There are certain definites in my life. I am gonna throw something at some point during football season, I am gonna look up some form of porn this week, and if the wife and I go out this Saturday night and get too drunk, we will eat Cracker Barrel on Sunday morning. For us, there is nothing like fried foods and gravy to help you get over the hangover hump. Inevitably, if you go to Cracker Barrel you are gonna have to wait for a table, and during that wait you’ll probably walk around the general store waiting area thing. Such was the case for us last week.
While we were waiting for a table, I was going through the Cracker Barrel cds (believe it or not, CB has been putting together magnificent country albums for years now) and noticed a Merle Haggard cd with a sticker reading “6 New Songs”. After a predictably delicious and fattening breakfast, I bought the cd.
Working Man’s Journey was released back in May and features 6 new songs and 6 Haggard familiars; “Shade Tree Fix-It Man”, “Workin’ Man Blues”, “Kern River”, “Are the Good Times Really Over”, “Rainbow Stew”, and “If We Make It Through December”, all re-recorded for this release. They aren’t reinterpretated, modified or messed with. Just re-recorded with modern techniques and with Merle’s voice as it is now. Of the re-recorded songs, I think “Are the Good Times Really Over” fared best. In fact, I think the renewed version eclipses the original. Maybe it’s Merle’s further aged, more weary voice, maybe it’s the higher production quality…or maybe it’s just me getting older, so the sentiment of the song resonates with me more, but I feel it’s hands-down the best track on the album.
Of the new tracks, “Songman” is easily my favorite. I can imagine Merle singing it while being pushed aside by the Nashville bobbleheads. To quote Darrel Scott’s song “Long Time Gone” (also covered by The Dixie Chicks); “We listen to the radio to hear what’s cookin’ / But the music ain’t got no soul / Now they sound tired but they don’t sound Haggard“.
All in all this is a wonderful album for both those familiar with Haggard, as well as those who are newly discovering this American gem.
Merle Haggard – Are The Good Times Really Over
Merle Haggard – Songman
Merle Haggard – Misery and Gin (the one song I wish would have been included)
Merle Haggard’s Official Site, Buy Working Man’s Journey
3 Responses to “Merle Haggard – Working Man’s Journey”
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Hey. I’m loving the Merle. Haven’t heard the re-recordings, but they sound great. I saw him in concert a few months ago and he did these. And a killer Okie from Muskogee. He’s still got it.
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[...] ???Kern River???, ???Are the Good Times Really Over???, ???Rainbow Stew???, and ???If We Make It Thrhttp://ninebullets.net/archives/merle-haggard-working-mans-journeyState fairs display America at its best The Huntington Herald-Dispatch Somewhere between the baton [...]