Going Where the Lonely Go
Going Where the Lonely Go | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Nashville, TN | ||||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 35:17 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer | Merle Haggard, Lewis Talley | |||
Merle Haggard chronology | ||||
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Going Where the Lonely Go is the thirty-fifth studio album by American recording artist Merle Haggard backed by The Strangers, released in 1982.
Recording and composition
Produced by Haggard and his mentors Fuzzy Owen and Lewis Talley, the tracks for Going Where The Lonely Go were recorded during the same two-day marathon recording session that produced the songs for Haggard's previous 1982 album
Other notable cuts include "If I Had Left It Up To You" (which features the same shuffling rhythm as "Big City") and his rendition of the Willie Nelson composition "Half a Man," which he would record as a duet with Nelson on the album Pancho and Lefty. The LP also includes the melancholy "Shopping for Dresses," which Haggard wrote with Little Jimmy Dickens, and the honky-tonk nugget "Why Am I Drinkin'." Going Where the Lonely Go was reissued on CD by Epic in 1990. It contains a hidden track "Now I Know Why I'm Drinkin," and was reissued along with That's the Way Love Goes on CD by S & P Records in 2005.[3]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | C+[5] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
AllMusic critic Thom Jurek stated in his review: "Haggard and The Strangers were one of the tightest and most sophisticated bands in country music, inspired by the elaborate arrangements of Bob Wills' band, to the point where Haggard's music from this period transcends country music in its appeal and elegance. It's a pity this one didn't get the notice it deserved — it's a masterpiece."[4]
Track listing
All tracks composed by Merle Haggard; except where indicated:
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | " You Take Me For Granted" | Williams | 2:40 |
8. | "Half a Man" | Willie Nelson | 4:05 |
9. | "For All I Know" | Jimmie Davis | 3:56 |
10. | "Nobody's Darlin' But Mine" | 3:34 | |
11. | "Now I Know Why I'm Drinkin'" | 7:47 | |
Total length: | 35:17 |
Personnel
- Merle Haggard– vocals, guitar
- Roy Nichols – guitar, harmonica
- Norm Hamlet – steel guitar, dobro
- Tiny Moore – fiddle, mandolin
- Bobby Wayne – guitar, background vocals
- Mark Yeary – piano
- Jimmy Belkin – fiddle
- Dennis Hromek – bass
- Biff Adam – drums
- Don Markham – trumpet, saxophone
with:
- Leona Williams – background vocals
Production notes
- Produced by Merle Haggard & Lewis Talley
Chart performance
Weekly Charts
Chart (1982-1983) | Peak position |
---|---|
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 3 |
Year End Chart
Chart (1983) | Peak position |
---|---|
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 12 |
Charting Singles
Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
"Going Where the Lonely Go" | Canada Country Songs (RPM) |
1 |
U.S.Billboard Hot Country Songs |
1 | |
"You Take Me For Granted" | Canada Country Songs (RPM) |
9 |
U.S.Billboard Hot Country Songs |
1 |
References
- ^ Down Every Road 1962–1994 compilation album. Liner notes by Daniel Cooper
- ISBN 978-0-671-45275-9.
- ^ Allmusic entry for Going Where the Lonely Go/That's the Way Love Goes. Retrieved December 2009.
- ^ a b Jurek, Thom. "Going Where the Lonely Go > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "Going Where the Lonely Go > Review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
- ^ "Going Where the Lonely Go > Review". Rolling Stone.