Merle Haggard - I'm A Lonesome Fugitive / Branded Man

There is country and then there is country, and Merle Haggard is the good kind. In fact, Haggard's discography is so packed with fine albums, each of which are filled with such wonderful songs and performances, that few other artists can match his track record. Fortunately for the sake of music, Capitol reissued a bundle of Hag's early albums on twofer packages in early 2006.

Branded Man and I'm A Lonesome Fugitive, both from 1967, are classic Hag. Both represent his no-frills, honky-tonk-tinged Bakersfield sound, rounded out with hints of blues, western swing, and straightforward balladry.

What really impresses here, in addition to Haggard's beautifully lilting voice, is the quality of the tunes, which never flags, from the two title tracks (both definitive outlaw country standards) to broken-hearted laments such as I Threw Away the Rose and House of Memories. This is a sure bet for anyone remotely interested in country music, and a perfect place to start with this genre legend.

• I'm A Lonesome Fugitive
• All Of Me Belongs To You
• House Of Memories
• Life In Prison
• Whatever Happened To Me
• Drink Up And Be Somebody
• Someone Told My Story
• If You Want To Be My Woman
• Mary's Mine
• Skid Row
• My Rough And Rowdy Ways
• Mixed Up Mess Of A Heart
• Life In Prison (Bonus Track)
• Someone Told My Story (Bonus Track)
• Branded Man
• Loneliness Is Eating Me Alive
• Don't Get Married
• Somewhere Between
• You Don't Have Far To Go
• Gone Crazy
• I Threw Away The Rose
• My Hands Are Tied
• Some Of Us Never Learn
• Long Black Limousine
• Go Home
• I Made The Prison Band
• I Threw Away The Rose  (Bonus Track)
• Loneliness Is Eating Me Alive (Bonus Track)