Listening to George, part 2

1983

Here's the introduction post  for my George Strait project. (If you want to join me, you can.) This post will start with his third album, Right or Wrong. It features ten songs.

The ones I know well: "You Look So Good In Love," "Right or Wrong," and "Let's Fall To Pieces Together."

Of those three, "You Look So Good In Love" is my FAVORITE. (I believe You Look So Good In Love was his first music video. I've tried to track it down on YouTube, but only found a mirrored upload.) Favorite line? Probably: He must have stolen some stars from the sky. And gave them to you to wear in your eyes.

Here's a live version from 1984. And a live version from 2016.  And the only music video I could find.

The album also includes: "A Little Heaven's Rubbing Off On Me," "80 Proof Bottle of Tear Stopper," "Every Time It Rains (Lord Don't It Pour)," "You're The Could I'm On (When I'm High)," "I'm Satisfied With You," "Our Paths May Never Cross," and "Fifteen Years Going Up (And One Night Coming Down)."

Of those new-to-me songs, I can't help but falling for "80 Proof Bottle of Tear Stopper." I can resist loving drinking songs most of the time--but when it's this toe-tapping and outright CATCHY I can't help it.

Give me an eighty-proof bottle of tear-stopper
And I'll start feeling I forgot her
Get a little loose and lose her memory
And I won't think I'm close to dying
Because it dries up all my crying
An eighty-proof bottle of tear-stopper always sets me free

George does this to me sometimes. Even when the lyrics don't particularly thrill me, if he includes enough STEEL GUITAR and FIDDLE, and I go all weak in the knees. Which is why I've been known to say that "bad George Strait" is still better than any other country singer.

1984

And I also really enjoyed Our Paths May Never Cross.

George Strait's fourth album is Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind. It has ten songs. It has three of his best known songs on it. "Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind," "The Cowboy Rides Away," and "The Fireman."

Those that know me, know that of those three, one is the obvious-obvious choice as my favorite. THE COWBOY RIDES AWAY is one of those that I can't listen to without singing along. And often can't listen to just once. So--at least for this album--it gets the most likely to be put on repeat award.

I knew the stakes were high right from the start
When she dealt the cards I dealt my heart
Now I just found a game that I can't play
And this is where the cowboy rides away 

A live performance, he looks young, but no date is given. A live performance June 2014.

The Fireman? Well, how about the embarrassed I know all the words award?


Other songs include: "Any Old Time," "I Need Someone Like Me," "You're Dancin' This Dance All Wrong," "Honky Tonk Saturday Night," "I Should Have Watched That First Step," "Love Comes From the Other Side of Town," and "What Did You Expect Me To Do."


I like plenty of the songs on this album. "I Need Someone Like Me" and "You're Dancing This Dance All Wrong." Plenty of steel guitar and fiddle to satisfy me!!! George Strait's sound is strongly established by this fourth album.

1985

Something Special To Me is his fifth album. There are, you guessed it, ten songs on the album. The songs I know well include: "You're Something Special To Me," and "The Chair." Almost ten years later, "The Chair" was still getting a LOT of radio play. There is a music video for THE CHAIR. But I warn you. The song is timeless. Trust me. The music video is not timeless. Not even slightly. You may find it worth watching to see a very young George singing and smiling and laughing. You may regret watching it if you can't get those three women out of your head. The fact that there are THREE women instead of just one woman is disturbing.

Want to see George sing live but with fewer risks? Then this 2003 performance is worth your time. 


Here is George performing live in 1985 promoting this album. I would definitely recommend it!!!!


Other songs on the album include: "Last Time The First Time," "Haven't You Heard," "In Too Deep," "Blue Is Not A Word," "You Sure Got This Ol' Redneck Feelin' Blue," "Dance Time In Texas," "Lefty's Gone," and "I've Seen That Look On Me (A Thousand Times)."


Of the new-to-me songs, I really love Dance Time In Texas. It's a fun SWING number with bonus piano. And "Haven't You Heard" is a haunting little song, the complete opposite of fun. I can just picture a young "Sawyer" from LOST.



© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews