Review: "Westphalia Waltz / Put Your Little Foot" by Cliffie Stone And His Home Town Jamboree Gang
Alright, let’s talk about this little gem from way back when—Cliffie Stone and his crew hitting it big with Westphalia Waltz and Put Your Little Foot. Released under Capitol Records (yep, the legends), this slice of country goodness feels like sipping sweet tea on a porch at sunset. It's got that old-school charm without trying too hard, which is exactly why I can’t stop spinning it.
First up, “Put Your Little Foot.” Oh man, this one sticks to your brain like gum on a hot sidewalk. The melody bounces along so effortlessly, you almost forget how clever the lyrics are. There’s something kinda endearing about the playful vibe—it doesn’t take itself too seriously, but dang if it doesn’t make you tap your toes till they’re sore. You know those songs where you think, “I could’ve written that!”? Yeah, this ain’t one of ‘em. It’s better. Like, Cliffie knew what he was doing, even if he made it look easy.
Then there’s “Westphalia Waltz,” and holy smokes, does this track have soul. This isn’t just some waltz for fancy ballroom types; nope, it’s got grit. The fiddle work here? Unreal. Feels like someone poured their heart out into every note, and honestly, I believe ‘em. Listening to it feels like stepping into an old Western movie, except instead of cowboys duking it out, everyone’s dancing awkwardly in circles because hey, life’s short, right?
What gets me most is how these tunes don’t try to reinvent the wheel—they just remind you why wheels were invented in the first place. They’re simple, sure, but sometimes simple hits hardest. These tracks feel like home, even if you’ve never been to Westphalia or owned a pair of cowboy boots.
Here’s the kicker though: listening to this album makes me wonder… did Cliffie ever imagine people would still be talking about his music decades later? Probably not. He was probably just happy to get through the gig and grab a cold one afterward. But here we are, still humming along, still putting our little feet somewhere worth remembering.
So yeah, give this record a spin if you want to hear some real-deal country magic. Or don’t. Either way, Cliffie’s probably tipping his hat somewhere, glad he got to leave us with a couple of toe-tappers before riding off into the sunset.
