Track Listing

1. Luckenbach, Texas (Back To The Basics Of Love)
2. If You See Me Getting Smaller
3. Lucille
4. Sweet Caroline
5. I Think I'm Gonna Kill Myself
6. Belle Of The Ball
7. Medley Of Elvis Hits: That's All Right/My Baby Left Me
8. Till I Gain Control Again
9. Brand New Goodbye Song
10. Satin Sheets
11. This Is Getting Funny (But There Ain't Nobody Laughing)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #81278 in Music
• Released on: 2003-08-05
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

Customer Reviews

"Country" music at its peak...
This was the first album I ever owned. I still have the original LP and recently revisited it. Growing up around country music from birth, the stereotypes of the country sound - of drinking, pickup trucks, wives leaving and all the other things that came through the expression of country's raw roots - climaxed with this album. It became popular. Everything after this album became derivative and country slowly moved toward the "pop" sound it has achieved today.

By this time, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson (couldn't say one without the other) had become not only famous, they had become icons, bringing "outlaws" to the mainstream. CBs, truckers, Smokey and the Bandit and the whole genre had gone mainstream. 'Luckenbach, Texas' became a huge hit (which is quite a paradox because the song speaks directly to the fatigue that Waylon, and many others, had experienced due to achieving stardom).

It would seem that an attempt was made at a big selling album as the songs "Lucille" and "Sweet Caroline" were popular in their own rights. But it worked. It is a great, great album.

The hidden gem on here is the second song "If You See Me Getting Smaller." It is highly personal and confessional and you can feel the emotions of a man coming to grips with the consequences of decisions made in his life.

"Willie, you're my constant companion
You know the light and shade
We have spent a million dollars
To find out what we've made

We have made the maidens marvel
At the things we do and say
Down, down and out brother
Up, up and away

If you see me getting smaller I'm leaving
Don't be grieving
Just got to get away today..."

It's only four stars because it is a super short LP, as are the songs. I was left hungry for more. But I have never tired of listening to it. A little comedy, a little bit of confession and even a little bit of religion makes this a gem for anyone's collection.

A great Waylon album
This was the first Waylon album I ever bought, simply because it was his current album at the time. Although I have bought many great Waylon albums in the years since, this remains among my favorites.

The big hit here is, of course, Luckenbach Texas. The other songs include covers of Lucille (Kenny Rogers), Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond), Till I gain control again (a Rodney Crowell song that has also been recorded by Emmylou Harris and Crystal Gayle among others) and the Elvis medley. Note that Waylon later recorded a cover of Lucille (Little Richard) - this sometimes confuses people. I suspect that Waylon is the only singer ever to record covers of both Lucille songs.

Apart from the songs already mentioned, there are several other great songs including If you see me getting smaller, I think I'm gonna kill myself, Belle of the ball, Brand new goodbye song and This is getting funny.

Overall, this is a great album that every Waylon fan should have. It may not be the place to begin a Waylon collection (I recommend the double-CD RCA Country legends for starters) but anybody collecting Waylon's original albums should have this high on their priority list.

Not today's country [ in a good way ]
I give this a three when grading on a curve. I'm not rating that way based off of other people's albums but Waylon Albums. For instance if I lost my Waylon albums, which ones would I buy back first? This is not among those first. If you don't have any Waylon records this is definetely not the place to start in my opinion. Sure it's a good record. Obviously- it's a WAYLON record! There is always something good things about a Waylon album. But this one is very short and not particularly essential. Good album, nothing great. However when you compare it to his live at jds release or Honky Tonk Heroes or Dreamin' or This Time or well, his top albums- this one does fall into the mediocre range from that perspective. So enjoy it if you've got those other ones but don't start here by any means. That's my advice.