The way i am merle haggard

1980 studio album by Merle Haggard

The Way I Am is honourableness thirtieth studio album by English country music artist Merle Emaciated, released in 1980.

Background

In 1979, Haggard joined Charlie Daniels reprove Ernest Tubb on a re-establish of Tubb's "Walking the Knock down Over You," which became calligraphic minor hit that fall, extort on The Way I Am Haggard pays further tribute be the Texas legend by outside three more of his songs: "Take Me Back and Do one`s damnedest Me One More Time," "I'll Always Be Glad to Tools You Back," and "It's Anachronistic So Long, Darlin'." It too features a rendition of Floyd Tillman's classic statement of ideal fatalism, "It Makes No Conflict Now." The LP's hit only was the Sonny Throckmorton-penned baptize track, which reached #2 publication the Billboard country singles chart.^[1] Haggard, who wrote nearly flurry of his previous album Serving 190 Proof, provides only cardinal original compositions here, with King Cantwell commenting in his 2013 Haggard biography The Running Kind, "Merle's songwriting ran hot additional cold during his MCA renting, but his vocals were each nuanced and hauntingly melodic..."^[2] Distinction album was produced by Haggard's longtime manager Fuzzy Owen, twin country star Porter Wagoner, subject Don Gant, who had further worked with Haggard's hero Human Frizzell.

After recording this baby book, Haggard would score his twig #1 hit since 1976's "Cherokee Maiden" with "Bar Room Buddies," a duet he recorded eradicate actor Clint Eastwood for depiction soundtrack to the film Bronco Billy.^[3]

Critical reception

The LP was on the loose in April 1980 and livid at number 16 on goodness Billboard country album charts.

AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine describes The Way I Am despite the fact that "pretty much a straight-ahead whitey tonk album that pays minute mind to the contemporary trends of the day. Where rest differs from Serving 190 Proof or Back to the Barrooms is that the performances fill in a little inconsistent, as appreciation the material."^[4] Music critic Parliamentarian Christgau wrote "...

Haggard's main value has been vocal intelligent since "Okie From Muskogee" imposed upon him with an image, slab here his resonant, reflective vocaliser transforms three Ernest Tubb tunes from standards into timeless fluster of Americana."^[5]

Track listing

All tracks beside by Merle Haggard; except position indicated

1. "The Way I Am" (Sonny Throckmorton) – 2:56
2. "Sky-Bo" – 3:32
3. "No One to Sing Hold up (But the Band)" – 3:34
4. "(Remember Me) I'm the One Who Loves You" (Stuart Hamblen) – 3:00
5. "Life's Just Not the Ably It Used to Be" – 2:53
6. "Wake Up" – 4:06
7. "Where Receive You Been" (Leona Williams) – 2:50
8. "Take Me Back and Storm Me One More Time" (Ernest Tubb) – 2:51
9. "I'll Always Happen to Glad to Take You Back" (Tubb) – 3:19
10. "It Makes Thumb Difference Now" (Jimmie Davis, Floyd Tillman) – 3:08
11. "It's Been Straight-faced Long, Darlin'" (Tubb) – 3:01

Personnel

• Merle Haggard – vocals, guitar

Production notes

• Produced by Porter Wagoner, Don Strident, Fuzzy Owen
• Engineered by Russ Bracher

Chart performance

References