Search - Ray Stevens :: One for the Road

Hilarious highway

Jerry McDaniel | 09/08/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The CD opens up with "Concrete Sailor". The performance sounds lonesome and it's a perfect kick-off song for this trucker CD from Ray Stevens. Of course, the CD is geared toward truckers...but there's material on here for the non-truckers, too. But even if you're not a trucker the songs are still enjoyable.



Second track, "Convoy", was a huge hit for C.W. McCall in the mid 1970's during the CB craze. Ray doesn't use a CB effect like McCall did when talking back and fourth, making it sound like it was recorded using an actual CB...instead, we hear a vocal effect that you'd hear on a dispatcher's microphone. It's a worthy cover version, though...and Ray offers some dirty laughs at various spots throughout the recording. For those unaware, "Convoy" is a tale about two truckers: one named Pig Pen and the other named Rubber Duck.



The third song mixes trucker lingo, CB's, and religion all into one performance. "The Right Reverend Road Hog McGraw" is the song I'm referring to. It's quite a song that tells the story of a trucking preacher who rolls across the nation spreading salvation. McGraw is referred to as a diesel deacon. The writers sample lyrics from an earlier Ray Stevens song, "The Dooright Family", and insert the familiar phrase at various times in the song.



Now, track number four will blow you away...it's an up-tempo bluesy number called "Cooter Brown". It features a prominent piano in the background...well...the usual arrangement for what some call classic R&B. It's all about an alcoholic trucker whose proud of his tattoo that states "please don't let me drive". Track number 10, "Never Too Late" is in the inspirational vein...the melody/arrangement makes me think of a sing-a-long 1930's pop ballad. The song is about how it's never too late to live your life the way you want.



Backing up to track number six we have "Hanging Around" which is a chilling song about two women and a man. One woman's name is Sadie while another woman simply is referred to as Lady and the man involved is Tony. The sheriff's name is Grady. The song deals with murderous goings-on in a small south Georgia town. The song carries that 'deep, dark secret' vibe throughout the performance. Ray and Buddy Kalb wrote the song.



Track number eleven, "Retired", may be familiar already to some. Ray originally did this song as a duet with Brent Burns. In this performance, Ray tackles the song solo. It's a song about being retired and all of the quirks, aches, ailments, and some satisfaction being a senior citizen.



"Hang Up and Drive" and "Bon Temps Roulette" are recordings from 2000 that were added to the CD due to their connection to the travel/trucker theme of the project. In "Bon Temps Roulette" we're treated to the story of a woman who's on the run and the sheriff who's corrupt.



"Oh Lonesome Me" is an update...he originally recorded his version of the song back in 1975 on his MISTY album. The song retains it's arrangement...sang as a slow ballad with up-tempo passages sprinkled in throughout. It's a worthy update...a song added to the CD because often times truck driver's get lonely. "Mary Lou Nights", originally from 1983, is updated for this CD. The bonus material are three re-recordings from 1992: "The Mississippi Squirrel Revival", "It's Me Again, Margaret", and "The Streak".



All in all it's a great trucker CD that seamlessly goes from one song to the next. As Ray often mentioned, not every song on here is a trucker song...but by and large traveling and being away from home and lonely runs rampant through a lot of the songs."