which he gets caught cheating at poker and gets thrown from the top of a steamboat.

State of Mind
Good Run of Bad Luck ends with a harmonica solo which is picked up perfectly in the beginning of this song. This is no ordinary solo though, it showcases why Clint Black is rightfully considered one of the best harmonica players in the world: it lasts about fifty seconds and he really puts the harmonica through its paces. The lyrics describe how something as simple as a song can really define a person s life and help a person through any problem. The lyrics are incredibly profound and I m sure many people can connect with the idea of music helping them through their problems.

A Bad Goodbye with Wynonna
This duet teams up two of the most powerful voices in country music. It s a mournful goodbye song which is backed by a piano, acoustic, and steel guitar (played by the incomparable Paul Franklin) in the verses. The two trade verses and then combine for the chorus and the last verse. It s a very powerful song describing just how hard something as simple as a goodbye can be, and I ve known happy people moved to tears by the grief stricken nature of the song, it s incredibly convincing.

A Better Man
This song was Clint s first big hit from the album Killing Time. This song is an incredibly optimistic view of a broken relationship. The chorus: I know I m leaving here a better man for knowing you this way, things I couldn t do before know I know I can and I m leaving here a better man shows strength and patience everyone wishes they had when times begin to get really tough. The video for this song is very simple: Clint in concert and driving in a white vintage pickup truck. The video was cleverly continued in the next song on the album.

Killing Time
My personal favorite Clint Black song of all time, it was his second big hit. It s the exact opposite of Better Man. It tells a dark tale of unrequited love, alcohol abuse, and feelings of depression and hopelessness. The arrangement of instruments on the song and the opening line: You were the first thing that I thought of when I thought I drank you off my mind never fail to set my heart racing. In the video, at the beginning you see Clint drive up to a bar in the same white pickup truck he was driving in the Better Man video.

We Tell Ourselves
Another monster hit for Clint. It signified his permanence as an artist; it was introduced after several legal troubles Clint went through with his ex-manager. In the end, the song and album were finally introduced and went straight to number one. The lyrics describe the doubt that exists in many of today s marriages. Are we really married to the person we were meant to be with? Are there others out there better for us? The song goes through all the cycles of suspicion and wonder that accompany hard times for couples.

Half Way Up
This is a song that s almost a mix between Better Man and Killing Time. The instruments and pace of the song are very similar to Killing Time; and create a dark, almost desperate atmosphere. However, the lyrics of the song are very optimistic. Essentially, no matter how bad things get, there s two ways to look at things: either halfway up, or halfway down. It s essentially a new take on the clich : is the glass half full or half empty?

Burn One Down
This is probably my second favorite song on the album. It s a direct spin-off from Better Man, no doubt about it; this song exudes optimism. It tells the story of a man who realized that he couldn t control the actions of the woman he loves. He simply gives up and convinces himself that he s not at fault for the problems they ve had and lets his love go on her way.

Cadillac Jack Favor
This is another of the four songs available only on this album. It s Clint s first true ballad and tells of a good man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He takes the fall for two murderers and is wronged by the justice system and never gets to clear his name: a true victim of circumstance. The chorus of the song: Cadillac s no fallen hero and he s never gonna break, but when it comes to prison rodeo there ll be no easy eight and if you want the definition of a picture perfect frame, it ll be in the dictionary underneath Jack Favor s name really sums the song up perfectly.

Put Yourself In My Shoes
This is a fun song all about perspective. What would you do if you were in another person s shoes? The song discusses viewpoint and how it s difficult for people to understand how others feel. There s a lot of great harmonica work in the background of the song which give it an easy come easy go attitude where nothing really matters.

Wherever You Go
Probably my least favorite song on the album, it s kind of a departure from any type of music I m used to. The verses of the song aren t sung, they re simply spoken, and it s not very pleasing. The song is all about alcoholism and how the bottle may soothe problems, but when it s all said and done the problems will still be there. It s a powerful message, but I think the way its delivered takes away from the depth of the message.

Life Gets Away
A song about how valuable life and time is and how people should go through and enjoy every second of it that they can. The song is very upbeat with a quick tempo and is filled with guitar chords that highlight the verses. During the chorus the tempo picks up and the song s pace begins to quicken. The theme of the song is simply learn to value what you ve got and where you are in life, because life will get away from us all eventually.

No Time to Kill
This is a true western song, it s complete with steel guitar, twin fiddles, and a very southwestern sounding guitar chord in the beginning. This song is just like the previous one, and is about how important it is to value life and what one has while they are alive because once there s no time left to kill it s too late.

Desperado
This is a live recording of the original done by The Eagles. It s a great song, but I don t think anyone will ever do it better than Don Henley and the Eagles. Admittedly I m biased, so I don t feel comfortable praising or criticizing the song.

In just over ten years Clint Black has had incredible success in music, he s worked very hard to get where he is. He deserves extra credit for the fact that he has co-written or written almost every song he s ever done. Very few stars in the music world write their own songs, it s very hard to do, but Clint has done so with flying colors. He s a very hands on musician, he toured for almost seven years straight, and is just now sitting back for a while, catching his breath. While he may not be as traditional sounding as many of the country artists I listen to; he definitely hasn t turned pop yet and is still producing great country music. With the exception of three songs, Nothin but the Taillights, One Emotion, and Nobody's Home all of Clint s best songs are on this album, and it is a very worthwhile purchase for any fan of his music.