u/countryguy_11

i’m new to record players but i’ve heard these technics were some of the best but when i went to go play a record the needle just came off & i lost it 😂🤦 if anyone knows what a good replacement would be i’d appreciate it

went back to listen to this album & it just honestly never disappoints me. not a single skip on this thing.

I’ve been going through ole Merle’s discography again & wanted to show some love to this album. It feels like a hidden gem that doesn’t get talked about enough by modern fans but the concept behind it is literally brilliant. Instead of just playing the music straight away, Merle recorded spoken word introductions throughout the album. He basically walks you through the origins of the songs, his inner thoughts, & pays tribute to the artists that helped shape him like Tommy Collins, Red Foley & even Bob Wills. It plays like an intimate documentary about the power of songwriting itself but here are some songs that stand out to me.

“Irma Jackson” I feel like this song is a massive piece of country history. He wrote this track about an interracial romance & wanted to release it years before but his record label blocked it but it’s very cool that he used this concept album to finally get the song out there.

“Turnin' Off A Memory” Merle explains that he wrote this song about how people use alcohol to cope with their trauma & heartbreak & also how it’s a sad reality for some folks who have nowhere else to turn, which adds a massive layer of empathy. I honestly think it’s the perfect example of why the “concept” of the album works so well. Also Johnny Paycheck covered this song which is fire.

“Grandma Harp” In this song Merle states, “Don’t get set to hear no hidden family legend, just a song about the life of Grandma Harp”. He wanted to honor the everyday quiet grit of his grandmother who lived to be 93 years old. In the intro he explains how she survived deep poverty, raised a decent family & witnessed an unbelievable 90 years of progress from the horseless carriages all the way to seeing the first man walk on the moon which i thought was pretty interesting.

but with that being said i personally would have this album in my top 10 from him. Where does it rank for you guys? & What is your favorite song off here?