Classic Album Review-Dwight Yoakam “Guitars, Cadillacs, etc., etc.
Dwight's 1986 debut. Some songs had previously appeared on an EP album he'd previously released on a small label.
In a world where the majority of sounds on country radio were the pop-heavy likes of “Morning Desire”, “Bop”, “Never Be You”, and “Don’t Underestimate My Love”, the very twangy, somewhat rockabilly sound of Dwight Yoakam’s “Honky Tonk Man” stood out from everything else on the radio. The rollicking remake of the Johnny Horton classic would become his first top ten hit, while the album, Guitars, Cadillac, etc., etc., along with Randy Travis’ Storms Of Life, was the beginning of the end for the saturation of the pop-heavy sound that was largely country music during much of the 1980′s. Guitars, Cadillacs, etc., etc., is one of country music’s most important albums of that decade.
Let’s look back and review this classic album that should be in your collection.
The disc (or CD) starts off with the aforementioned “Honky Tonk Man”. Dwight made it twangy, yet contemporary. A sound that was a little bit Horton, a little bit Elvis and Buck Owens, too. Traditional country fans, actually got excited about music, again, when this began airing on the radio. While “Honky Tonk Man” was twangy, even it had nothing on “It Won’t Hurt”. This mid tempo number, one of my favorites of Dwight’s, was not a big radio hit, when released, likely because it was too country. The song is straight-ahead hard country that would satisfy the most discerning purist, The song is heavy on fiddles, steel guitar, and honky tonk-style piano, and covers two of the most popular topics in country music; lost love and alcohol.
“I’ll Be Gone” would have been a great choice for a single. It has a definitive Johnny Cash-style sound to it and it’s fast tempo would have played well on the radio. Dwight penned “I’ll Be Gone”, as well as “South Of Cincinnati”, a slow, wailing number that is perfectly suited for his style of singing. This is one of the outstanding selections of the album.
Beware the woman scorned! That’s the warning of another Yoakam-penned tune, “Twenty Years”. It’s an alright song, good beat, but nothing to really grab your attention.
As a rule, I generally (with a few exceptions) do not care for remakes of originals, and “Ring Of Fire” is no different. Here, it becomes more of a rockabilly song, and for me, that style doesn’t quite fit the song. However, having the fiddles play the trumpet’s parts, works pretty well. Overall, Johnny Cash’s version is superior. It’s the same thing with “Heartaches By The Number”. This version is okay, but really, can anyone ever hope to equal Ray Price’s version? No. The good thing about these two selections, though, is that they did introduce classic country music to a whole new generation, previously unaware of it’s existence.
Songs about coal miner’s and their plights have been around as long as country music, from Vernon Dalhart’s “The Death Of Floyd Collins”, to Merle Travis’ “Dark As A Dungeon”, to Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons”(written by Travis), up to Dave Dudley’s “Last Day In The Mines”. “Miner’s Prayer” compares very favorably to these classics. In addition, Dwight wrote it in such a way, that, even though it’s about miners, anyone who’s worked a job they don’t particularly like, but do it to provide, can identify with. This song would also make a great bluegrass record. Does anyone know of a bluegrass version?
It’s worth noting that except for the three remakes, Dwight Yoakam wrote every song on the album, a bit of an unusual feat, back in the eighties for a newcomer. I rate this album a 4 out of 5. This is one that you certainly should have in your collection, either on CD or vinyl. And it sounds just as fresh and exciting as it did when it was released back in 1986. Give this one a spin and make sure to turn it up loud.
