The Guitar Song

Jamey Johnson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 14, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Mercury/Nashville
• ASIN: B002J9GITC
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,903 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

From the Artist

"The road is where it's at. I love it. That's where you take country music. You don't get the message out there by sitting at the house. I go out there and meet the people. When I come back home to make an album, I don't want you to second-guess me. I'm telling you what is the right thing, because I'm the guy out there shaking their hands every night."

"Everything comes from God. So when I write, it is my gift to Him. It is my interpretation of what He gave me, the circumstances that I drew the material from. So when I get done with a song, it's not for my fans. It's certainly not for the industry, the trophies, the accolades and the plaques. It is straight from me to God."

Product Description

The Guitar Song. is a 25-song, double album with thematically linked sets of songs dubbed the "Black Album" and the "White Album."

"The original idea was always to do a double album," says Jamey. "The album is a tale. The first part of it is a very dark and sordid story. Everything after that is progressively more positive, reassuring and redemptive."

The "Black" songs include the menacing, "Poor Man Blues," the defiant "Can't Cash My Checks," the sighing and bluesy "Even the Skies Are Blue" and the chilling "Heartache." The lighter, "White" songs are highlighted by the strongly autobiographical "That's Why I Write Songs," the languid "Front Porch Swing Afternoon," the rocking "Good Times Ain't What They Used to Be" and the easy-going groove tune "Macon."

The ambitious project's textures are many and varied. "Baby Don't Cry" is a lullaby. "I Remember You" is a gospel song. "That's How I Don't Love You" is a deeply sad power ballad. "By the Seat of Your Pants" tells of life's lessons. The title tune, "The Guitar Song," is told from the point of view of two forgotten guitars hanging on a pawn shop wall. "Playing the Part" and "California Riots" come from feeling out of place as a country boy in Hollywood.

As a lover of classic country sounds, he regularly performs oldies in his stage shows. The Guitar Song contains "For the Good Times,", "Set `Em Up Joe" and "Mental Revenge". "Lonely at the Top" is an undiscovered Keith Whitley song.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WAYLON + PAYCHECK + HANK - SWIFT - SUGARLAND - FLATTS = JAMEY JOHNSON!, September 18, 2010

By 

K. Carlucci (Corpus Christi, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Guitar Song (Audio CD)

We needed Jamey about 15 years ago when country music really started turning to crap. There are many gifted artists out there but they seem to have lost that country "feeling" in their music. The music seems to be going "pop" and being a classic country fan that makes my stomach turn. Jamey has brought that "feeling" back in his songs and the songs that he writes for others. I knew since his first album "The Dollar" that this guy was stone cold country and I have been a loyal follower since. How many new songs on the radio now have the pedal steel guitar in them? None. "The Guitar Song" is some of the best true country music that I have heard in years and I love it. You just can't listen to the first song "Lonely At The Top" (co-written by Keith Whitley, remember him?)without wanting to open up a cold beer and sit back and relax. Thank you Jamey for giving us some awesome country music and I'll be waiting for more to come. I can't wait to see you live soon!!!!!!

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN AMERICAN TREASURE, September 14, 2010

By 

SPORTS GIFTS "SPORTS GIFTS" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Guitar Song (Audio CD)

In my humble opinion, this singer-song writer is what country music is about. Straight forward lyrics, writeS what he knows and not some creative fantasy with shitkickers on, great renditions of some classic country. Jamey is a breath of fresh air for a music genre that is getting too pop. The torch or country music has been passed on to a new generation.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A double-dose of genuine, soulful country music., September 14, 2010

By 

DanD - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Guitar Song [+Digital Booklet] (MP3 Download)

The problem with releasing a double album is that not all of the songs are bound to be of the same quality. As amazing as Jamey Johnson's THE GUITAR SONG is, it suffers the same fate. Most of the weaker tunes appear on the second disc (the "White Album"), simply because it isn't as cohesive as the first. "The Black Album" is mostly about economical hard times, living day-to-day (California appears as a theme throughout both discs). The second album eases up a bit; it's by no means a slouch, but just can't keep up with "The Black Album's" haunting depth.

Still, overall, THE GUITAR SONG is easily one of the best country albums released this year (I won't say THE best because, off the top of my head, I can't really remember any others). For such a talented songwriter, Johnson relies on quite a few covers: Keith Whitley's "Lonely at the Top," Kris Kristofferson's "For the Good Times," Mel Tillis's "Mental Revenge," Vern Gosdin's "Set 'Em Up Joe," etc. He re-interprets the songs ("Mental Revenge" is no longer whimsical, but is in fact genuinely disturbing, as the lyrics would suggest) to fit his own sonic vein. Surprisingly, his originals tend to stand toe-to-toe with the classics. "Playing the Part" is a brilliant skewering of California culture (as is "California Riots," which may or may not have political undertones). "Can't Cash My Checks" narrates the contradictory pride often felt at the bad end of poverty, while "Poor Man Blues" hits on the anger. "Macon" is a beautiful Johnson-style power ballad (almost spiritual in nature), while "That's Why I Write Songs" is a haunting ars poetica, featuring just vocals and guitar. (Which leads me to another point: Johnson actually plays on most of these songs; most artists would've left it all up to studio musicians.)

Some songs kind of fall flat; "Dog in the Yard" is amusing but shallow. Even the title track (featuring a fantastic performance from Whisperin' Bill Anderson) comes off as trite. Still, Johnson at his worst (we'll ignore "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk, which he purposely chose not to record) is better than most anything country radio will see these days. In the end, THE GUITAR SONG comes off as an album chock-full of die-hard country music. You'll hear plenty of steel guitar, lyrics that cut straight to the marrow, and melodies that conjure George Jones and Waylon Jennings. This is an album for people who like their music raw and unedited. It isn't quite as masterful as THAT LONESOME SONG, but it's still Jamey Johnson, and that says all you need to know.