I wish there had been more overt signs that this was a country album so I could have passed it by, or at least been better prepared when the needle hit the grooves. If there had been the obvious clues such as a doorway-grazing pompadour, or a rhinestone wagon wheel encrusted Nudie suit I think I might have guessed country. I mean the guy looks like a slightly dyspeptic Martin Landau, someone who would sell you a Maytag at the appliance store. And he's wearing a tasteful tie! No wonder amazon only sells one paltry best of compilation of his, nothing about his look says country. Apparently later in his career the guy made a last ditch effort to get his foot firmly into country music's door by recording some trucker songs, but once you wear the undertaker suit on your album cover, you've lost all Nashville street cred. Sorry, Claude.
Man, there is a lot of downer music here for just one album. By the middle of side 2 of this record I was wavering between yelling "Get a grip, already!" or just writing the guy a check to get a hooker or a pony keg and a twisty straw or something else to cheer him up.
I was going to use the incredibly clunky titled "My Ears Should Burn (When Fools are Talked About)" for the sample tune, because it's so awkwardly written it's almost song poem bad--though unbelievably the album songwriting credits include such familiar names John Loudermilk, Roger Miller, and Johnny Bond. (though I suppose good delivery can rescue a badly written song) But I opted for "You Take The Table (And I'll Take The Chairs". When the dinette suite (pronounced suit) gets busted up, then you KNOW the relationship is over.
That's "The Tall Texan's" first album! The cover photo isn't unusual at all for country artist of that period. Honky-tonk singers are the ones with the fringe and sequins. Even Willie Nelson http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/dc567977955bf5dff4973ef171ee726d/o120827.jpg cleaned up back then.
I love Claude Gray's 1967 narrative hit, "How Fast Them Trucks Can Go."
Had a cousin who had the flamingo pink version of that dinette set. And Claude looks strangely like my grandfather...is this actually a Twilight Zone episode?
Aw, you're bein' a wee bit hard on ol' Claude. Guy Paul is right, he was one of the new country breed that went for sincerity rather than over the top weepin'. "I'll Just Have A Cup Of Coffee" was a big hit single for him in that vein.
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That's "The Tall Texan's" first album! The cover photo isn't unusual at all for country artist of that period. Honky-tonk singers are the ones with the fringe and sequins. Even Willie Nelson http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/dc567977955bf5dff4973ef171ee726d/o120827.jpg cleaned up back then.
I love Claude Gray's 1967 narrative hit, "How Fast Them Trucks Can Go."
Given the guy's name is Claude, country would've been my first guess. Another clue on the back; Texan.
Had a cousin who had the flamingo pink version of that dinette set. And Claude looks strangely like my grandfather...is this actually a Twilight Zone episode?
And in the songwriting credits, there's even J P Richadson-AKA The Big Bopper! More Texas in the grooves!
A warning sticker would have been nice. Thank gaud for Tipper...
Aw, you're bein' a wee bit hard on ol' Claude. Guy Paul is right, he was one of the new country breed that went for sincerity rather than over the top weepin'. "I'll Just Have A Cup Of Coffee" was a big hit single for him in that vein.
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