A trip to the record store

On a recent work trip to Ann Arbor the other day I snuck off to a few record stores and picked up these great L.P.s.

George Jones - I'll Share My World With You (Purchased at Encore Records for $10). This one, on the Musicor label, was my favorite pick of the day. Lot's of great (and humorous) tunes like these:

George Jones – I Don't Have Sense Enough (To Come Out Of The Pain)

George Jones – When The Wife Runs Off

Jeannie C. Riley - Harper Valley P.T.A. (Purchased at Wazoo Records for $5). I mostly bought this one for the cover, but it's actually pretty interesting. (Read the AMG review.) Here is a Tom T. Hall-penned track that gives the back story about Shirley Thompson, who, as you all know from the album's title track, "sure uses a lot of ice whenever [her husband's] away":

Jeannie C. Riley – Sippin' Shirley Thompson (buy album)

Ernest Tubb - Ernest Tubb And His Texas Troubadours (Purchased at Wazoo Records for $3). I always pick up a new Tubb album whenever I see one. On this one, from the Vocalion label, Ernest shows his sensitive side:

Ernest Tubb – You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry

Buck Owens - In Japan! (Purchased at Wazoo Records for $4). I loved the cover on this one too. It's funny to hear Buck speak really slow English to his Japanese audience (not on this track).

Buck Owens – Roll Out The Red Carpet (buy album)

Harper Valley P.T.A.

Harper Valley P.T.A., authored by the legendary Tom T. Hall, has got to be one of the best confrontation songs of all time. It's the story of a mini-skirt-wearing widow who received a disapproving letter from the local P.T.A. and decided to respond by publicly pointing out the antics of the PTA members themselves. In other words, she "socked it to" them. Hypocrisy exposed.

I love a good story song and Tom T. Hall was a master story teller. In 1968, Jeannie C. Riley was the perfect singer to tell the story. Harper Valley P.T.A. reached number one on both the pop and country charts in 1968, displacing Merle's great song "Mama Tried" from the top spot on the country chart. (When was the last time one really great classic country song replaced another on the country charts? When was the last time there was a great song on top of the country charts??)

Syd Straw did a great cover version for the Tom T. Hall tribute CD, which is unfortunately now out of print.

Jeannie C. Riley – Harper Valley P.T.A. (buy album).

Syd Straw – Harper Valley P.T.A. (buy album).

Here's a clip of Jeannie C. Riley live at the Grand Ole Opry:


Here's a nice video made from the movie version of the song:


What are some other good confrontation songs?

UPDATE! Because of a very nice comment from my good friend "anonymous" (and dan's and joe's comments last week), I’ve decided to post one more track: Golden Palominos (featuring Syd Straw) – Kind Of True (out of print).

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