For a good time:
While the outlaw and early Texas Music movement is what many people associate with Dixie Chicken music, that doesn’t mean that other hits of the time weren’t also heavily featured. Today, we take a look at George Strait’s 2nd ever album Strait From The Heart.
Front Cover
This album cover is taped up like any classic album played over and over again at the Dixie Chicken, with one of our bumper stickers! It’s classic early George with a great amount of fiddle and steel guitar featured. For anyone who’s into songwriting and knows George’s history of recording songs, there are two Dean Dillon cuts, “Honky Tonk Crazy” and “Marina Del Rey.” Guy Clark’s “Heartbroke” shows up on side 2 and as much as people want to talk about Strait not writing his own songs, he was the lone songwriter in “I Can’t See Texas From Here” which is a highly underrated song. If you’ve ever been homesick for Texas, these lyrics might just hit home with you.
I can’t see Texas from here.
No matter how I try, it makes me want to cry.
So if you see me lookin’ down,
I’m tryin’ not to show this frown
‘Cause I can’t see Texas from here.
It’s not a stretch to say that the most famous song on this record is “Amarillo By Morning.” While “Fool Hearted Memory” became Strait’s first-ever number one song, it was his song about rodeo life, and driving all night, which is the one that continually shows up on people’s lists of “Best Country Songs.” In 2004, CMT named it the #12 country song of all time. Another #1 song, “A Fire I Can’t Put Out” also came from this album and solidified George Strait as a bonified hit-maker. George’s legacy obviously grew to historic levels after 1982, but this is the record that really showed everyone what he could do.
Back Cover
Which of these songs would be at the top of your list to hear while enjoying an afternoon with friends playing 42 and drinking a bucket of beer? Is it one of the honky-tonkin’ songs, or perhaps a more chill ballad?