Merle Haggard was one of the first country artists to see the LP as more than one hit and some filler songs. Now Bear Family gathers together all of his 'concept' LPs for Capitol 1968 -1976, plus the 'live' LPs... plus the LPs by Merle Haggard's band, the Strangers!Fans and critics alike view this as Merle Haggard's finest work.
Merle Haggard was a groundbreaking artist in many ways. After his initial success, he devoted a lot of time and creative energy to 'concepts' that interested him, including live albums, tribute albums, gospel albums, and The Strangers' instrumental albums. The third and final box set in Bear Family's documentation of Merle Haggard's Capitol recordings includes all of these 'concepts.'
This is some of the finest music from Merle Haggard's 45 year career. Fans and critics agree on that. The box includes the Jimmie Rodgers tribute double album from 1968 and the Bob Wills tribute album from 1970 for which Merle Haggard reunited many of Bob Wills's original Texas Playboys. There are three exciting live albums, including one of the best selling country albums of all time, 'Okie From Muskogee--Live In Muskogee, Oklahoma. ' There is the ambitious 'Land Of Many Churches' gospel project, for which Merle Haggard recorded revival-style gospel music in backwoods Baptist churches, San Quentin, a Nashville rescue mission and a California Pentecostal church. The set also includes the complete Strangers instrumental output... all of the songs from their five 'solo' albums plus many unreleased surprises, featuring knockout playing from Roy Nichols on guitar and Norm Hamlet on steel guitar.
This box set captures an artist using his success to take his art in new directions. This is the real Merle Haggard: traditionalist, iconoclast, but above all musician.
Track Listing
Disc 1:
- Jimmie The Kid
- My Rough And Rowdy Ways
- California Blues (Blue Yodel #4)
- Narration #1: Hobo's Meditation
- Waitin' For A Train
- Mother, The Queen Of My Heart
- My Carolina Sunshine Girl
- Narration #2: Train Whistle Blues
- Why Should I Be Lonely'
- Jimmie's Texas Blues
- Blue Jodel, #6
- Narration #3: Mule Skinner Blues (Blue
- Yodel #8)
- Peach Pickin' Time Down In Georgia
- Down The Old Road To Home
- Travelin' Blues
- Miss The Mississippi And You
- Frankie And Johnny
- No Hard Times
- Narration #4: Hobo Bill's Last Ride
- My Old Pal
- Nobody Knows But Me
- Narration #5: Jimmie's Rodgers's Last Blue
- Yodel
- Mississippi Delta Blues
- Gamblin' Polka Dot Blues
Disc 2:
- Right Or Wrong
- Brown Skinned Gal
- Roly Poly
- Corrine, Corrina
- I Knew The Moment I Lost You
- Trouble In Mind
- Time Changes Everything
- San Antonio Rose
- Brain Cloudy Blues
- Take Me Back To Tulsa
- Spanish Two-Step
- Old Fashioned Love In My Heart
- Stay A Little Longer
- Misery
- Overture, Introduction & Theme
- Mama Tried
- Silver Wings
- Medley: Swinging Doors/Sing Me Back Home/
- I'm A Lonesome Fugitive/Branded Man
- In The Arms Of Love
- Workin' Man Blues
- Introduction To 'Hobo Bill'
- Hobo Bill's Last Ride
- Billy Overcame His Size
- If I Had Left It Up To You
- White Line Fever
- Blue Rock
- Intro & Okie From Muskogee
Disc 3:
- Theme
- Hammin' It Up
- I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am
- Corrine, Corinna
- Every Fool Has A Rainbow
- T.B. Blues
- When Did Right Become Wrong
- Philadelphia Lawyer (Bonnie Owens)
- Stealin Corn
- Harold's Super Service
- Medley: Devil Woman/I'm Movin' On/Folsom
- Prison Blues/Jackson/Orange Blossom
- Special/Love's Gonna Live Here
- Today I Started Loving You Again
- Okie From Muskogee
- The Fightin' Side Of Me
- Everybody's Had The Blues
- Big Bad Bill (Is Sweeter Weilliam Now)
- I Forget You Every Day
- I Ain't Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me)
- Carolyn
- Champagne
- Lovesick Blues
- The Emptiest Arms In The World
- Nobody Knows I'm Hurtin'
- Intro To: Way Down Yonder New Orleans
- Way Down Yonde In New Orleans
- I Wonder If They Ever Think Of Me
- Finale
Disc 4:
- Rev. Jimmy Whitlock: Introduction/
- Congregation: We'll Understand And Say Well
- Done
- Medley: Take My Hand, Precious Lord/Jesus
- Hold My Hand
- Precious Memories
- Rev. Jimmy Whitlock: History Of Big Creek
- Baptist Church
- Turn Your Radio On
- If Never Meet Again
- Closing Prayer/Congregation, Jut As I Am
- Chaplain Fran Butler: Introduction &
- Opening Prayer
- Amazing Grace
- Where Could I Go
- Medley: Old Time Religion/Pass Me By/Sweet
- By And By
- The Old Rugged Cross
- Chaplain Fran Butler: Closing Prayer
- Rev. J.D. Smith: Introduction/Congreation:
- Leaning On The Everlasting Arms
- (Congreation)
- Guide Me, Lord
- The Family Bible
- I'll Be List'ning
- Just A Closer Walk With Thee
- Rev. J. Smith: Closing Prayer
- Introdution
- Lif's Railway To Heaven
- On The Jericho Road
- Steal Away
- I Saw The Ligth
Disc 5:
- Leaving Phoenix
- Terri
- Somebody Stole My Gal
- Hop And A Skip
- Don't Tell Me
- Whooper Snooper
- Poppin' Corn
- The Waltz Of Enchantment
- Tennessee Flat Top Box
- Stealin' Corn
- Twinkle, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
- Mexican Rose
- Waltzing With A Stranger
- Sing Me A Happy Song
- Repeat Performance
- Street Singer
- Biff Bam Boom
- Day Happy
- Story With A Happy Indian
- Scramble
- California On My Mind
- Comin' Home
- Walking' Through My Heart
- Skippin'
- Ham Boogie (Steelin' The Boogie)
- Caravan
Disc 6:
- Stumbling
- Me And Bobby McGee
- Honky Tonk
- Raunchy
- Song From 'Sleep Walk'
- Watchin' Scotty Grow
- Just Sit Down And Cry'
- Slow 'N' Easy
- I Don't Love Nobody
- Almost To Tulsa
- Fiddle Blues
- Somewhere Over The Rainbow
- Goes Without Saying
- Swing High
- When My Conscience Takes Over
- When The Roses Die
- I'm Sittin' On The Top Of The World
- There You Go Again
- See The Sunset
- Roller Coaster
- Cotton Picker
- It's Only Love
- Cherokee Fiddle
- Countray Gas
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