The Louvin Brothers: The Christian Life (1959)

The country-gospel duo of Charlie and Ira Louvin are perhaps best known in popular culture as the guys who recorded the album Satan is Real. For the cover they set up their vision of Hell in a quarry where they erected a cardboard cut-out of the Devil and set fire to dozens of tyres (and almost themselves in the process).

The album cover repeatedly appears among the most tacky/kitsch of all time -- but rather fewer people have heard the music contained within. The song titles give a hint of what these devout Baptists (born and raised in the Appalachians in East Alabama) believed: There's a Higher Power, the Kneeling Drunkard's Plea, Are You Afraid to Die, He Can Be Found, Satan's Jeweled Crown and, at the end, I'm Ready to go Home.

Satan is Real was an early concept album, a testament of faith, and about the power of both evil and redemption. They might have been devout and God-fearing folk, but the Louvin's were far from crisply clean-cut, and their bitter battles put the Everly Brothers' arguments in the shade.

They were born Loudermilk (the surname they shared with their famous songwriting cousin JD Loudermilk who wrote Tobacco Road, Indian Reservation and Talk Back Trembling Lips among others) but adopted the name Louvin early on in their career.

As natural harmony singers they laid down the template for the likes of the Everlys, but aside from the gospel influence they also assimilated country and even a style of white folk-blues in their music. Every Time You Leave from '63 could have been a massive pop crossover hit, had people's ears been turned to country-pop.

Even from the start they scored hits and acclaim at the Grand Ole Opry, but brother Ira was a wild one . . . a hard drinking man who got into numerous fights, would smash up his mandolin on stage when in a rage and at the time of his death in a car accident in '65 was facing drink-drive charges.

Brother Charlie was almost the opposite and emerged as an astute businessman and increasingly a fine singwriter. He appeared on the Lucinda Williams album Little Honey in '08.

But when they were together there was often magic in the studio, as on The Christian Life from Satan is Real.

It was a much admired song and was famously covered by The Byrds/Gram Parsons on their country-rock album Sweetheart of the Rodeo in '68.

As a spare and simple statement of their faith there isn't a wasted note or word. And a line like, "what is a friend who'd want you to fall?" contains a fundamental truth and so has enduring resonance.

For more one-off great or unusual songs see From the Vaults. 

Added: 12 Apr 10

> Satan Is Real
(roll over button for pricing/availability)