Posted by Garry Hering on August 30, 2014, 4:05 pm
Of all Jim's love songs, my favourite is "Could I Be Falling In Love" from the KImberley Jim LP. This song doesnt seem to feature much these days on compilations which is a shame.
I remember hearing it for the first time on the b-side of the 1969 overdub "When Two World's Collide" over here in the UK, and was amazed that it was a b-side.
Anyone have their favourite song that doesn't feature much these days?
Good choice, Garry, I love that one too! Another one of Jim's beautiful ballads that I never hear too much about is "After Awhile" from the "He'll Have To Go" LP. I think it's such a beautiful song, and of course, NOBODY could sing it as good as Jim...
A particular favourite of mine is the great Cindy Walker's 'Rosa Rio'. Ever since I first heard a missionary singing it at a get-together in West Africa in the late 60s it has been so. Unfortunately, most radio stations can't see beyond 'Welcome to my World'. 'I love you because', or 'He'll Have to Go', superb though theres songs are and will always remain so in the more than capable vocal chords of Gentleman Jim. Immediately after this year's Soccer World Cup in Brazil I sent in a request to RTE, Ireland's national radio station, couched in the following terms: 'Kindly play Rosa Rio as sung by Gentleman Jim Reeves. It is also the home town of Gentleman Lionel Messi: thus you could combine a celebration of two caballeros who were/are the best at what they do in the world'. Lionel Messi, of course, won the Golden Boot for the Best Footballer in this year's World Cup. Winning baubles is something he does with effortless nonchalance, year in year out as the star forward for Barcleona FC. A true gentlemanly genius in a Bootyful Game bedeviled by bowsies, gurriers and gougers. If Gentleman Jim had ever played soccer he would have played it like Gentleman Lionel. I tried the same request twice subsequently: on Gentleman Jim's 50th anniversary and also on his 91st birthday. Alas, a blank was drawn on both occasions. But then what can one do when one is but one of the hands and these DJs are rich Estancieros upon whose ten thousand acres of radioland one is compelled to herd their ten thousand cattlecalls.
Rosa Rio is one of my favorites also. I guess it has a special meaning to me from an experience I had in Argentina while on a business trip years ago. I was the only English-speaking passenger on a nightime "domestic" flight from Buenos Aires to Corrientes. I felt very lost because of the laungage barrier and thinking what would happen if I was on the wrong flight since the final destination was some other city (which turned out to be near Corrientes but I didn't know that.) Anyway the flight passed over the twinkling lights of Corrientes and Jim's song came to mind and instantly comforted me. Everything turned out OK but I'll never forget that experience.