Down Every Road [BOX SET]

Merle Haggard

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 2, 1996)
• Original Release Date: April 2, 1996
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000002U0R
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,143 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
For a long time, Merle Haggard has been best known for his least-important music--"Okie from Muskogee" and its sequels, "The Fighting Side of Me" and "Are the Good Times Really Over." All three of these patriotic novelty songs are included on this four-CD box set, but they are dwarfed by the riches around them. Songs such as "Running Kind," "If We Make it Through December," and "I Started Loving You Again" eschew sloganeering to draw powerful portraits of working-class folks pulled in one direction by a longing for footloose freedom and in another by economic realities and emotional ties. The catchy directness, the poetic vernacular, and Haggard's baritone purr mark those numbers as examples of country music at its finest. Down Every Road is as crucial as Robert Johnson's Complete Recordings, Hank Williams' Original Singles Collection ... Plus, or Bob Dylan's Biograph. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Merle Haggard collection available, November 3, 2002

By	D. Newton (southeast, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It would be rare for a major label to compile a better 4-CD Merle Haggard collection than this one. The box consists of 3 discs of Capitol material (up to 1977) and 1 cross-licensed disc of Haggard's later MCA and Epic recordings. Very listenable, since the emphasis here is simply on presenting quality songs rather than attempting to compile a hit list (consequently, many big hits are missing, especially from the later years). However, fans will have to search elsewhere to obtain "Old Man From The Mountain", "Natural High", "A Place To Fall Apart", "I Can't Be Myself", "Always On A Mountain When I Fall", "Every Fool Has A Rainbow", "What Am I Gonna Do With the Rest of My Life", "Going Where The Lonely Go", "We're Strangers Again", "Always Get Lucky With You", "My Favorite Memory", "Roots of My Raising", and several others. Still, this is the best collection available and features good sound and packaging.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic. An Absolute Must-Have for New and Old Hag Fans, April 24, 1998

By	JM "JM" (New York City) - See all my reviews

It's my humble opinion that Merle Haggard is the best American songwriter of all time. The songs of Merle Haggard resonate stronger today than ever before. It's unfortunate that country music now emphasizes tight blue jeans and big hair more than powerful lyrics and great music. From Merle's early 3-chord songs such as Lonesome Fugitive and Sam Hill to some of his later work such as Are the Good Times Really Over, Merle always tells a story with a powerful message. I find it ironic that some of the very same messages we find today in inner city-rap music about doing time, keeping it real, staying true to yourself, Merle sang about 30 years ago. The book that comes with the CD set is a nice little biography about Merle. Nobody will be disappointed with this collection. Merle is the epicenter of country music.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Country, September 3, 2005

By	KZR (Georgetown, TX) - See all my reviews

I've been a country music fan dang near all my life. There's only one time that I was willing to put out over $40 (which is a lot of money to a workin' man like me) for a box set of music and this is it. That was about a year ago, and I have absolutely no regrets. They don't call Merle the "working man's poet" for nothing. Just pop one of these CDs in -- sit back, and listen closely to the words. He sings about what life really boils down to -- the hurtin', the lovin', the laughin', the cryin', the dyin', and in a way that just soaks into your soul. Just listen to the words and emotions behind "The Fugitive", "Branded Man", "The Bottle Let me Down", and "Silver Wings" for example. Merle's isn't just successful at singing heart-tugging songs, he can also belt out "get up and boogie" songs with the best of them -- songs like "Workin' Man Blues" and "Stay a Little Longer". Out of these 100 songs within these 4 CDs, there's not one bad song in the lot. You don't have a music career that spans decades if you're not touching a bunch of folks out there -- and Merle does just that with his heartfelt, believable singing. But, if you're checking out this album, you probably allready know that. Thanks, Merle, for all the great music.