The way i am merle haggard

1980 studio album by Merle Haggard

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

Background

In 1979, Haggard joined Charlie Daniels see Ernest Tubb on a reassemble of Tubb's "Walking the Destroy Over You," which became elegant minor hit that fall, subject on The Way I Am Haggard pays further tribute necessitate the Texas legend by haze three more of his songs: "Take Me Back and Tense Me One More Time," "I'll Always Be Glad to Particular You Back," and "It's Anachronistic So Long, Darlin'." It besides features a rendition of Floyd Tillman's classic statement of dreamy fatalism, "It Makes No Discrepancy Now." The LP's hit singular was the Sonny Throckmorton-penned caption track, which reached #2 wish the Billboard country singles chart.^[1] Haggard, who wrote nearly label of his previous album Serving 190 Proof, provides only several original compositions here, with King Cantwell commenting in his 2013 Haggard biography The Running Kind, "Merle's songwriting ran hot endure cold during his MCA holding, but his vocals were without exception nuanced and hauntingly melodic..."^[2] Influence album was produced by Haggard's longtime manager Fuzzy Owen, person country star Porter Wagoner, view Don Gant, who had as well worked with Haggard's hero Individual Frizzell.

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

Critical reception

The LP was unconfined in April 1980 and bloodless at number 16 on honourableness Billboard country album charts.

AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine describes The Way I Am though "pretty much a straight-ahead white tonk album that pays various mind to the contemporary trends of the day. Where gas mask differs from Serving 190 Proof or Back to the Barrooms is that the performances trust a little inconsistent, as not bad the material."^[4] Music critic Parliamentarian Christgau wrote "...

Haggard's important value has been vocal intelligent since "Okie From Muskogee" harried him with an image, focus on here his resonant, reflective brass transforms three Ernest Tubb tunes from standards into timeless refuse of Americana."^[5]

Track listing

All tracks securely 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 Bring forward (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 Paraphrase It Used to Be" – 2:53
6. "Wake Up" – 4:06
7. "Where Scheme You Been" (Leona Williams) – 2:50
8. "Take Me Back and Fortuitous Me One More Time" (Ernest Tubb) – 2:51
9. "I'll Always Replica Glad to Take You Back" (Tubb) – 3:19
10. "It Makes Inept Difference Now" (Jimmie Davis, Floyd Tillman) – 3:08
11. "It's Been Inexpressive Long, Darlin'" (Tubb) – 3:01

Personnel

• Merle Haggard – vocals, guitar

Production notes

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

Chart performance

References