I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail

se fosse mais country, explodia. música de hillbilly do carai
no mais mto bom pra quem gosta. eu nao gosto nao

I've Got a Tiger by the Tail by Buck Owens is proper old-fashioned American honky-tonk country music. It's certainly dated, but it's short, simple and does exactly what it says on the tin.

There's something quite charming about this album. The songs are straightforward, the melodies are catchy, and there's a lovely traditional country sound running throughout. It's full of twangy guitars, upbeat rhythms and that unmistakable honky-tonk feel.

I wouldn't normally go out of my way to listen to this sort of music, but I can appreciate it for what it is. Buck Owens does this style of country music incredibly well, and I can see why he's so highly regarded. The album doesn't try to be anything clever or complicated. It's just good, honest country music, and sometimes that's more than enough.

What I particularly liked was how short and enjoyable it was. The songs don't outstay their welcome, there's a nice bit of variety, and nothing really dragged. It feels very much of its time, but that's also part of its appeal.

Overall, I enjoyed I've Got a Tiger by the Tail more than I expected. It's a really good example of its genre, even if it sounds incredibly dated today. I'm glad I've listened to it, and everything was worth hearing, but I doubt I'll ever feel the need to put it on again.

Favourite tracks: "Fallin' for You" and "We're Gonna Let the Good Times Roll". Two lovely tunes that stood out for me.

Least favourite track: Nothing particularly bad. Every song was worth a listen.

Album artwork: A fairly standard country album cover. Nothing particularly exciting, but it suits the music perfectly.

At least the HonkyTonk guys didn't take themselves to seriously. Look, its actually fun...necessary, nah.

I kind of didn’t hate this? It’s extremely honky tonk country but not as annoying as I would’ve assumed. The instrumentation is actually pretty good and overall it works even if the singing/lyrics feel more corny

Not for me.

Oh yeah. I tend to prefer the more old school country vibe over this honky tonk vibe, but it was still pretty good. Not my favorite rendition of Streets of Laredo, but still pretty good.

When Buck Owen’s had the temerity to praise the music of Ray Charles and Chuck Berry, the backlash by country music fans was so intense that, fearing his career was in jeopardy, Owen’s took out full-page advertisements in The Bakersfield Californian and other major trade publications. Titled "A Pledge to Country Music," the ad was a public vow to remain a "country singer" and strictly record within the genre.

Country music is the soundtrack to racism in America.

Charming and very important. Really a lot of pleasant tunes, such as "Let The Sad Times Roll On," "The Band Keeps Playing On," and "The Streets of Laredo." This album and this artist in general is also as I understand it very foundational in this kind of country music, and the atmosphere of the music really backs it up. A lot of the slower ballads are really pretty, though a lot of the faster ones are less liked by me. That being said though I really like this.

I think a big reason for the low score of this album is, first of all, an obvious and partially fair bias against country music; the genre has deteriorated for decades, to the point where its biggest hits nowadays are treated as tantamount to greater offenses in society by those who claim to have a superior music taste. Another reason is a bit of a disconnect from the genre. A lot of people, no matter what they say, aren't really willing to give something like this a chance, because they believe it's already familiar to them. We've all heard Johnny Cash. We've all heard Tim McGraw. We've all heard Morgan Wallen. I think to many they're all the same. But I'm here to say, this album should garner some sort of respectability. It's very pretty, very warm, well-played, and demonstrates a clear proficiency in the creation of music like this.

While I don't believe you would be doing yourself a disservice to steer clear of this one, it's less than half an hour and very pleasant. Check it out!
7.3/10
DOES IT BELONG ON THE LIST: YES
REASON: Foundational, and high-quality

Bakersfield Sound

Great stuff, classic country, twangs from front to back. Yee, and if you would indulge me, haw.

It is country music.

I am finding myself more tolerant of eldest county. This certainly fits the bill.

3/5. Solid little record of 60’s country, I actually quite liked the opening title track. And though it’s a live cut it was still interesting to hear “Act Naturally” by its original artist as I’m primarily used to the Beatles cover. It didn’t blow my mind or anything but I had a fun enough time with this one.

Pre Listen:
More classic American country eh? Never seen a more midwest 60's album cover in my life. Middling expectations, for genre alone :/

Notable Tracks:
The Streets of Laredo - I wish this bassy vocalist was on every track. What a voice man, that's great.
A Maiden's Prayer - Favorite track, kept expecting vocals and didn't any, but that's ok, because just that fiddle is all it needs.

Post Listen:
Ayup, that's exactly what I anticipated. It was a little better than expected I guess, but still about 95% of expectations met.

What is there to say about an album like this? It's pretty forgettable as someone who isn't the biggest fan of this genre in the first place, though it isn't bad nor even remotely offensive. Buck sings well, and his fellow vocalists compliments him well. The guitar is relaxed and melodic, the drums slow and sleepy for the most part. Just ain't my horse to ride. Yee Haw.

Saloon music. 3/5

Just not a fan of this vein of country

Mighty fun album. Fun lyrics and stories; just cool to listen to. Backing guitar and steel guitars are great as well. When it comes to country, this sort of classic Bakersfield sound stuff is where I gravitate.

TWANG! HONK! Whole lot of fun

It somehow feels fitting that Buck Owens was never closely associated with the Grand Ole Opry. His music belongs much more to Bakersfield than Nashville: sharper guitars, a leaner sound, and less of the polish usually associated with country’s establishment.

Unfortunately, that distinction does not make the album especially memorable for me. After hearing quite a few country records from this era, 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘛𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘢𝘪𝘭 often feels like familiar territory. It is well played, catchy, and perfectly enjoyable, but very little really stands out once the album is over.

A solid example of the Bakersfield sound, just not one that leaves much of a lasting impression on me.

Kind of soothes my hillbilly heart

Disappointingly generic