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Image: I Love Dixie Blues, So I Recorded Live In New Orleans
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Relevant!!! The finest 'live' recording in history! If perfection in 'live' recording exists...this is it! This album was originally a studio project by Merle entitled "I Love Dixie Blues". There were only 25 hard pressed vinyl LP's produced. Capitol Records© scrapped the project in lieu of another 'live' album. The result is "I Love Dixie Blues...So I Recorded Live In New Orleans". I wasn't there of course, but I imagine the conversation between Merle & Capitol Records© went something like this: Capitol: "You've already done tributes to Jimmie Rodgers, Bob Wills and even a Gospel album. We think our resources would be better spent on a 'live' album considering we've had tremendous success in the past with "Okie From Muskogee" and "The Fightin' Side Of Me". Merle: "Yes, but I want to bridge the gap between who inspired the artists who inspired me. And by the way, weren't my previous tribute albums successful?" Capitol: "Well, umm, yes...we'll book some studio time for the 'tribute' album. Of course we'll have the final say in whether or not it gets released" This is just a theory, but I for one am glad BOTH albums were recorded. Portions of the original Capitol project would sit undisturbed in their vaults until 2007 when The Bear Family© from Germany got the rights to the master recordings and produced the box set called "Hag: The Studio Recordings 1969-76". The remaining studio tracks were released as 'filler material' on various Merle Haggard albums as late as 1978. The 'live' album we all know and love as "I Love Dixie Blues" would go on to be one of Merle's most relevant recordings of all time. Being a songwriter I have questions regarding Merle's "I Wonder If They Ever Think Of Me". If you listen to the lyrics they apparently represent a man who feels abandoned by his loved ones while he serving a prison term. Then the song takes a mysterious turn towards the pop culture of the early 70's , that being the controversy of the winding down Vietnam conflict and the prisoners being held captive. I'd be willing to bet there are two drafts of this song, one without the prisoner or war theme and one with. If you know for sure, email me :) With that said, this is, in my opinion, the finest live recording ever produced! Get this anyway you can! The opinions above are solely those of Sound_man73. If you're like me you'll collect the music either way :) Be sure to check out Merle Haggard's Official Site! |
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