It's a mystery why Columbia has so many Robbins compilations in print, since they all cover roughly the same territory. Lifetime of Song (1951-1982) isn't as comprehensive as the Essential Marty Robbins: 1951-1982 box, nor as concise as The Story of My Life; what it is, rather, is a kind of a follow-up to 1972's All-Time Greatest Hits collection, featuring a number of classics ("A White Sport Coat," "Singing the Blues," "Among My Souvenirs") that were omitted from the earlier record. It duplicates many tracks from the aforementioned sets, but it's still great listening on its own, even if it isn't necessarily the place to start. ~ Jim Smith