Customer Reviews

Sunday Morning to Saturday Night

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

During the nineties, Matraca became one of the most successful songwriters in country music. This was one of her rare attempts to make it as a recording artist. Like her previous albums for RCA, this album is packed full of great song, superbly sung (at least to my ears) but American country radio stations weren't interested so, once again, Matraca failed to make that breakthrough.

So she remained a songwriter, writing plenty of songs for others to have hits with. On this album, Matraca wrote one song alone and co-wrote the others. From the late eighties onwards, many country singers (mainly the women) have recorded Matraca's songs including Tanya Tucker, Reba McEntire, Patty Loveless, Martina McBride, Linda Ronstadt, Deana Carter, Trisha Yearwood, Highway 101 (in their original line-up), Pam Tillis and Suzy Bogguss. George Strait had a huge hit with Chill of an early fall, one of the most notable successes by a male singer with one of Matraca's songs.

Of the songs on this album, I know that Alecia Elliott recorded Some people fall some people fly and I expect that some of the others have also been covered by other singers. The songs here are a nice mix of different types of song - some are fun, some are serious, some are up-tempo, some are slow - but they are all wonderful. Perhaps the most touching song is Back when we were beautiful, in which an old widow discusses aging. The music is a nice blend of traditional and contemporary.

It remains a mystery to me that Matraca never made it as a singer, but this album is of a very high quality - a real treat for country music fans.

BACK IN 1997 WHEN THIS WAS RELEASED I SAW THE VIDEO FOR BACK IN THE SADDLE AND WAS FLOORED A GEORGEOUS WOMAN, A GREAT VOICE, WITH 5 OF THE TOP FEMALE SINGERS EQUAL IN TALENT 1.SUZY BOGGUSS 2.FAITH HILL 3.PATTY LOVELESS 4.MARTINA McBRIDE & MATRACA BERG SINGING THE CHORUS THAT SEXUALLY CHARGED "OH, PUT ME IN YOUR BIG Ol' PICK UP TRUCK-TAKE ME TO THE RODEO-I DON'T KNOW A THING ABOUT BRONCIN' BUCKS-AND I CAN'T DO-CI-DO-BUT I CAN PUT YOU BACK IN THE SADDLE, BABY-YEAH,STAND YOU UP TALL-I CAN PUT YOU BACK IN THE SADDLE, BABY-YEAH, AND THAT AIN'T ALL." GOT A YOUNG SINGLE MANS BLOOD FLOWIN'. THEN I SAW HER ON THE COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS DO THE SONG "BACK WHEN THEY WERE BEAUTIFUL" WRITTEN FOR HER MOTHER WHO WAS BATTLING BREAST CANCER AND DISCOVERED WHAT A TRUE SONGWRITER SHE WAS.

THIS DISC IS FULL OF GREAT SONGS AND SHE'S PENNED GREAT SONGS FOR ALOT OF OTHER BIG ARTISTS LIKE MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND BY THIS ONE. LISTEN TO THE SONG SNIPPETS BELOW AND YOU'LL SEE.

Even though she's only 34, Matraca (pronounced "mahTRAYzah") Berg has been in the music for fifteen years. She has three previous albums and a songwriting resumé that includes hits for such well-known singers as Suzy Bogguss, Deana Carter and Pam Tillis. For some reason, her own career as a performer has never really taken off.

That is a real shame. Matraca Berg is _very_ good. Her lyrics are smart, her melodies strong and her voice southern sultry and well-seasoned.

Berg can tell a story. "If I Were an Angel" is about a woman who followed the wrong man to the middle of nowhere where she waits tables and contemplates her destiny, caught between eternity and the next bus home. The rollicking title track puts us in the pew one Sunday next to Jimmy Miller, whose wife just left for Memphis in Jimmy's new car. The congregation -- a bit like God -- knows all and forgives all, not least themselves. And "Back in the Saddle" is in the raucous voice of a dude ranch refugee who meets a bow-legged hunk in a cowboy bar: "I can put you back in the saddle, baby/Yeah, stand you up tall."

