Listening to George, part 3

1986

It's not too late to join me in my George Strait project. Today, I'll be starting with his sixth album, oddly enough called #7. There are ten songs.

The ones I knew before: "Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her," and "It Ain't Cool To Be Crazy About You." I really love both of these songs.

The new-to-me songs include: "Deep Water," "Rhythm of the Road," "I'm Never Gonna Let You Go," "You Still Get To Me," "Stranger Things Have Happened," "Why'd You Go and Break My Heart," "My Old Flame Is Burnin' Another Honky Tonk Down," and "Cow Town."

This is a solidly good--if not great--album from first song to last. My least favorite song is probably "Stranger Things Have Happened" but that's not to say I don't like it to some degree. I like this sixth album overall better than any of the previous that I've reviewed. Emphasis on OVERALL. If we're still going song by song by song, then my favorites would be different probably.

Nobody In His Right Mind Would've Left Her, live, 1986
Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her, live, 2014
It Ain't Cool To Be Crazy About You
I'm Never Gonna Let You Go
Why'd You Go and Break My Heart
Deep Water
Rhythm of the Road
Cow Town

1987

 

George Strait's seventh album is Ocean Front Property. It is another strong album. I grew quite attached to it, I must admit! What do I mean? It's one thing to be "attached" to one or two songs from an album. The "hits" of the album. It's quite another to grow attached to an album as a whole. To love it for more than being the album that such-and-such is on.

The songs I knew before: "All My Ex's Live In Texas," "Am I Blue," and "Ocean Front Property." Of those three, I really love Ocean Front Property.

The new-to-me songs include: "Someone's Walkin' Around Upstairs," "Hot Burning Flames," "Without You Here," "My Heart Won't Wander Very Far From You," "Second Chances," "You Can't Buy Your Way Out of the Blues," and "I'm All Behind You Now."

Of the new-to-me songs, I have two stand-out favorites: "You Can't Buy Your Way Out of the Blues," and "My Heart Won't Wander Very Far From You." Both are fast and catchy and just FUN.

From "My Heart Won't Wander Very Far From You":

Well honey don't you worry I don't need no bar room queens
Though I'll admit she sure knows how to fill a pair of jeans
And I'll admit now darlin' she's sure showing me her stuff
But honey it ain't nearly enough
'Cause I ain't never seen her
Patch a pair of ragged britches
Stretch a paycheck 'till it reaches
Scratch my back right where it itches
And I ain't never seen that and honey 'till I do
My heart won't wander very far from you

From "You Can't Buy Your Way Out of the Blues":

I'd been workin' at forgettin' since you said goodbye,
Lookin' for some good times, the best money can buy.
But it's a bad investment, there's no long term dividends.
You can't buy happiness or heal a heart that just won't mend.
I never thought that I'd be missin' you this way.
I should've paid you more attention, but now it's too late.
You can buy a night out on the town, you can buy a loveboat cruise,
But you can't buy your way out of the blues.

 
Ocean Front Property, live, 1987
All My Ex's Live In Texas, live, 1989
Am I Blue, live, 1989

Love to watch George Straight live??? Be sure to watch this 1987 concert footage. Almost an hour's worth of George singing his hits from several albums!

© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews