Greetings from Asheville, where good music is always on the turntable. Today, we look back at one of the many releases from the legendary Loretta Lynn. Woman Of The World/To Make A Man was Loretta’s fourteenth Decca release (excluding compilations). Released in June, 1969, it was also her final release of the decade. The album did well, peaking at number two on the bestseller lists, while also just breaking into the Top 150 on the Pop side. The album features two hit singles, which, in this case, are both of the title cuts.
One of the title cuts lead off the album, Loretta’s number one hit from Spring of 1969, “Woman Of The World”. One of Loretta’s best, right here. It’s that simple.
“Johnny One Time” is a song that both Willie Nelson and Brenda Lee had singles on, and while Loretta’s version was only an album cut, I would argue it’s as good as the other two versions. Great vocal job, in fact, you’d swear it was written with Loretta in mind, it’s that good.
I also like the ballad “If You Were Mine To Lose”. The song isn’t quite as strong as the first two, but it’s still a very good track, and Loretta’s performance is excellent.
Pretty good, is how I would describe “The Only Time I Hurt”. A steady track that may not stand out, but not likely to skip over, either.
“No One Will Ever Know” was already an old song, when Loretta recorded it for this album, having been released back in the late 1940′s by Roy Acuff. The song would eventually enjoy hit status in 1980, when Gene Watson just missed the top ten with his version. For me, Gene’s is the definitive version, but I really like Loretta’s take; a fine performance.
Side one ends with “Big Sister, Little Sister”, which starts with how the big sister would always make way for the little sister, so the little one could have her way, now they’re adults, a man’s involved;…do you know where this is going? Yep, big sister loves the man, but little sister marries him. That said, for a song that’s pretty easy to peg, it’s not as bad as one might think. Not the album’s best, but not a terrible track.
Side two opens with the album’s other hit single/title track, “To Make A Man (Feel Like A Man)”, which became a top five hit in late Summer, 1969. A bouncy track that I would describe as a typical Loretta song; in this case telling women how they should treat their men.
Next, Loretta Lynn covers the Merle Haggard classic “Today I Started Loving You Again”. A little quicker paced than most version, it almost feels a little rushed, which is unfortunate, because her vocals are good, and with a pace closer to the Haggard original, I think this could have been a killer track. Still decent, though.
Another cover track features Loretta giving her take on the Tammy Wynette classic “Stand By Your Man”. While no one will ever come close to Tammy’s version, this one is decent.
“Ten Little Reasons” is classic Loretta. The self-penned tear-jerker is a great album cut; one of the highlights of the album.
The album has a fine wrap-up with “I’m Lonesome For Trouble Tonight”, which Loretta co-wrote with Doyle Wilburn of the Wilburn Brothers. Good, solid track to put the wraps on this album.
Somewhat surprising that this album has yet to join the ranks of reissues; having been out of print for many years. Used copies are relatively numerous, most that I saw were in the $10 to $15 range.
“Woman Of The World” gets my Standout Track nod, while “Johnny One Time” is the Hidden Gem of this disc. Weakest Track? “Big Sister, Little Sister”; not a terrible track, but lags a bit behind the other ten.
Overall, a solid performance from one of the great legends of the genre. While I wouldn’t consider this to be her best long-play, it’s still a worthy collection of tracks that if you like Loretta Lynn, you’ll most likely enjoy this album. I rate it a 4 out of 5.
Your thoughts?
Loretta Lynn "Woman Of The World/To Make A Man" Classic Album Review
