Just Call Me Lonesome

Very smart clean album with smart high gloss flipback cover.

In all, Slim visited the country top forty twenty times, between 1952 and 1980. Eleven of those would result in top ten hits. Slim never had a number one hit in the U. S. A., but his 1954 hit, “Rose Marie” is one of the longest-running number one hits in British music history.

Today, we look at a 1961 release from Slim. The original title was “Just Call Me Lonesome”, but Imperial later re-released it under the title “Portrait”. It was issued in both stereo and mono versions. There was no Country album chart at that time, but one of the three singles released from the album, did appear on the Country top forty.

The album opens with Slim’s version of “Vaya Con Dios”. A song that is perfectly suited for Slim’s vocal styling; a styling that mixes Country, Western, and Pop. It’s a good, steady performance of an oft-recorded song, in fact, one of the better versions I’ve heard.

“Just Call Me Lonesome” was a 1955 hit for Eddy Arnold. Slim gives it a more polished treatment, a little more slickness to it, with a slightly different tempo, as well. It works pretty well, but I still like Eddy’s version, better. Slim’s version was also a single, in early 1960, but it failed to chart.

I guess that sometimes, one Eddy Arnold cover just isn’t enough, so we get a second, with “It’s A Sin”. Again, a more polished, slicker version that fits the Whitman style, but again, I still like Eddy’s version, best. This isn’t a bad version, though.

Another of those seemingly oft-recorded songs, especially way back when, is “I Love You Because”. Written by legendary songwriter Leon Payne (it was also his only hit as a singer, in 1950), This is actually a song that is almost perfectly suited for Whitman’s blend of crooning and yodeling. Good track.

“Sail Along Silv’ry Moon” dates to the 1930’s, but had been a big Pop hit in 1958 for Billy Vaughn’s orchestra. Again, a song that is perfectly suited for Whitman’s style. Good track, though the whistling part could have been left out and made and better.

Side one ends with Slim’s take on the Stuart Hamblen hit, “Remember Me (I’m The One Who Loves You)”. Best track on side one. Whereas the arrangements on the first five sound a bit dated, this one sounds more contemporary (for 1961), and has a nice beat. Slim does a stellar vocal, here. My favorite version of this is from Dean Martin, but Slim’s version isn’t too far behind.

Side two opens with the song that was the first single from the album, “Ramona”. Released in late 1960, it failed to chart. The song is an old song, first recorded in 1928, in hit versions by Delores Del Rio and Paul Whiteman. Later, in 1968, it would become a top ten Country hit for Billy Walker. Slim’s version is a bit bland, nothing special or spectacular.

His version of “The Old Lamplighter” is a bit better, but not as good as The Browns’ hit version. Slim’s version is slightly quicker in pace, but I think it’s the arrangement that hurts the track, as much as anything. Just not that good. His vocal isn’t bad, though.

Slim’s vocal style is one that can be very effective with the right song, as is the case with “I’d Climb The Highest Mountain”. Good vocal work, here, on a track that falls onto the lite and airy side of things.

“For All We Know” is a pleasant effort that could be better with some different instrumentation.

“The Bells That Broke My Heart” was the third single from the album, and the only one to chart, briefly peaking at thirty in the summer of 1961. An average track that is nothing particularly special.

“I’ll Do As Much As You Someday” is a decent song, with a decent performance, not a bad ballad to end the album.