Just Lookin for a Hit

Dwight Yoakam | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 20, 1989)
• Original Release Date: September 26, 1989
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Reprise / Wea
• ASIN: B000002LIT
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,707 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #14 in Music > Country > Classic Country > Bakersfield Sound
  • #52 in Music > Indie Music > Country > Alt-Country & Americana
  • #72 in Music > Country > Roadhouse Country

Editorial Reviews

Just Lookin for a Hit Dwight Yoakam | Format: Audio CD

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reconsider Country & Western here..., October 18, 2001

By 

B. Lynch "the_onewhoknows" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Just Lookin for a Hit (Audio CD)

I'm not much of a Country & Western fan. I like some of it, but outside of a few Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, George Strait, and Willie Nelson tunes, I can't think of too many songs that I consider "must have" music.

Dwight Yoakam is an exception here. I'm recommending this CD only because it does have D.Y.'s big 1980's hits, but I would caution readers that to really get a feel for how good this guy is, you need to check out the CD's from which these songs were taken ("Guitars, Cadillacs, etc", "Hillbilly Deluxe", "Buenos Noches from a Lonely Room", and more)...and more than likely, after listening to this, you'll do that anyhow [the songs here are THAT good]. Still, for those of us who are just tourists in the world of C & W, this is a superb selection of songs.

Like most of Dwight's material (before and after this hits CD), the songs make on wonder if perhaps one has misjudged C & W all together: I mean, Dwighty Yoakam isn't the only one doing great C & W, is he? Well at the time this CD came out, no he was not. Clint Black, George Strait and dozens of other new artists were doing great Country music. Some time after 1990, the music became formulaic and monotonous ("velveeta music" is how one Austin DJ described it: not just cheesy, but synthetic to boot!). Fortunately, it's finally stopped selling too, so perhaps there's hope for the innovators like Mr. Yoakam.

Best cuts here: Streets of Bakersfield, Guitars & Cadillacs, Please Baby Please, Honky Tonk Man, Little Sister, ... jeez they're all great. In fact, most artists would be lucky if their "greatest hits" packages included one song as good as anything here.

After this, you'll probably want more Dwight Yoakam, so check out his "greatest hits of the 1990's" CD next (unless you're alread a fan, in which case you already own all his CD's, more than likely.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First Collection of an Enduring Artist, July 2, 2003

By 

James E. Bagley "Jim Bagley" (Sanatoga, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Just Lookin for a Hit (Audio CD)

Dwight Yoakam emerged on country radio in 1986 with a cover of Johnny Horton's "Honky Tonk Man," creating a sizable alt-country niche that continues in spite of increasingly reduced radio play over the years. This disc chronicles Yoakam's hits from his first three albums: Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. (1986), Hillbilly Deluxe (1987), and Buenos Nochas From A Lonely Room (1988). With Pete Anderson on board from the start as producer and guitarist extraordinaire, Yoakam's lonesome tenor connects nicely - and charts highly - with everything he touches during this period, be it the honkytonkin' "Honky Tonk Man," the tearjerker "I Sang Dixie," or the rockabilly Elvis fave "Little Sister." Through his chartopping, toetapping duet with Buck Owens on "Streets Of Bakersfield," Yoakam was also able to introduce some of his musical influences to young listeners.

The only omission of note from this early phase is his faithful remake of Lefty Frizzell's "Always Late With Your Kisses," with awesome, retro background vocals. On the plus side, we get the
stark, soulful "Sin City" duet with k.d. lang. This is the only place to get this awesome duet (the version on the Reprise Please Baby box set features Yoakam solo).

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb, April 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Just Lookin for a Hit (Audio CD)

Dwight Yoakam is the best natural country singer since George Jones. He has a distinctive style and voice which set him apart from the rest of the pack. This compilation offers an excellent sampler of some of his best early work, and all the elements are there: good material, excellent production, and spirited performances. There is not a bad cut on the entire album, which will leave the listener eager for more. As long as Dwight Yoakam is around, country music has a bright future. Thanks, Dwight!