Album: All Time Greatest Hits
Artist: Loretta Lynn
Release Date: May 23, 2002
Genre: Country
Length: 0:57:26
Label: MCA Records
Producer: Owen Bradley
Rolling Stone Top 500 (2012): #478
Rolling Stone Top 500 (2020): N/A
A strengthening album of empowerment and cheerful melodies...
Recorded between 1964 and 1978, All Time Greatest Hits by country artist Loretta Lynn, features a collection of her most popular songs during her early career.
One of the most famous country artists in history, Loretta Lynn has been able to keep a career that has spanned across six total decades. Although All Time Greatest Hits doesn't showcase everything she has accomplished, it gives a good look into her music and shows why her career has been so successful for so long.
The beginning of the album starts with "Wine, Women And Song" and provides an insight into the world of Lynn's songwriting. Known as a feminist icon in a genre that has had issues with that, Lynn gives anthem after anthem to unite women and empower them in country music.
Due to the smile on the album cover, you would assume Lynn sings about really lovely things but don't let that fool you. Hidden behind the cheery instrumental parts, the happiness in her voice and the soothing background vocals, Lynn sings about things that dig deep into the human soul. She provides a real world outlook with nothing to hold her back.
"Fist City" displays these lyrical themes heavily. In this song, Lynn sings to all the other women in the world and warns them if they try to come after her man, she'll take them to the illustrious destination of "Fist City". Hidden behind her charismatic singing are deep, dark abyss-like lyrics that many artists strayed away from during the times these songs were released.
With a catchy, yet basic melody and arrangement, Lynn makes sure the lyrics are the most important aspect of her songs. Each song makes you feel like a personal friend of Loretta Lynn's. Each word, meaningful to her, becomes meaningful to the audience and quickly gives a look into her childhood, struggles as an adult, relationship issues, and empowerment for women. While the instrumental parts are entertaining, it is nothing to write home about as they simply provide a way to back up Loretta Lynn's harmonious qualities of her voice. The typical honky-tonk sound of the piano throughout the album, the galloping feel of the drums, and the sunset-western sounding guitar all thoroughly back up Lynn's voice.
The one sad thing about this album is the technological disadvantage she was at when recording in the 60s and 70s. Her voice is beyond stunning, but sometimes there are moments where you can hear the microphone she used didn't quite transmit her voice as clearly as it could've if recorded in modern days. Obviously, this doesn't change the major aspects of the song, being the songwriting and beauty in her voice, but it can get slightly frustrating hearing a crackle from her powerful voice overloading the mic's capabilities. Each song on this album is amazing, hence the title All Time Greatest Hits. There isn't much to talk about that hasn't been discussed previously. The songs are great, but overall carry the same feel, message and sound while changing enough to continue to keep the album interesting. It's hard not to fall in love with how powerful Loretta Lynn is with both her voice and her songwriting. That's the reason I enjoyed this album so much. Like I've explained in the past, I don't hate country but I'm not the biggest fan, although I am starting to appreciate it more and more. Loretta has quickly become one of my favorite country artists due to the sheer power behind her character. There's something endearing about her that makes me want to continue to come back and visit my good friend Loretta...
Favorite Songs: "Fist City", "One's On The Way", "You Ain't Woman Enough", "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man"
Least Favorite Song: No songs I can put here. Some songs are definitely worse than others, but far from bad.
Production Quality:
Mix = 8/10 (Sadly the technology disadvantage lowers this rating a bit, it could be remastered but it hasn't yet)
Innovation = 8/10
Songwriting Quality:
Arrangement = 8/10
Lyricism = 10/10
Instrumentation Quality:
Vocal Timbre = 9.5/10 (Powerful, beautiful vocals but once again, technology disadvantage hurts this slightly)
Instrumental Timbre = 9/10
Group Chemistry = 8.5/10 (Mainly focused on Loretta, not really a band type of album)
Overall Likability:
My Personal Rating = 8.5/10
Overall Rating: 8.6/10
Any confusion on how the rating is weighted/calculated, please look at my "About" page.
Remember this is all my opinion! Let me know if you agree, disagree or have any comments!