(Editor’s note: I moved from an apartment into a house starting January 1st, 2020, and I had to toss all my CDs into a big garbage bag during the move. The idea for this feature is I write a review about each CD as I unpack that bag, one CD at a time,  and rank them.)

The first CD out of the bag

Track listings

1. Walkin’ After Midnight; 2. Sweet Dreams (Of You); 3. Crazy; 4. I Fall To Pieces; 5. So Wrong; 6. Strange; 7. Back In Baby’s Arms; 8. She’s Got You; 9. Faded Love; 10. Why Can’t He Be You; 11. You’re Stronger Than Me; 12. Leavin’ On Your Mind

Snapshot review

Patsy Cline is among the Mount Rushmore of female country singers to me alongside Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette. I’ve always loved Patsy’s music. She actually died at age 30 in a plane crash on March 5th, 1963. I was born on March 5th, which always makes me kind of sad when I think of it. Speaking of Mount Rushmore, this album opens with a mountain of classic country standards: “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “Sweet Dreams (Of You),” “Crazy,” and “I Fall to Pieces.” If you buy one Patsy CD, this is the one.

My favorite song

None of Patsy’s most popular songs is my favorite. Hands down, the number one Patsy song on my list is “You’re Stronger Than Me.” Just a perfect arrangement of vulnerable vocals, heartbreaking lyrics, and mesmerizing music. In this one, Cline tones down the torch in her voice that she used to burn “Sweet Dreams” and “Crazy” into our souls. Instead, she delivers the lyrics of Hank Cochran and Jimmy Key in an almost cool, pragmatic way yet her voice manages to inject every word with a teardrop of heartache. Just pure honey for the ears.

My favorite lines of my favorite song

If the love that we knew

Won’t bother you

Darling, you’re stronger than me.