The awesomeness of this release has a definite air of inevitability. If Don Gibson wrote it, and Mandy Barnett and Alison Krauss sing it, it’s pretty hard to imagine it not being great.
Though Gibson’s 1958 hit version of the song belied the melancholy lyric with a brisk tempo and toe-tapping arrangement, Barnett recasts the song as gentle, brooding ballad. It’s a move that succeeds as a creative exercise as well as an effective treatment of a beautifully written song. Barnett puts a distinctly personal spin on the classic tune, making it a beautiful centerpiece to her must-have new album I Can’t Stop Loving You: Songs of Don Gibson.
The sparse, vintage-style arrangement is an ideal setting to showcase Barnett’s depth, control, and inimitable sense of presence as a vocalist. Alison Krauss’s background vocal imbues an added layer of longing to the performance, reaffirming her status as one of Nashville’s most reliable harmony singers.
An absolutely exquisite record.
Written by Don Gibson
Grade: A
So beautiful and lush. Real country music sung with respect and and admiration. I can’t stop listening to it. Now it’s in my head.
Nice song, good job on the vocals. Compared to the bro-country garbage that has taken over top 40 country, Blue Blue Day is awesome and exquisite.
Wonderful job. For the first time in a while this is making me want to buy the entire CD with just one listen. For some reason, I keep thinking that Dolly could also do a great slowed down version on this too. Just seems like it would work.
…so sugar coated, a donut with one of these sprinkled white tops would hang its whole in shame. then again, quite exquiste.
nice to hear, that things like this still exist.
Blue Blue Day is definitely a song that stays with you. There are so many wonderful songs on Mandy’s album. How about Mandy’s whistling??? She is one talented gal and I am so happy for her success.
Now this is one beautiful song! Her voice puts me in mind of Patsy Cline.
It would be so nice to hear songs like this again on the radio.
Maybe I would listen to radio again if they did. Don’t listen to much radio anymore.
Everything advertised in the review is true…which is also, sadly, why corporate country radio wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole.
Who needs FM radio anymore when you have terrific artists signing terrific songs such as this? I am slowly learning, though not there yet, that FM “country” radio doesn’t mean anything to me any longer. When I get to the point where I can fully appreciate good music and not yearn for my local pop-rock Luke Bryan station to play it, I’ll be even happier.
Love this song- love this album!! I went to my local Cracker Barrel Old Country Store restaurant and bought it over the weekend – it’s fantastic!! Highly recommended – go out and get it -you will not be disappointed!!