[.ca] Greatest Hits

much better compilations available:
to get a good quality, single-disc collection of the original recordings of some of Merle Haggard's greatest music, "20 Greatest Hits" on the Capitol/EMI label is good, as is the budget cd "Best of the Best" also on Capitol (avoid similarly titled releases on different labels)...to really do Merle Haggard's legacy justice, easily the best single purchase currently available is the multi-label box set compilation called "Down Every Road"

Alternate versions of classic Haggard!:
At first glance, this compilation may appear to be just another collection of the same old songs that have been released and re-released hundreds of times before. But this Laserlight CD is actually much better than that; The songs all sound like alternate takes of Merle's early hits, possibly recorded during the same sessions that produced the "official" album versions (although I can't say for sure--sadly, the booklet contains no information at all). So, if you're a fan and think you've heard these songs before, think again. Some of these versions are as good as the original album cuts, and they're much better than present-day Merle covering his old hits.

• Swinging Doors
• Bottle Let Me Down
• Branded Man
• Sing Me Back Home
• Mama Tried
• Workin' Man Blues
• Okie from Muskogee
• Fightin' Side of Me
• Daddy Frank (The Guitar Man)
• Carolyn