Eddy Arnold drifted steadily toward the pop mainstream throughout the late '50s and '60s until, with The Last Word in Lonesome, he arrived at his destination. "Country-pop" and "Nashville sound" do not describe the music here -- Thesongwriters,fromBobMontgomeryandDottie WesttoCindy WalkerandHank Cochran, hailfromthefieldof country music, but Arnold's smooth crooning andBill Walker's easy listeningstringarrangements are bound for the supper club. "Why" is particularly lovely, and "MistyBlue"became a big hit for Arnold in 1967 (and again forBilly Jo Spearsin1976).Arnold'srecording of the title track, one ofRoger Miller's most affecting compositions, almostreached number one and crossed over to the pop Top 40. If country music was moving uptownin the '60s, The Last Word in Lonesome saw it comfortably ensconced in a Manhattanpenthouse, sipping champagne and bragging about its golf scores.