Matt Back in 1956, Mitch Miller requested that Frankie Laine record a song named "Moonlight Gambler" with the addition of Ray Conniff not on trombone but providing a whistle which would be included. Johnny Ray and Guy Mitchell had only a few months before used Ray's whistle in their hits "Singin' In The Rain" and "Singing The Blues" respectively. Ray Conniff is known more as a trombone player and a wonderful arranger but whistling had become another arrow too his bow during this period. Mitch Miller provided the horse clicking with his tongue on the roof of his mouth during the recording of "Moonlight Gambler" but when he suggested to Frankie Laine to release this as a single Frankie thought that this would not be one of his successes but a bet was made that Mitch would shave off his beard if the single did not sell a million or if Frankie was wrong he would grow a beard and wear it for the next six months. Now I always thought Frankie Laine looked good in a beard anyway and this little story shows why sometimes no matter how good an artist thinks he is, an outside viewpoint as in a great producer like Mitch Miller will know instinctively what course or style an artist should follow. Frankie Laine always respected Mitch's opinions and he even re-recorded the song in 1962 for his 2nd Western themed album, "Deuces Wild" and it was Mitch Miller's influence right behind Frankie Laine's first Western themed album "Hell Bent For Leather".

There was a new arranger and pianist working around Columbia Records in 1960 named Johnny Williams but today we know him as John Williams one of the greatest Soundtrack composers and arrangers living with "Star Wars" being his most famous and this man has more awards on his shelf than Elvis and The Beatles combined at a glance, what hasn't he won over the years for the countless soundtracks and so many classic productions in stage and screen. Here though he is just Johnny and previous to this he had been working with Henry Mancini and actually providing the piano for his classic "Peter Gunn",and after joining Frankie in 1960 on the next four albums. Johnny Williams conducts the orchestra and the chorus used throughout the entire album. Things really started for the album back in June 1958 when Frankie Laine recorded the first take of "Rawhide" and when the sessions were held in 1960, late December over five days (16,19,20th) for the album "Hell Bent For Leather", "Rawhide's" vocals on the album were given an overdub from Frankie.

"Wanted Man" is first and the story relates to a jealous murder with the posse in hot pursuit with a great spirited vocal from Frankie just putting one straight into the old west and does it get anymore western with the next, than the classic song "High Noon" which originally was a hit for Tex Ritter and Frankie in 1952 but although I would often recommend the original not so here as Frankie Laine put us right in Gary Coopers shoes with this stunning re-vamp and the chorus sounding beautifully right behind him. "Gunfight At The O.K. Corral" maybe it is the boy still in me but the marching time provided by the drums and Frankie hitting the notes, it really is a study in that old Americana from the old west that we loved. Can things get any better, well yes with the following tale "Bowie Knife" they do exactly that and for me one of the absolute standouts in the album concerning the tale of a duel in New Orleans over slighted pride and of course it gets the big Frankie Laine finish. The horses are clip clopping in the slow tempo "Along The Navajo Trail" and the side finishes off with another re-do of "The Cry Of The Wild Goose" which Frankie first recorded back at Mercury in 1950.

"Head em' up and move em' out" it's "Rawhide" which gets the album flip underway is the unforgettable theme for the television show which Frankie first recorded in 1958 with Frankie providing not only a wonderful vocal with the yips etc, that just makes things better. "City Boy" is a stage coach ride out west and followed by a song that the Sons Of The Pioneers made famous being "Cool Water" and this being another re-do from Frankie which he first recorded back in 1955. The new take on the "3.10 To Yuma" is more beautifully themed music with the chorus sounding beautifully high right behind Frankie Laine's lead vocal. "The Hanging Tree" seems to be the only obvious song with a Country instrument at the fore with the banjo getting the lead but is it, or maybe it is Tommy Tedesco's guitar tuned and played that method? The album finishes off with "Mule Train" what many people claim to have the first sound effects used with music back in 1949 when Frankie first recorded it with Mitch Miller at Mercury Records. Here we have a slightly even more spirited take from Frankie with all the whip cracks and Frankie yelling 'Get along there" with that growl one has for driving animals and it is difficult to pin point out an artist, who when he does re-do a tune he gives the song an improvement and although I do love the original takes one must give credit not only to Johnny Williams for adding his certain spice but to Frankie Laine himself as many an artist often sounds tired not so with Frankie. He sings them like his life depends on it with every new version being an improvement and sounding just an fresh as the original if not more so.

Classic album that is for sure, no it is not Jazz really but neither would you term this strictly Country music. It is a concept album of Western themed songs and one that many may lump into the Cowboy catergory but there is a lot more bounce and who else could do an album this good anyway but a great Jazz singer.