Listening to King George, part 4

1988

If you want to follow along with this project, all related posts are tagged George Strait Project.

Today I'll be starting with his eighth album, If You Ain't Lovin' You Ain't Livin'. It features ten songs. The songs I knew before include: "If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin')," "Baby Blue," and "Famous Last Words of a Fool." It's practically mandatory to sing along while listening to two of these at least.

Baby Blue opens memorably: She looked so much like a lady, but she was so much like a child. A devil when she held me close, an angel when she smiled. She always held it deep inside, but somehow I always knew. She'd go away when the grass turned green and the sky turned baby blue.

And Famous Last Words of a Fool has a great chorus: Famous last words of a fool, Famous last words of a fool, You won't break my heart, And I don't love you, Famous last words of a fool.

The new-to-me songs from the album include: "Under These Conditions," "Don't Mind If I Do," "Bigger Man Than Me," "It's Too Late Now," "Is It That Time Again," "Let's Get Down To It," and "Back to Bein' Me." My favorite is probably Let's Get Down To It. Though I also like Don't Mind If I Do, It's Too Late Now, and Back To Bein' Me.

Of the ten songs, SIX deal with the end of a relationship. Some he's happy it's over, others not so much. Of the remaining four, three I'd classify as flirtatiously invitational you might say. The title track is just a fun, swingin' dance number. 

Do you have a favorite song from this album?! Overall, I'd probably go with Baby Blue. Here is a video of George Strait singing this hit in 1989.

1989

Beyond the Blue Neon is George Strait's ninth album. It features ten songs. The songs I knew before: "Ace in the Hole," "Baby's Gotten Good At Goodbye," and "What's Going On In Your World."

The opening of Ace in the Hole:

You've got to have an ace in the hole.
A little secret that nobody knows.
Life is a gamble, a game we all play,
But you need to save something for a rainy day.
You've got to learn to play your cards right if you expect to win in life.
Don't put it all on the line for just one roll.
You've got to have an ace in the hole.

The new-to-me songs include: "Beyond the Blue Neon," "Hollywood Squares," "Overnight Success," Leavin's Been Coming for A Long, Long Time," "Angel, Angelina," "Too Much of Too Little," and "Oh Me, Oh My, Sweet Baby."

Of those songs that are new-to-me, I must say that Leavin's Been Comin' For a Long, Long Time has made a good, strong impression.

Hollywood Squares is a song I vaguely remember hearing on the radio now and then. It's fun in a cutesy, novelty way.

I got ex's all across the country

And I owe everybody in town

I got bill collectors callin' me up

And lawyers tryin' to track me down

I'm just one wrong move from the poor house

But I don't belong in there

I got so many ex's and owe so much

I ought to be on Hollywood squares

Yeah, I ought to be on Hollywood squares 

George Strait's Oh Me, Oh My Sweet Baby is so very different from the Diamond Rio version which came out in 1992.

Here's the official music video for Baby's Gotten Good At Goodbye.

© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews