George Strait Album Series

[bboat11]

Despite my shade for it last night, I actually do really like "One Step At A Time"! It's a great song, with clever lyrics and a deliciously country arrangement. However, on an album as strong as this one, it just does not quite stack up to the competition for me. "Neon Row" and "You Haven't Left Me Yet" are both among my favorite album tracks of George's career, and "Remember The Alamo" is right behind them in terms of quality... So imo, this song would have been best placed behind all of those. This is one of those songs that makes a great album track, but would have gotten old really quickly if it had been released to radio imo.

And looking at the trajectory graph, you will see that it was indeed our most prominent #8 contender of the rankdown, and was not a top 5 contender AT ALL..... So for it to jump up ahead of "You Haven't Left Me Yet" at the last possible second was quite sad to me, lol.

[bboat11]

You take it nice and easy.

You play it safe, ‘cause that’s what people do today.

I guess that’s okay.

Girl, somewhere in your mind,

There must be a perfect time to fall in love.

But baby, I’m burnin’ up.

4. "Why Not Now"

Track #7

Runtime: 3:21

Songwriters: Steve Bogard, Jeff Stevens




Total: 67
Average: 5.15
Std Dev: 2.51


Kanenrá:ke - 2
bboat11 - 2
ClevelandRox - 3
tim - 3
kw9461 - 4
.indulgecountry - 4
taylor is terrified - 5
George Strait Junkie - 6
gonecountry - 6
fearlessarrow - 6
LBTrocks - 7
castleoblivion26 - 9
gardyfan - 10


Cody Wants Out...

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
I Just Want To Dance With You
True
We Really Shouldn’t Be Doing This

[bboat11]

"Why Not Now" bows out at #4 as the final album track, leaving us a super anticlimactic all-single top 3. This was an immediate favorite from me when I discovered this album, and has stood the test of time to end up as my second favorite song on this album. It rocks!!! That epic baritone guitar in the intro paired with fiddle is all you need to hear to know that it rocks. But on top of that, the epic chorus melody of "Why not now? Why not here? Darlin' my heeeaaart just ain't too clear!" is one of the best ear candy chorus openers of his entire career to me. Almost on the level of "Here she comes, a walkin' talkin' true love!"

This song would have been a SMASH #1 had it been released. I look forward to seeing how it does in the album tracks rankdown

[fearlessarrow]

The 4-6 range is where I struggled to rank the most, "Why Not Now" was just as deserving of being my top 5 as my #4 and #5 - so "Why Not Now" making it this far is nice.

[bboat11]

This kind of talk can lead us to somewhere.

We’re gettin’ way too close to goin’ there.

The farther off, the better to resist.

We really shouldn’t be doin’ this.

This kind of situation has to pass.

This chance encounter has to be the last.

To take it further, we would be remiss.

We really shouldn’t be doin’ this.

3. "We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This"

Track #6

Runtime: 2:32

Songwriters: Jim Lauderdale

Placement in the Singles Rankdown: #74 out of 100





Total: 56
Average: 4.31
Std Dev: 2.46


ClevelandRox - 1
George Strait Junkie - 1
castleoblivion26 - 2
.indulgecountry - 3
fearlessarrow - 3
tim - 4
LBTrocks - 4
gardyfan - 4
Kanenrá:ke - 5
bboat11 - 6
kw9461 - 6
taylor is terrified - 8
gonecountry - 9


Cody Wants Out...

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
I Just Want To Dance With You
True

[bboat11]

"We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This" is the first of our trifecta of huge hits to leave this album! As you can see from the trajectory graph, this song was actually our biggest #2 contender for much of the submission process! Despite only finishing at #74 in George's singles rankdown, this is one of those songs that has proven to have quite a bit of love among his fans in this rankdown. Placing in the top 5 of all but four people, and top 6 of all but two people, this song was a constant top 3 contender.

WRSBDT is a bit of a weird hit for George, that I honestly think would have been better left as an album track in favor of "Why Not Now" or "You Haven't Left Me Yet"... But it was a bit of a fan favorite from this album, so that's probably why it got released.

[LBTrocks]

Even tho I love it I am a bit surprised to see "We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This" make top 3. Perhaps 'single bias' came into play a bit here, not that I'm complaining lol

[fearlessarrow]

"We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This" is such a fun jam! I had this at #10 in the George Strait singles RD if I remember correctly... this is not in my top 10 George songs anymore (or even close to it I think) but I still really enjoy this one.

[bboat11]

I Just Want To Dance With You vs. True

Two of the most iconic and decade-defining hits of the '90s, showing down for the victory Which one are you rooting for??

[bboat11]

Jul 8, 2020 22:47:32 GMT -5 fearlessarrow said:

"We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This" is such a fun jam! I had this at #10 in the George Strait singles RD if I remember correctly... this is not in my top 10 George songs anymore (or even close to it I think) but I still really enjoy this one.

I just checked, and apparently you only had "True" at #31 in the singles rankdown

[castleoblivion26]

True is the only correct choice for #1 here. I love both but True is great!

[fearlessarrow]

Jul 8, 2020 22:50:01 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

Jul 8, 2020 22:47:32 GMT -5 fearlessarrow said:

"We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This" is such a fun jam! I had this at #10 in the George Strait singles RD if I remember correctly... this is not in my top 10 George songs anymore (or even close to it I think) but I still really enjoy this one.

I just checked, and apparently you only had "True" at #31 in the singles rankdown

You can't give me 100 George Strait songs most of which were first listens and expect me to get it right the first time! lol

[bboat11]

I don’t wanna be the kind to hesitate,

Be too shy, wait too late.

I don’t care what they say other lovers do.

I just wanna dance with you.

