Duane Eddy

One Way reissued two of Duane Eddy's '60s RCA albums, The Best of Duane Eddy and Lonely Guitar, on one CD in 1998. The title of The Best of Duane Eddy is misleading. It is not a collection of his hits in their original versions -- it is a ramshackle collection of re-recordings and covers, with a couple of latter-day hits, like "Your Baby's Gone Surfin'," "The Ballad of Paladin" and "(Dance With The) Guitar Man," thrown in for good measure. It's a fairly entertaining collection, especially since it contains some fine Lee Hazlewood productions, but it should never be considered "the best" Duane Eddy has too offer. Lonely Guitar is another story -- it's a fine collection of moody songs and country & western tunes. Occasionally, the choice of material is a little corny, but the album remains one of the most satisfying and cohesive albums Eddy recorded. [One Way added two bonus tracks, "Joshin'" and "Saints and Sinners," to the two-fer.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide