365 Days #317 - The Best Of Country Beat (mp3s)

In recent years i came across several pop records made in Czechoslovakia and none so surprising as this tribute to American Country and Western music. I was used to finding albums of classical music on the Surpaphon label (usually by Czech-born composer Dvorak) but this totally took me by surprise. It's a delight from start to finish.

There are three vocalists on the album. Ladislav Vodička, Nad'a Urbanková and Karel Kahovec, with backing vocals on some songs by the Lubomír Pánek Singers. Most tracks are covers of country standards but there are a few original numbers including the instrumental Express. As a bonus I have also included another instrumental track i found on a Supraphon single by Karel Duba, described as a 'Jamboree'.

MP3:
The Best Of Country Beat
01 Nada Ubankova & Ladislav Vodicka - A Dear John Letter (2:03)
02 Ladislav Vodicka - My Banjo (Lies In A Dusty Case) (2:48)
03 Karel Kahovec - Open Up Your Heart (2:25)
04 Ladislav Vodicka - Ring Of Heart (2:32)
05 Karel Kahovec - The Tip Of My Fingers (2:34)
06 Nada Ubankova - Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad (2:13)
07 Ladislav Vodicka - Fireball Mail (2:09)
08 Jiri Brabec - Express (2:19)
09 Ladislav Vodicka - Silver Rails (2:36)
10 Nada Ubankova - Rock Me Back To Little Rock (2:19)
11 Ladislav Vodicka - Shane (4:41)
12 Karel Kahovec - Let The Sunshine On The People (2:33)
Single
13 Karel Duba - Dostavnik (2:50)

What I find odd is that in the 1970s the Czech Republic was still under Communist rule and it's hard to know who this album was aimed at, especially as the lyrics are all in English. Also the albums includes a free fold-out wall poster of the band all done up in suede waistcoasts and stretch-pants and it's difficult to see how this would have been marketed. Posters suggest teeny bop fan but the songs on the album are surely aimed at an older market.

The whole concept of a country revue is perhaps bit old fashioned for 1972 but for all that is very good, and the only thing that lets it down is the singing. The fact that English wasn't the singers' first language shows and is most notable on the songs featuring Ladislav Vodicka, who is Czhechoslovakia's answer to Johnhny Cash. I actually think he sounds more like Benny Hill, especially on the track Shane.

The music is quite impressive with band leader/pianist Jiri Brabec displaying his prowess. Sadly i discovered that he took his own life in 2003.

- Contributed by: David Noades

Images: Cover, Singers, Poster

The Best Of Country Beat
Media: Album
Label: Supraphon
Catalogue: 1131139
Year: 1972
Credits: Arranged by Slava Kunst, Vaclav Machacek, Jiri Brabec. Produced by Slava Kunst.

Karel Duba - Dostavnik
Media: Single
Label: Supraphon
Catalogue: 013210
Year: 1970s

Comments

[Romolo]

I have a couple of supraphon 45's and it seems to me that at the time country music was big in Czechoslovakia. The ones that I got are mostly covers sung in Czech. You should really look for a singer named Waldemar, he was scary looking but apparently a big name in Czechoslovakia.

[Dale Hazelton]

Any insights to the production? Ring of Fire sounds almost like the vocal is dubbed over a Johnny Cash instrumental arrangement.

[David Holt]

In "A Dear John Letter" it sounds like she says, "I'm a slut you know tonight." Hee hee.

[David Noades]

Dale these are all arranged by Slava Kunst, Vaclav Machacek and Jiri Brabe althouggh some are close to the originals. Ladislav Vodicka does seem to have been promoted as a Czech version of Johnny Cash but it's a shame his English pronunciation lets him down.

[Holmi]

Hi,
I`m searching for the lyric of the song MY BANJO LIES IN A DUSTY CASE from Ladislav Vodicka. Who can help me ??

Holmi

[David]

Homi - here are the lyrics:

My banjo lies in a dusty case
And if I died I can't define it
The music has changed from the good old days
And no one there who seems to mind it

My banjo lies in a dusty case
That's where forever it will linger
It's fate now is hidden in a haze
They'll be no touch of the finger

In the country music
There is a lot of other new modern instruments
Since I couldn't use it
Though it was kind of bother I put my banjo down, it had no chance

I won't play my banjo anymore
Electric guitar took its place
And that's the thing I'm kind of sorry for
My banjo lies in a dusty case

In the country music
There is a lot of other new modern instruments
Since I couldn't use it
Though it was kind of bother I put my banjo down, it had no chance

I won't play my banjo anymore
Electric guitar took its place
And that's the thing I'm kind of sorry for
My banjo lies in a dusty case

My banjo lies in a dusty case

[Marthin]

this sounds seem so strange in this world of radio-orientated pop-"music". The vinyl is played a thousand times - since I've been a young boy - but it is as well-heard as yesterday. For the next thousand times ...
You can help me to find thy lyric of SHANE?

[Nina]

I'm from Russia and I loved this LP from a child, especially the first song! I have this LP, but my turn table doesn't work any more, and I was searching for these records... Thank you a lot!

[jmar8692]

As for the album "marketing"... In 70's the communist regime in Czechoslovakia significantly strengthened its rule after the short period of relative freedom around 1968. Music market was quite limited and western production especially. Anything from west used to be very rare and would be usually sold off immediately. There was even a strong black market with western LPs. English songs were always very popular here although most people did not understand a word :-) It had simply an anti-communist flavor.

Country revue format was already kind of "traditional" at that time unlike Rock and other unwanted modern western styles. IMHO it was one of the few options for Czech bands if they wanted to sing in English. They wouldn't be normally allowed to do so, definitely they would not be allowed to release LP in English.

I would guess that the producers spent most efforts on the permission process. Age based marketing wasn't such an issue these days, because everybody knew that anything Western-like would be selling very well.