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CD - Remastered
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The outlaws' struggle to wrest control in the studio has oft been told. Certainly control was no guarantee of quality, but in the mid-'70s when Waylon Jennings knew exactly what he wanted to do, it didn't hurt. Dreaming My Dreams stands with Honky Tonk Heroes as one of Jennings' absolute best albums. "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" and "Waymore's Blues" must have seemed like a rousing kick in the pants to Nashville in 1975. The steady thump of the bass and Jennings' resonating vocals freshen up the tired country sounds by adding a bit of rock & roll passion. Indeed, the staid country elite must have feared that Lynyrd Skynyrd had just come to town. But even with the passion and the electric guitars, no one should've mistaken Jennings for a Southern rocker. Steel guitar is featured prominently, and songs from "I Recall a Gypsy Woman" to "Bob Wills Is Still the King" reminisce about cowboys, cheatin' women, and life on the road. Of course the sexism of songs like "The Door Is Always Open" seems a bit dated, but women's equality was never high on the country music priority list. The raw production by Jennings and Jack Clement still sounds fresh. Studio control also meant no filler, meaning that Dreaming My Dreams' 11 songs, including a live cut from 1974, are over in 31 minutes. Short, perhaps, but unforgettable. Ronnie D. Lankford Jr., All Music Guide