His Epic Hits

Merle Haggard | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 1, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sbme Special Mkts.
• ASIN: B0012GMVJ4
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #135,837 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Reasons to Quit

2. You Take Me for Granted

3. That's the Way Love Goes

4. Are the Good Times Really Over (I Wish a Buck Was Still Silver)

5. Big City

6. Pancho and Lefty

7. Someday When Things Are Good

8. What Am I Gonna Do (With the Rest of My Life)

9. My Favorite Memory

10. Going Where the Lonely Go

11. C.C. Waterback

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great songs from start to finish, March 19, 2004

By 

Jerry McDaniel - See all my reviews

This review is from: His Epic Hits (Audio CD)

When this album came out, Haggard was amidst the wildly successful duet phase of his career: from 1982-1983 he was with George Jones on the radio and in select concerts and from 1983-1984 Willie Nelson was paired with him. The album closes with his Top-10 duet with George, "C.C. Waterback". Willie is heard on two tracks: the Top-10 opener "Reasons To Quit" and then on the smash #1 "Pancho and Lefty", which in truth, is a Willie Nelson song with Haggard adding in a closing verse. other great songs are "Big City"; "Are The Good Times Really Over"; "My Favorite Memory"; and "That's The Way Love Goes". Most people tend to over-look or downplay Haggard's songs AFTER he left Capitol in the late '70s for MCA and then EPIC. CURB issued two volumes of hits on Haggard spotlighting his Capitol era, trying to include the most important songs in his career and they succeeded. MCA issued a Greatest Hits album in 1983 of his 1977-1982 hits. EPIC issued this album and the 1990 "Greatest Hits of the '80s" CD. This first volume of EPIC hits is essential if you have the 1990 sequel. however, several box sets contain ALL of these songs and many others but for the budget minded, seek out the individual hits CDs like this one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars haggard's finest moment, May 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: His Epic Hits (Audio CD)

This time period is when Hag was at his best. His voice is the greatest to ever sing a country tune. Going where the lonely go is Merle at his best. He has always had that distinct style with The Strangers and it is at it's most evident here. What am I gonna do is one of the best drinking songs ever. My Favorite Memory, You Tak Me For Granted, I wish a buck was still silver, c.c. waterback(with George Jones), and someday when things are good are all country standards. A lot of these songs aren't performed by him on t.v and I don't know why? This was the first Hag record I was exposed to years ago and it still up there with the best. I drink to this cd at least twice a week. I am going to go see him perform on May 7 at Bay St. Louis. Trust me, buy this album. It is more than worth it

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars (4.5 stars) AN EARLY 1980's COLLECTION OF HAGGARD CLASSICS ! (a little on the mellow side, but still vintage Merle), October 17, 2007

By 

ol' nuff n' den sum (the Virginia coast, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: His Epic Hits (Audio CD)

This collection of Merle Haggard's Epic Records recordings show a more mature and laid-back Merle, and the songs and arrangements are reflective, sophisticated, and middle-age friendly. That's not to say that The Hag's not his same old tough self. He is, but the prison songs are gone, and for the most part, so are the drinking songs. There is a wild party song duet with George Jones called C.C. Waterback that's a lot of fun.

There are two very good duets with Willie Nelson. The first is Reasons To Quit, where they conclude, "The reasons to quit (drinking) don't outnumber all the reasons why". The other, Pancho And Lefty, the story of two aging outlaws, is a classic.

Are The Good Times Really Over (I Wish A Buck Was Still Silver) finds Merle longing for the good ol' days and hoping for the future.

Are we rollin' downhill like a snowball headed for hell,
With no chance for the flag or the liberty bell?
I wish a Ford and a Chevy would still last ten years like they should,
Is the best of the free life behind us now,
And are the good times really over for good?

Merle is still The Hag, he just hit middle-age. Big City is a workingman's anthem, where the singer desires to be set free from "this dirty old city". Most of the other songs are thoughtful, mature, and well-produced love songs. The over all sound to this collection is clean, mellow, and reflective, but it's still unmistakably Merle Haggard.