I believe she surely could.

Perhaps the high point of the album is "Back When We Were Beautiful," a clear-eyed meditation on the soul-aches and ironies of growing old. The melody manages to be substantial and delicate all at once, and the accompaniment -- piano, two violas and a bowed bass -- is a sumptuous surprise.

This is a fine and polished disk by a gifted artist. With any luck, it will help make Matraca Berg known as something more than just a writer of other singers' songs.

During the nineties, Matraca became one of the most successful songwriters in country music. This was one of her rare attempts to make it as a recording artist. Like her previous albums for RCA, this album is packed full of great song, superbly sung (at least to my ears) but American country radio stations weren't interested so, once again, Matraca failed to make that breakthrough.

So she remained a songwriter, writing plenty of songs for others to have hits with. On this album, Matraca wrote one song alone and co-wrote the others. From the late eighties onwards, many country singers (mainly the women) have recorded Matraca's songs including Tanya Tucker, Reba McEntire, Patty Loveless, Martina McBride, Linda Ronstadt, Deana Carter, Trisha Yearwood, Highway 101 (in their original line-up), Pam Tillis and Suzy Bogguss. George Strait had a huge hit with Chill of an early fall, one of the most notable successes by a male singer with one of Matraca's songs.

Of the songs on this album, I know that Alecia Elliott recorded Some people fall some people fly and I expect that some of the others have also been covered by other singers. The songs here are a nice mix of different types of song - some are fun, some are serious, some are up-tempo, some are slow - but they are all wonderful. Perhaps the most touching song is Back when we were beautiful, in which an old widow discusses aging. The music is a nice blend of traditional and contemporary.

It remains a mystery to me that Matraca never made it as a singer, but this album is of a very high quality - a real treat for country music fans.

When we got her first album (Lying to the Moon) we were hooked! One of the very few artists that you never get tired of. She has a way with words that really strikes a cord with the everyday woman. There is a story in every song and you'll relate to at least one of them - in some way. And yes, my husband likes her music too! Why this lady isn't in the top all over the country - I'll never know. I highly recommend buying this if you want something for every mood in one little package. Talent, talent, talent!

I only knew of Matraca Berg as a songwriter because I sought out the author of some great songs on albums by artists such as Trisha Yearwood, Suzy Bogguss, etc.
After listening to this album ,I was absolutely stunned that this woman is not a star !!
Her voice has been compared to Linda Ronstadt by reviewers but it is actually a lot more like that of Trisha Yearwood who is also a superb singer .
Some of the tracks on this cd are heartbreakingly beautiful - ballad standouts are The Resurrection and Back when you are Beautiful ,abd Give me Tonight . But there are also some old-fashioned rolicking country hits such as Back in the Saddle and Here you come Raining on Me .
I find it so hard to believe that this was not the album of the year when it was first released - it is truly that good ! If you are a fan of a beautiful voice and superbly written song , I can guarantee t will be in your cd player playing non-stop after the first listen !
It deserves more than 5 stars but that is all it would allow me to give it :)

I love Matraca Berg and this CD arrived in perfect condition in a very timely manner.....Happy :)

Not much to say, very nice music on a good quality CD. Purchased on "amazon" site used in good condition. quick shipping

Bought this after reading a review in Entertainment Weekly. It is the strongest country album lyrically I've heard in ages. Her singing has just the right amount of inflection that it doesn't sound machine produced like Shania or George Strait. I highly recommend it

Matraca Berg has written many of the award-winning country songs in the past couple of years. Songs like Strawberry Wine, Calico Plains, Hey Cinderella, Cry On the Shoulder of the Road, and several more. I can't imagine why she hasn't had success with her own singing career, since she does a much better job than anyone else singing her music. Her first album, Lying To The Moon, is extremely hard to find, but if you see a copy, buy it at any price. Sunday Morning to Saturday Night is consistently excellent, beginning to end. "Some People Fly" may the best song on the album, but it's hard to say.