CD Review: George Jones & Merle Haggard a Taste of Yesterday's Wine

Every great once in a while someone comes up with a pairing that fits and can't be beat. In 1982, producer Billy Sherrill paired together Epic country artists George Jones, and Merle Haggard for a duet album that is still as great now as it was then. I have owned this album on vinyl, cassette, and now CD. I still enjoy hearing it to this day. The content of the material and the honesty of the artists make this a true gem of classic country music. The songs contain true honest emotion from hopelessness, sadness, as well as happy good times and the overall wear and tear of being a country music superstar and just a regular human being.

The first song on the list is a cover of "Yesterday's Wine". Willie Nelson wrote this song and released it on RCA almost a decade before this album came out. The cover of this song included an electric guitar, matched with a steel guitar, followed by Merle Haggard taking the lead vocal. By this point, both artists were seasoned musicians that had experienced many personal, financial, and relationship struggles and that raw emotion really showed through on this song. George Jones complimented this song with adding the feeling of his personal tiredness at that time into the lyrics of the song. He also blended perfect with Merle Haggard.

The next song on the album was a song Leona Williams wrote called "After I Sing All My Songs". Leona Williams had been Merle Haggard's wife as well as musician herself. This song tells the story of what goes on after the show is over. Leona's accurate description of the loneliness that persists after the shows is very honest and true. The musicians conveyed the feelings of the lyrics very well. George Jones and Merle Haggard also used the song as an outlet for voicing some of their personal experiences as well.

In the last 1970's and early 1980's both George Jones and Merle Haggard experienced some very intense personal hardships. Merle Haggard wrote, "I Think I Found A Way" which expressed some of the hopelessness he was dealing with at the time. Matched with George Jones, the song seemed more like 2 best friends at rock bottom having a conversation set to music. The line "I think I found a way to live without you, and all I have to do is die", is just pure unfiltered, brutal honesty, which I think, is very respectable.

"The Brothers" was a song that was perfect for the right pair to cover. The story is of 2 brothers, one who is a dreamer, and one who is more "realistic". Merle Haggard takes the part in the story of the more levelheaded of the two. George Jones sang the part of the dreamer who perused his dream of being a country star who is miles from home flat broke. Both artists had played both parts to some degree in real life. The close relationship of the two artists made the story very realistic! The musicians and producer really did a great job at setting the musical tone of this.

"Mobile Bay" was co-written by songwriter Curly Putnam who had written quite a lot for George Jones in the past. The star of this song is a bum in Chicago who's home had been Mobile, Alabama. The main character in this song painted a vivid picture of his home, and his failed attempts in life. George Jones and Merle Haggard conveyed to feeling of this song to a tee. They took turns telling the story in this song and did a great job at it.

"C.C. Waterback" was a song Merle Haggard wrote which I'm sure wasn't funny at the time but was later on. He told of attending a raucous party with George at "Jones' Place". The song is up-tempo with a horn arrangement that he often used on his songs. It was very fitting for them both to record the song since it was a true story about the morning after and the pain involved. The song was light and the two artists were very playful with each other in covering it.

"Silver Eagle" is a story about a country singer who is tired of the touring way of life. A "Silver Eagle" was a type of tour bus that was popular at the time. The bus was personified in the song to illustrate a point. The main character was attached to his way of life, yet tired of the everyday wear and tear of what it entailed. The song was accurate for the time when many country artists were looking for a new way of doing things that wasn't as stressful. Another thing I didn't know about the song was that "Contracts" were a popular cigarette at the time, which can be confusing if you weren't there for it.

"Must've Been Drunk" was a song that was co-written by Vern Gosdin who was beginning his country career at the time. The dialogue of the song was between 2 friends who were approached by an evangelist in a bar. Things of that nature weren't uncommon at the time and I'm sure this was inspired by a true story. Jones and Haggard covered the parts of the two people in the song like it was their story. The song begins with an overdriven electric guitar and matched steel guitar, which set the mood of it accurately.

Second from the last, "I Haven't Found Her Yet" was co-written by Merle Haggard and Johnny Paycheck who had his career heyday the 1970's. Opening with twin fiddles and a steel guitar, with piano in the background set a nice playful setting for the story. Merle Haggard took the lead, telling the story of the guy having troubles finding Ms. Right. The part of this person was also told as her frustration of finding Mr. Right. This is a story both artists can relate to and did with open honesty.

"No Show Jones" was the song that made this album famous. Co-written by George Jones, the song covered the nicknames of many of the country music stars of the time. Jones also had a nickname with a negative connotation at the time. Due to his abuse of alcohol and drugs, he missed several shows through the 1970's and early 80's and became known as "No Show Jones". This song was his story behind it as well as showing that he had a sense of humor. George Jones later on used this song to open all of his shows and still sings it to this day.

"A Taste Of Yesterday's Wine" is a classic country album well worth giving a listen to. Emotion and honest expression of it are eternal, which used to be the element that made country music what it was. The CD, now, contains more than plenty of it that's bound to satisfy and provide entertainment. Even if you aren't very into country music, this is still worth giving a chance! If you have never heard classic country music, this is a great choice to begin exploring.