Similar Albums:
- Artist: Guy Clark
- Rating:
- Release Date: 1995
- Total Time: 99:09
- Type: Compilation (best of), Lyrics are included with the album
- Genre: Country
Review
This double-CD collection issued by Rounder's Philo imprint contains on a double CD all three of Guy Clark's late-'70s and '80s recordings for Warner Bros.: Guy Clark, South Coast of Texas, and Better Days. Clark's Warner period was one of intense self-scrutiny and exploration, not only with the way songs are written, but also in the way they are recorded. In terms of experiment and adventure, these are the most sonically interesting of Clark's records. While some of these titles seemed odd at the time, particularly the self-titled album, in retrospect they more than hold their own and prove to be ahead of what some are doing even now. As for the tracks themselves, this was a fruitful, if difficult, period for Clark. While his biggest hit, "Homegrown Tomatoes," is here, so is the redo of "Rita Ballou," "New Cut Road," and the original recorded version of "Randall Knife," far spookier and more haunted than the redo on Dublin Blues. In addition, there are a few covers here that Clark had been loathe to cut while on RCA, and these include Townes Van Zandt's "Don't You Take It Too Bad" and "No Deal," as well as a stellar modern version of Jimmie Rodgers' "In the Jailhouse Now." Also there are a pair of collaborations with fellow Houstonian Rodney Crowell in "The Partner Nobody Chose" and "She's Crazy for Leavin'." Clark always surrounded himself with fine musicians and this trio of albums was no exception -- everyone from Emmylou Harris and Rosanne Cash to Crowell, Verlon Thompson, Kenny Malone, David Briggs, and dozens more appear on them. In many ways, because of the heady work Clark had issued before and after these Warner recordings, this trio has become somewhat of a cipher in his catalog, as part of some misguided apocrypha. This impression is simply erroneous and can be proven so with even the most casual listen. These 30 songs are as integral to Guy Clark's body of work than anything else he has ever issued. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music GuideTracks
CD 1
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Fool on the Roof | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (4:09) |
| Fools for Each Other (Lyrics) | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (4:15) |
| Shade of All Greens | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:13) |
| Voilà, An American Dream | Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell | Guy Clark | (3:46) |
| One Paper Kid (Lyrics) | Guy Clark | (3:24) | |
| In the Jailhouse Now (Lyrics) | Jimmie Rodgers | Guy Clark | (3:47) |
| Comfort and Crazy (Lyrics) | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:06) |
| Don't You Take It Too Bad (Lyrics) | Townes Van Zandt | Guy Clark | (4:02) |
| The Houston Kid | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:59) |
| Fool on the Roof | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (2:33) |
| Who Do You Think You Are | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:24) |
| Crystelle (Lyrics) | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:02) |
| New Cut Road | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:42) |
| Rita Ballou (Lyrics) | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:10) |
| South Coast of Texas | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:45) |
CD 2
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Heartbroke (Lyrics) | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:00) |
| The Partner Nobody Chose | Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell | Guy Clark | (3:06) |
| Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell | Guy Clark | (2:52) | |
| Calf-Rope | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (2:33) |
| Lone Star Hotel | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:20) |
| Blowin' Like a Bandit (Lyrics) | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (2:37) |
| Better Days (Lyrics) | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:00) |
| Homegrown Tomatoes (Lyrics) | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (2:56) |
| Supply and Demand (Lyrics) | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:12) |
| Randall Knife | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (4:08) |
| The Carpenter | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:11) |
| Uncertain Texas | Rodney Crowell, Richard Dobson | Guy Clark | (2:25) |
| No Deal (Lyrics) | Townes Van Zandt | Guy Clark | (3:16) |
| Tears | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (2:46) |
| Fool in the Mirror (Lyrics) | Guy Clark | Guy Clark | (3:30) |
