The Bottom Line
Pros
- "Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose"
- "It Only Hurts When I Cry"
- "You're The One"
Cons
- None.
Description
- Features duet with Patty Loveless on "Send A Message To My Heart."
- Includes the Yoakam/Roger Miller songwriting collaboration, "It Only Hurts When I Cry."
- Effortlessly melds Yoakam's rockin' side with his pure country roots.
Guide Review - Dwight Yoakam - If There Was a Way
Dwight Yoakam came fully into his own with the release of the magnificent "If There Was A Way" in 1990. Packed with fourteen songs, this disc was a monumental undertaking, filled to the brim with songs that seamlessly piece together such hard- charging country-rock songs as "Takes A Lot To Rock You" and "Dangerous Man" with the pure honky-tonk tear-jerker "Sad, Sad Music" and "Since I Started Drinkin' Again." The songwriting team of Yoakam and Roger Miller was sheer genius, their styles merging magnificently to bring one of the best songs from the disc, the masterpiece "It Only Hurts When I Cry." It was a shame Miller passed away before they could join pens again.With each new release Yoakam simply got better and better; it was unbelievable that he could continue to improve at his art after this disc, yet some of his greatest work came afterward. It's still hard to believe, listening to these old songs. The powerful "You're The One" still has amazing strength and conviction, and the mournful "The Heart That You Own" can still pull tears from stones.
Despite Yoakam's formidable talents as a songwriter, he chose four songs for this disc that didn't come from his pen, including hit "Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose" (written by Kostas whose name appears on three other songs here and Wayland Patton). Taken together with Yoakam's own work, it's a tremendous piece of work, and a magnificent slice from Yoakam's impressive catalog.
