In Other's Words - Dwight Yoakam

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Reviewed by Kathy Coleman

It might be possible that Dwight Yoakam has appeared on more discs not his own than anyone else recording right now (although he may be splitting that title with Willie Nelson these days). Warner Brothers Records, either fulfilling Dwight's contract with them or simply taking advantage of the legacy Dwight left when they parted company this last year, has gathered up some of the cream of Dwight's covers, tributes, and contributions to other folks' discs and put them together on a 10-track disc titled, In Others' Words.

Included here are Dwight's duet with Earl Scruggs from Scruggs' critically acclaimed Earl Scruggs & Friends, as well as seven tracks from tributes to Bill Monroe, Jimmie Rogers, The Grateful Dead, Bob Wills, Kinky Friedman, Merle Haggard, and Elvis Presley; it includes the song "Cattle Call" from the movie soundtrack The Horse Whisperer; and lastly, "Louisville," credited here as "previously unreleased" (although it was, actually, released on the 4-disc box set Reprise Please Baby several months ago and it was part of Dwight's live show last year).

It's a good collection, although hardly a comprehensive one; notably missing are Dwight's take on John Mellencamp's "Common Day Man," from the Falling From Grace soundtrack (a hard-to-get rarety and true gem); "Carmelita," from Flaco Jimenez's Partners; and "Wheels," with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band off Will the Circle Be Unbroken III, as well as several duets and miscellaneous covers.

Still, it's hard to go wrong with Dwight Yoakam. Dwight puts a spin on any song to make it his own, and it's hard to come by some of these tracks unless you bought all the tribute discs or the aforementioned box set (which has five of these, plus many others missing here). The best tracks are "Borrowed Love" (actually an original Dwight song with a Randy Scruggs melody, so it really isn't "in another's words"); Wills' "New San Antonio Rose," which is perfectly suited to Dwight's hiccupping voice; Friedman's poignant "Rapid City, South Dakota"; and Dwight's take on Merle's moving "Holding Things Together." Music lovers will also be charged by Pete Anderson's killer guitar work on the Dead's "Truckin'."

You'd think Warner would release this one at a bargain price, considering the short play time and glaring omissions, because really, as a full price (list price $18.98) CD, it's probably a far better deal all around to spring for the box set. Still, if you can find a good deal on it, it's a good taste of what Yoakam can do with his vocal chords, and I expect Dwight fans will just have to have it in their collections, if only to get these songs together in one place.

Song List:

1. Borrowed Love - From "Earl Scruggs & Friends"
2. Rocky Road Blues - From "Big Mon: The Songs of Bill Monroe
3. T For Texas - From "The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers: A Tribute"
4. Cattle Call - From "The Horse Whisperer"
5. Truckin' - From "Deadicated: A Tribute To The Grateful Dead
6. New San Antone Rose - From "Ride With Bob"
7. Rapid City, South Dakota - From "Pearls in the Snow: Songs of Kinky Friedman"
8. Louisville - previously unreleased
9. Holding Things Together - From "Tulare Dust: A Songwriters' Tribute to Merle Haggard
10. Mystery Train - From "It's Now or Never: The Tribute to Elvis