Hank Williams, Jr.: The Pressure Is On CD Track Listing

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Hank Williams, Jr. The Pressure Is On (1981)
Originally Released 1981\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: Still hanging out with producer Jimmy Bowen, Hank Williams, Jr.'s The Pressure Is On continued his streak of winners that began back in the 1970s with Hank Williams, Jr. & Friends. Williams concentrated more on his songwriting here and nailed two of his most famous compositions, both of which were Top Five singles that flew in the face of a Nash Vegas establishment that, while it had co-opted the outlaw movement (Mel Tillis released an album called I'm an Outlaw -- yeah, right) couldn't quite get with Williams, despite the fact that he sold tons of records and had a host of young fans the Music Row think tanks should have been happy to cultivate. But like Steve Earle, Williams wasn't interested in any sort of compromise; he'd had enough during his lifetime. The two tracks that garnered the most airplay and notice from this set are "A Country Boy Can Survive," its own redneck anthem of rugged individualism during the Reagan years, and "All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down," a tale of the aging and settling of the outlaw generation from Waylon to Kristofferson to Willie. (Funny, David Allan Coe isn't mentioned.) But there are other amazing tracks here as well: the title track with its bluesy front end and in-the-dark shadow vocal; the silly but poignant, rocking bluegrass stomper "The Coalition to Ban Coalitions"; the metaphorically astute "Weatherman"; and "I Don't Care if Tomorrow Never Comes." In addition, the cover of Jimmie Driftwood's "Tennessee Stud" here rivals Johnny Cash's version more than a decade later, and the Emerson/Emerson rocker "Ramblin' in My Shoes" is tougher than leather and sharper than a Buck knife. It's another rock & roll country album from Williams, and a good one to boot. The man is on a roll. -- Thom Jurek\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nStarts to go downhill at this point, April 27, 2005 \nBy Jason A. Caviness "jasoncaviness2" (Waco, Texas United States)\nIn my opinion, Hank Williams Jr. - when he did it right - was about as good as it gets in country music. You listen to his records like "Old Habits" and "Whiskey Bent & Hell Bound" and it is hard to get much better than that. But with this album Hank Jr started showing glimpses of what would become his future...and it's not good. He has a terrible version of "The Tennessee Stud" and everything just seems so overdone. He's best on songs like "I Don't Care If Tomorrow Never Comes", "Ramblin My Shoes" and "All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down" - everything else is just filler. And with future albums the filler would get worse until he eventually got to the point he would write things like "This Ain't Dallas" and "Fax Me a Beer". Too bad, terrible waste of talent. \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nBrilliant album featuring George Jones and Boxcar Willie, February 10, 2004 \nBy P D Harris "Pete the music and horse racing fan" (Leicester England)\nThe standard of this album is set by the opening track, the classic A country boy can survive. The coalition to ban coalitions is one those political songs that Hank is so good, but this is one that a lot of people can empathize with to some extent, whatever their own political beliefs. Of course, everybody feels like joining one of those coalitions at some time or other, when things or values they treasure are threatened. Tennessee stud is a cover of the classic horse song by Jimmy Driftwood. Rambling in my shoes is a duet with Boxcar Willie, a singer who achieved fame in the UK but, as I understand, remained virtually unknown in his homeland. Boxcar also contributed the train whistle effects. The title track is a smoldering bluesy song. \nAll my rowdy friends have settled down, lamenting how his friends no longer spend as much time enjoying themselves drinking, was one of the biggest hits of Hank's hugely successful career. I don't care if tomorrow never comes, a great duet with George Jones, is about having a good time - so perhaps Hank found one rowdy friend he could still drink with. Weatherman is another great bluesy song, in which Hank begs for a change in the weather. Every time I hear that song is another lament, this time remembering someone he misses. The controversial Ballad of Hank Williams, in which Hank makes his views on his father clear to the tune of Battle of New Orleans, completes an outstanding album. \n\nThis is, by Hank's standards, quite a mellow album, proving that he can be brilliant even when he's not being rowdy. Although I normally prefer him when he's rowdy, I enjoy both aspects of his music and the strength of the material here ensures that this is one of my favorite albums of his. \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nSuperb example of Classic Country/Rockabilly, August 30, 2001 \nBy "rszeigler" (Collingswood, NJ United States)\nEvery element of this album is absolutely perfect. Hank reaches back to the previous generation of Country Music superstars to remake himself and revitalize his career. "A Country Boy can Survive" and "All my Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)" are certainly pure Bocephus, but "Tennessee Stud", a Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs staple is wonderfully re-recorded by Hank Jr. The duets on this album with George Jones ("I Don't Care (If Tomorrow Never Comes)") and Boxcar Willy ("Ramblin' in My Shoes") combine elements of the past with Jr.'s unique style and are just what the doctor ordered. Reaching back the furthest is "The Ballad of Hank Williams", which uses the tune to Johnny Horton's "Battle of New Orleans" to tell of the raucous lifestyle of Bocephus' legendary father and the travails of his band. In my mind, all ten of these songs are pure country gold!!! \n\n\nHalf.com Details \nProducer: Jimmy Bowen \n\nAlbum Notes\nPersonnel: Hank Williams, Jr. (vocals, dobro); Kenny Bell, Bobby Thompson, Paul Worley (acoustic guitar); Reggie Young (electric guitar, sitar); Billy Walker (electric guitar); Cowboy Eddie Long, Sonny Garrish (pedal steel guitar); Vernon Derrick (mandolin, fiddle); Kieran Kane (mandolin); Mike Auldridge (dobro); Bobby Thompson (banjo); Lisa Silver (fiddle); Jerry Vinett (clarinet); Boxcar Willie (train whistle); Terry McMillan (harmonica); Terry Mead (trumpet); Irve Kane (trombone); Larry Knechtel, Hargus "Pig" Robbins (piano); Mike Lawler (organ); Tony Migliore (synthesizer); Joe Osborn, Boby Wray (bass); James Stroud (drums).\n\nThis is Volume 7 of Curb's Bocephus series.\n\nTHE PRESSURE IS ON is one of Hank Williams Jr.'s best '80s albums. The regretful anthem "All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down" is almost a country version of Warren Zevon's "Detox Mansion."\n\nOn "The Coalition to Ban Coalitions," Williams does an excellent Daffy Duck imitation and comes to terms with our highly litigious society. "Some want to get rid of Fender guitars," he complains. There's also Williams Sr.'s "I Don't Care (If Tomorrow Never Comes)," done as a gorgeous duet with George Jones, and--reinforcing the family theme--the very funny "Ballad of Hank," written and co-sung by his father's old bandmate Don Helms.
This country cd contains 10 tracks and runs 34min 19sec.
Freedb: 9008090a

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