If There Was a Way T Double

BUY THIS ITEM

  • $5.99 Online price
    $5.39 Member price
    Join Now
    • skip to cart
  • Add To List uiAction=GetAllLists&page=List&pageType=list&ean=081227993252&productCode=MU&maxCount=100&threshold=3

GET FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OF $25 OR MORE

DELIVERY & GIFT DETAILS:

Usually ships within 24 hours

Delivery Time and Shipping Rates

Eligible for gift wrap & gift message.

Enter a zip code

CD

  • Release Date: 04/29/2008
  • Original Release: 1990
  • Sales Rank: 13,336
  • Label: RHINO FLASHBACK
  • UPC: 081227993252

Listener Rating: (1 ratings)

See All Detailed Ratings

 
  • Overview
  • Tracks
  • Editorial Reviews
  • Customer Reviews
  • Details & Credits
Track List
Click on LISTEN or link to hear an audio clip.
To listen to samples you'll need a Windows Media Player

If There Was a Way

1LISTENThe Distance Between You and Me 2:43
2LISTENThe Heart That You Own 3:11
3LISTENTakes a Lot to Rock You 3:01
4LISTENNothing's Changed Here 2:59
5LISTENSad, Sad Music 3:45
6LISTENSince I Started Drinkin' Again 3:44
7LISTENIf There Was a Way 2:56
8LISTENTurn It on, Turn It up, Turn Me Loose 3:24
9LISTENIt Only Hurts When I Cry 2:35
10LISTENSend a Message to My Heart 3:16
11LISTENI Don't Need It Done 4:46
12LISTENYou're the One 4:02
13LISTENDangerous Man 4:18
14LISTENLet's Work Together 3:33

About this Artist

Editorial Reviews

If There Was a Way from 1990 is the first full display of Dwight Yoakam's doppelgänger on record. From the mid-tempo honky tonk of "The Distance Between You and Me" and the classic Bakersfield balladry of "The Heart That You Own" to the balls-out live 21st century rockabilly "It Takes a Lot to Rock You Baby," Yoakam shows his fragmented musical personality that somehow remains inside the framework of his own brand of country. Fans of the old heroes such as Ernest Tubb, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Buck Owens, Hank Thompson, Loretta Lynn, and so on dig Yoakam because he knows how to write and sing a good old country song. The kids and pop audiences love him because he seems to speak to them as much with his swagger as his electricity -- guitarist Pete Anderson is like Don Rich, only from the rock side of the country music fence. "Nothing's Changed Here," written by Yoakam and master songwriter Kostas, is a nod to Tubb in that it refers to the master's "Walkin' the Floor Over You" in "Nothing's Changed Here," a barroom stroller with a gorgeous fiddle solo by Don Reed and a splendid use of reverb by Anderson. "Since I Started Drinkin' Again" is a bluegrass sh*tkicker, but it is one hell of a self-destructive broken-heart song that features some awesome fiddlework by Scott Joss and mandolin and backing vocals by Tim O'Brien. The bluesy, doo-woppy, Doc Pomus-inspired rock balladry of the title track is another move toward the margins for Yoakam -- especially with the shimmering B-3 work by Skip Edwards. "It Only Hurts Me When I Cry," Yoakam's co-write with Roger Miller, who sings backing vocals on the track, is another rocker ā la early Conway Twitty. Ultimately the duet with Patty Loveless on Kostas and Kathy Louvin's "Send a Message to My Heart" is a wrought and deeply moving love song. Loveless is the best of her generation. Not even Martina McBride with all her emotion and range can match the soul in the grain of her voice, nor does anyone possess as pure a country voice with the exception of Emmylou Harris perhaps. The bravest moment on the record is also its most fun. The closer is a truly hillbilly deluxe version of Wilbert Harrison's anthem "Let's Work Together." Anderson tears this mother up, raw and wooly, and Yoakam proves himself as fine a R&B singer as he is a country crooner. Here again the rock side of country, the soul side of rock, and the country side of soul are all wrapped here in Yokam's voice backed by a band who have a complete understanding of the tune. Highly recommended. Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

  • Listener Rating:
  • Ratings: 1Reviews: 1

If There Was a Wayby Anonymous

Reader Rating:
See Detailed Ratings

October 09, 2002: Born In 1956, Dwight Yoakam was fortunate to grow up near the end of a time when you could hear The Everly Brothers, then Booker T. & the MGs, then some Johnny Cash, and then maybe some Brook Benton on the same radio station. He has always used this to his advantage, seamlessly moving from one genre? to another, tipping his hat to a broad range of influences. Ironically, by doing this, he has become, since the mid `80s, the most cutting edge artist in country music. By now, Yoakam?s band had also become the best in the business, led by Producer, Pete Anderson on guitar. Skip Edwards is a great barrel house style piano player and wonderful organist. His B-3 swims through the great title track, that captures the all the feel of Southern, country soul of the late `50s to mid `60s. Yoakam?s soulfulness and freshness carry efforts like this through without an ounce of pretentiousness or staleness. Anderson employs a funky twang reminiscent of early Johnny Cash records, and Yoakam is as cool as can be on ?Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose?. Yoakam had one of his biggest hits with ?It Only Hurts When I Cry?, co written with Roger Miller. This was a natural partnership that should have happened before this. Unfortunately, Miller would pass away soon after. Miller?s knack for amusingly contradictory lyric writing fits Yoakam, who at times seems to be a mass of contradictions, to a tee. Dwight Yoakam is the smartest lyricist I?ve ever seen. He is at once tongue in cheek and heartbreaking, cocky and sensitive. What?s great, is that he makes it seem so simple. When renowned songwriter, Bob Dylan showed Otis Redding a song he had written, Redding said, ?Too many words, man.? Yoakam never trips over his own cleverness. This album helped endear Yoakam to audiences outside of country, while also helping the ?boom? of success of all of country music in the early `90s.

This review was written about the CD edition.