I Think I'm Gonna Live Forever - Merle Haggard, Binion, B.
This Song Is Mine
Stop the World and Let Me Off - Merle Haggard, Belew, Carl
Are the Good Times Really Over (I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver)
Texas Fiddle Song - Merle Haggard, Williams, L.
You Don't Have Very Far to Go
I Always Get Lucky with You - Merle Haggard, Church, Gary
Call Me [#][*] - Merle Haggard,
I Won't Give Up My Train [#][*] - Merle Haggard, Yeary, Mark
Merle Haggard's Epic stint was short-lived and aimless; it produced a slew of celebrity duets, but little of merit except this, his 1981 label debut and 47th album overall. The first album Haggard produced himself has no f... more »at. With his love for Western swing peaking around this time, the Strangers are a bigger band than ever and get almost as much play as he does. But even when he brings in still more instruments, as on "Stop the World (And Let Me Off)," they're honed to a sharp, minimalist edge. The writing is also growing more ambitious. The title song is still an alt-country favorite, but the album also hides such gems as the slow-death "You Don't Have Very Far to Go," cowritten with Red Simpson. Can't say the bonus tracks add anything, but neither do they do Haggard any harm. --John Morthland« less
Merle Haggard's Epic stint was short-lived and aimless; it produced a slew of celebrity duets, but little of merit except this, his 1981 label debut and 47th album overall. The first album Haggard produced himself has no fat. With his love for Western swing peaking around this time, the Strangers are a bigger band than ever and get almost as much play as he does. But even when he brings in still more instruments, as on "Stop the World (And Let Me Off)," they're honed to a sharp, minimalist edge. The writing is also growing more ambitious. The title song is still an alt-country favorite, but the album also hides such gems as the slow-death "You Don't Have Very Far to Go," cowritten with Red Simpson. Can't say the bonus tracks add anything, but neither do they do Haggard any harm. --John Morthland
"Arguably Merle's best album of the Epic years, this is a no-filler, must-have for any serious student of country music. The remastered disc sounds superb and is worth the price if you've got the older cd issue. I dispute the reviewer who asserts that Haggards Epic years were wasted with the exception of this classic. The Epic albums do have a different sound than the earlier Capitol years but that's only a natural progression of a man entering his 40's in a time when Nashville was swinging back to the "Urban Cowboy" pop period. Merle never gave in to the "Big City" sound and this album stands in clear contrast to much of what filled the airwaves then...and now. Pick it up and thank me later."
A country classic
Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 03/31/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This may well be the finest of many excellent albums that Merle has recorded. The album yielded three major country hits - the title track (about a man in the city yearning to return to the country), My favorite memory (a very romantic song) and Are the good times really over (remembering the fifties).
There are plenty of other high quality songs too, including Good old American guest (a brilliant train song), I think I'm gonna live forever (about being glad that a failed relationship is over), Stop the world and let me off (about being upset that a failed relationship is over - this is a cover of a song most commonly associated with Patsy Cline), You don't have very far to go (a song that Merle wrote in the sixties) and I always get lucky with you (an excellent way to finish the original album.
As a bonus, this re-mastered edition includes two previously unreleased bonus tracks (Call me, I won't give up my train) - so there is more music than before and the sound is also improved. What more could anybody want? I think that this is an outstanding album by a country music legend."
The Hag
! | Athens, GA United States | 09/23/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Wish Coke was still Cola and a joint was a bad place to be.
Listen to the Master."
Peerless Clean and Mean Country -- Hag's Way
Todd and In Charge | Miami, FL | 12/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"All the alt-country, neo-folk, new-Americana wannabees out there trying to carry the torch better listen closely to this 1981 Hag classic for how this should be done. The big man's songwriting was peaking, introspective and personal as usual, but with good humor, wit, and class at the same time. Hag's infatuation with western swing was also growing, and was used to great effect here, highlighting and illustrating the lyrics without sounding intrusive. The production is minimal and clean, and really sounds great. The title track, his raucous song about ridin' the rails ("Good Old American Guest"), and many others make this a superior collection that stands the test of time. Thank you Merle!"