Garage Sale Vinyl: The Statler Brothers
The Best of the Statler Brothers / Mercury Records / 1975
by Christopher Long
Simply put, The Statler Brothers was an all-American treasure. Since first breaking bad with the iconic hit “Flowers on the Wall” in 1965, the award-winning, Virginia-based vocal quartet ran up a massive string of chart-busting singles and LPs that crossed over successfully from country to pop — before that was even a thing. AND the fellas pulled off the feat without ever compromising any creative cred. Even more impressive, they wrote their own masterful material.
While such authentic, story-based, Americana classics as “Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott,” “Do You Remember These,” “Carry Me Back,” and “The Class of ‘57” were heartfelt, nostalgic sing-alongs, other Statler staples, including “Bed of Rose’s,” “New York City,” and “Susan When She Tried” proved that the Statlers owned the cojones to write songs with themes that often veered from their traditional gospel roots.
Hard-core gospel purists, my parents blasted their prized Statler Brothers 8-tracks nearly non-stop during our family station wagon excursions circa ‘70-‘80. As a result, for me, the Statler Brothers were rock stars. And Lew, Phil, Harold, and Don were endeared to me as much as that other “Fab Four.” My dad and I even went to see the Statlers live towards the end of their run during the late ’90s. My dad nearly wet himself. I actually did.
Despite their sales stats, successful concert tours, and popular weekly TV show, what makes the Statler Brothers truly legendary artists is their songs, a point proven when “Flowers on the Wall” was included in the groovy soundtrack album to the 1994 Quentin Tarantino film, Pulp Fiction. But the best, most effective showcase for the Statlers songwriting is this 1975 “Best Of” collection. And I became as giddy as a twenty-something college co-ed trapped at an all-night Birkenstock sale when I recently scored a well-loved vinyl copy of the record at a Florida flea market, for a buck.
(5/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Best of the Statler Brothers Track List
SIDE A
1. Bed of Rose’s (H. Reid) – 2:25
2. Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott (H. Reid, D. Reid) – 1:52
3. Do You Remember These (H. Reid, D. Reid) – 2:52
4. Carry Me Back (H. Reid, D. Reid) – 3:14
5. Flowers on the Wall (L. DeWitt) – 2:24
6. The Class of ’57 (H. Reid, D. Reid) – 2:40
SIDE B
1. I’ll Go to My Grave Loving You (D. Reid) – 2:53
2. Pictures (D. Reid, L. DeWitt) – 2:57
3. Thank You World (D. Reid, L. DeWitt) – 3:07
4. New York City (D. Reid) – 2:49
5. Susan When She Tried (D. Reid) – 3:00
