Track Listing

1. Elvira
2. (Now And Then, There's) A Fool Such As I
3. Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight
4. Voila, An American Dream
5. I Ain't Living Long Like This
6. Baby, Better Start Turnin' 'Em Down
7. Song For The Life
8. I Thought I Heard You Callin' My Name
9. California Earthquake (A Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #121119 in Music
• Released on: 2002-10-22
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Customer Reviews

Get It While You Can!
Out of print since the early 1980s, AIN'T LIVING LONG LIKE THIS is Rodney Crowell's first album -- not his best, but pretty darn good for an artist who, at the time, had very little experience in the studio and front and center at the mic. Produced by Brian Ahern (then better known as Mr. Emmylou Harris), the CD is notable for featuring many country/rock stalwarts of the late 1970s, including almost all of the members in Emmylou Harris's Hot Band (including Harris herself), Willie Nelson, Nicolette Larson and others. This album gained legendary status for the number of songs that subsequently became hits for other artists, including the title track (a radio favorite by Waylon Jennings), Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight (previously covered by Emmylou Harris, but subsequently made into a big hit by the Oak Ridge Boys), Elvira (also pilfered by the Oaks) and Voila an American Dream (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band).

Why 4 stars instead of 5? OK, truthfully, it's not Crowell's best work -- his subsequent records have more energy and better production. The reissue liner notes are uninsightful, and, like the original recording, the song selection is stingy -- just 9 tracks (although "California Earthquake," later to become a Seldom Scene standard, does clock in at over 6 minutes), taking less than 35 minutes of your time. Too bad an outtake or two couldn't have been added to create a more complete document of the earliest work by one of country music's most accomplished songsmiths.

Buy this CD now!
Don't miss out on this excellent CD. This is Rodney Crowell's first album (one of three that have never been released) and I don't believe it will be around for long.

Rodney's version of his own "Song For The Life" (which has been covered by Alan Jackson and The Waterboys) cannot be missed.

This is one of the greatest albums of all time.

The CD features Albert Lee, Ry Cooder, Ricky Scaggs, Hal Blaine, Emmylou Harris, Dr. John, Nicolette Larson and Willie Nelson.

Again, don't miss out.

GOTTA HAVE IT!
There's just no getting around it. If you're a Rodney Crowell fan, this is the cornerstone recording. If you're not already a Crowell fan, then why not? There are several standout tracks on this disc, including "Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight" and the cover of "Fool Such as I". By today's standards, this is a fairly skimpy CD, but the material is good enough that it makes up in quality what it lakes in quantity. One can only hope that the other two Warner Brothers albums, "But What Will the Neighbors Think" and "Rodney Crowell" will soon follow "Ain't Living Long Like This" and be re-issued.