Track Listing

1. Time Marches On
2. If the World Had a Front Porch
3. Texas Tornado
4. Stars Over Texas
5. Her Old Stompin' Ground [#]
6. Sticks and Stones
7. While You Sleep [#]
8. Renegades, Rebels and Rogues
9. I See It Now
10. Can't Break It to My Heart
11. Alibis
12. If the Good Die Young
13. Is That a Tear
14. Better Man, Better Off

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #89366 in Music
• Released on: 1998-09-01
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

A Good Collection That Could Have Been Great
Ever wonder what Alan Jackson would sound like on helium? If so, check out Tracy Lawrence. This high-pitched redneck was one of country's most reliable hitmakers from the time he emerged in 1991 with "Sticks and Stones." His Best Of offers a dozen chart smashes as well as two new singles.

Lawrence's best includes a few good ol' boy anthems ("Renegades, Rebels, and Rogues" and "If The Good Die Young") and a couple of tunes that tie his native Texas to honky tonkin' love songs ("Texas Tornado" and "Stars Over Texas"). Lost love is also a recurring theme, with our protagonist a bitter man ("Sticks And Stones"), gracious loser ("I See It Now"), and hopeful reconciliator ("Is That A Tear").

Every hit on this set has its moments - the most noteworthy and substantial being Lawrence's reflective odes ("Time Marches On" and "If The World Had A Front Porch"). The collection's only letdown is that Atlantic didn't find room for his seven other top-5 hits (particularly "Today's Lonely Fool" and "As Any Fool Can See"). All seven are worthy of inclusion.

The two new recordings on the set show the softer side of the Lawrence sound. "While You Sleep," which melodically brings to mind Billy Joel's "New York State Of Mind," relates the story of a guy who forgets to tell his woman that he loves her until she is asleep, while "Her Old Stompin' Ground" delivers a more traditional (for country) ballad about a husband who dutifully waits for his cheating wife to return.

With his well-documented sordid private life overshadowing his music the past couple of years, Lawrence now faces an uphill battle at country radio (some stations banned his music and "While You Sleep" undeservedly bombed on the charts). Whatever the future may hold for Lawrence (his most recent album Lessons Learned had some great singles that also underperformed at radio), this collection serves as a reminder of his status as one of country music's top artists in the'90s.

Move over, Garth! You've got company at the top!!!
I listened to this album over and over until I wore out the tape, so I'm buying the CD. Tracy has had one of the most successful careers in country music, and this album shows us exactly why. My favorite titles are "Renegades, Rebels, and Rogues", "Texas Tornado", and "Alibis".

Tracy Is Excellent
This man is a great singer, and has quality lyrics to his music. Why is he banned from some country stations (And underplayed by others)? It is not because of his personal life. Guys like Hank Williams, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, and Johnny Cash had stormy lives, but were NOT neglected. Instead, the reason is, quality country is not rewarded these days (Check out how seldom you hear Sherrie Austin on the radio?).Lawrence is in the top 5 singers in country today (Along with Sherrie, George Strait, Toby Keith, and Alan Jackson). Songs like "Time Marches On", "Texas Tornado", "Stars Over Texas", "Sticks And Stones" and "Renegades, Rebels And Rogues" should be country classics, and the rest of the CD is not far behind. You cannot get a better single disk greatest hits CD (Except "Latest Greatest Straitest Hits"). This should be a must in your country collection.