Funny you mention Merle Haggard, jeffyjo. I bought a 3-disc greatest hits set by Hag that turned out to be comprised of about half re-records, half originals. All of the classics (the Capitol material) were re-records. I wasn't happy.
There have been quite a few CD's that I've bought that turned out to be made up of re-recordings. I bought a Don McLean greatest hits album that was mostly re-recordings, a Roy Orbison album with no originals, the aforementioned Merle Haggard set, and then there was Ricky Nelson...I have bought THREE different Ricky Nelson greatest hits albums, because the first two didn't have any original recordings! If there's anything that listening to all of these artists remake their hits from long ago has taught me, it is that 40 years of cigarette smoking is not very kind to one's singing voice!
I love the Gord's Gold re-recordings, so I won't count that one. Anyway, the lesson here is that you should research all music purchases online first...and don't smoke--when I first heard Don McLean's remake of "Vincent," I seriously thought it was recorded on the wrong speed or something (my apologies to Don if he doesn't smoke, or even if he does, for that matter)!
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