Wagoner, Porter
You Got-Ta Have A License
Rare & Collectible Vinyl Records

Sealed 1970 Original. Small Saw Cut. "In 1970, Porter Wagoner Still Sounded A Lot Like He Did In 1965. Behind Bob Ferguson's Production, Wagoner Embraced The Countrypolitan Ethic To The Nth Degree, But There Was Something In His Voice That Couldn't Be Cosmopolitan -- It Was Too Country, A Bit Too Hayseed And Backwoods. The Way He Wrote Songs And Performed Them Was Singular. His Particular Brand Of Psychobilly Presented As Sentimental Country Songs -- "Roses Out Of Season," "Stranger's Story," "Little Boy's Prayer" -- Is Genuinely Off The Rail. They Are Done Without A Hint Of Humor Or Distance And Wagoner Is Committed To The Music, To These Lyrics, And Most Of All To His Delivery Of Them, As He Comes Across As Authentic, Unwavering, And Scary As Hell -- Remember "Rubber Room"? Wagoner's Willingness To Accept The Role Of Downtrodden Yet Innocent Outsider Is Eclipsed Only By His Pride In It. "Southern Bound," A Rambling Honky Tonk Song, Reflects A Country Boy's Determination To Get Home To A Sweetheart After Working In The City For A Day Too Long. "My Special Prayer" Is One Of The Most Twisted Songs About Alcoholism And Neglectful Parenting Ever Written. The Dark Side Is Where Wagoner Goes When He Wants To Feel Comfortable. But He's Always On Optimism's Glimmering Side. The Title Cut By Tommy Collins Is Hilarious In That It Combines Rockabilly, Honky Tonk, And Calypso Music In A Tale Of A Fishing Expedition Gone Wrong. All Of Wagoner's Albums From The Period Beginning In 1962 Through 1974 Are Consistently Amazing For Their Brutal Honesty, Corniness, And Commitment To The Country Sh*Tkicker Ethic. Amazing." AMG - Thom Jurek