I got a feeling that you have a heart like mine,

So let it show, let it shine.

If we have a chance to make one heart of two,

Then I just wanna dance with you.

2. "I Just Want To Dance With You"

Track #1

Runtime: 3:31

Songwriters: Roger Cook, John Prine

Placement in the Singles Rankdown: #51 out of 100





Total: 53
Average: 4.08
Std Dev: 3.07 (Largest!!!)


fearlessarrow - 1
tim - 1
LBTrocks - 1
gardyfan - 1
kw9461 - 1
castleoblivion26 - 3
ClevelandRox - 4
taylor is terrified - 4
bboat11 - 5
George Strait Junkie - 7
Kanenrá:ke - 8
gonecountry - 8
.indulgecountry - 9

---

True, in this modern world, when two lovers get together,

Chances of ‘em ever makin’ it to forever

Couldn’t be better than two in a million hearts.

Girl, this ain’t just another run of the mill emotion.

What I’m feelin’ is the definition of devotion.

My love for you is true.

1. "True"

Track #3

Runtime: 3:34

Songwriters: Marv Green, Jeff Stevens

Placement in the Singles Rankdown: #9 out of 100





Total: 20
Average: 1.54
Std Dev: 0.52 (Smallest!!!)


castleoblivion26 - 1
taylor is terrified - 1
bboat11 - 1
Kanenrá:ke - 1
gonecountry - 1
.indulgecountry - 1
fearlessarrow - 2
tim - 2
LBTrocks - 2
gardyfan - 2
kw9461 - 2
ClevelandRox - 2
George Strait Junkie - 2


Cody Wants Out...

[fearlessarrow]

Wow only top 2 ranks for "True"! Even though I prefer "I Just Want To Dance With You" (something about the melody just works for me), I think "True" is the only deserving winner here so not surprised about the winner here.

Thanks for hosting bboat11!

[bboat11]

"I Just Want To Dance With You" is one of the most immediately recognizable hits of the '90s in general, not just from George's catalog. This song was EVERYWHERE in the late '90s!! It's one of those hits that most people have probably heard randomly at some point in their lives whether they know anything about George Strait or not. It is catchy, easy to sing along with, and charismatic. Unfortunately it has also started to feel a bit campy as a result of its excessive overplay, a la most of Shania's biggest work. Still, it's an awesome song!

However, the true star of this album is "True". This song is just bursting with energy, has a warm and earnest vibe, and honestly still sounds fresh to this day. I never get tired of this one!!! To me this is a perfect example of why '90s country was so great, and why George himself was one of the biggest superstars of the decade. Also, this song is HARD to sing well, and you wouldn't know it listening to the way George does it It's the perfect winner imo, and deserves to finally win a rankdown!!!

[bboat11]

Jul 8, 2020 23:09:16 GMT -5 fearlessarrow said:

Wow only top 2 ranks for "True"! Even though I prefer "I Just Want To Dance With You" (something about the melody just works for me), I think "True" is the only deserving winner here so not surprised about the winner here.

Thanks for hosting bboat11 !

Lol you haven't been subjected to the decades of overplay that some of us have... I can only imagine how catchy the song is to someone with fresh ears!!

[bboat11]

Hmmmm... What's this....

[LBTrocks]

Jul 8, 2020 23:17:32 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

Jul 8, 2020 23:09:16 GMT -5 fearlessarrow said:

Wow only top 2 ranks for "True"! Even though I prefer "I Just Want To Dance With You" (something about the melody just works for me), I think "True" is the only deserving winner here so not surprised about the winner here.

Thanks for hosting bboat11 !

Lol you haven't been subjected to the decades of overplay that some of us have... I can only imagine how catchy the song is to someone with fresh ears!!

When it comes to "I Just Want To Dance With You" there's no such thing as 'overplay' for me! I still adore it as much as I did when I was a kid, and I have actively listened to it throughout the years! It's a country classic, for sure. The melody and instrumentation will never get old for me!  I can still put it on repeat and be happy as can be. 

"True" is excellent too, of course, and I think it was obvious that it would win and I have no complaints.

[ClevelandRox]

Jul 8, 2020 23:21:29 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

Hmmmm... What's this....

Mmmm Dusty! 🤤

[.indulgecountry]

"I Just Want to Dance with You" has a very grating melody and is way overplayed. He has dozens of better hits that deserve the recurrent play that one gets. Glad it lost in a landslide to "True," aka the only correct winner of this album!

[taylor is terrified]

Well, at least I get the #1 songs from these George albums correct! :kii:

[bboat11]

I have a small announcement regarding the rest of this album series. Up to this point, we have been going in chronological order from both the beginning and the end of George's career simultaneously. If we were to continue that, we would be finishing with Easy Come Easy Go & Lead On.......great albums of course, but it would ultimately be kind of an underwhelming conclusion considering that the likes of Pure Country and Blue Clear Sky would be paired up right beforehand... Lol

So at this point, we will be switching it up!!! Starting with our next set of albums, everything will be chronological in order of release!!


Set 1: Holding My Own & Pure Country (Both albums came out in 1992. The first one got severely overshadowed by the other being a huge movie soundtrack paired with George's acting debut! However, both are among the best albums of his career imo. It will be neat to check out both of these albums together.)

Set 2: Easy Come Easy Go & Lead On (George finally developed his signature '90s sound with producer Tony Brown; these albums are great, and ultimately they set the stage for him to launch into the perfect streak of albums that would take up the rest of the '90s and early '00s after this.)

Set 3: Blue Clear Sky & Carrying Your Love With Me (Two of his most iconic and commercially successful albums of all time! A perfect and fitting conclusion to this album series.)

Set 4: Extras (Our chance to honor the songs that didn't get included on regular albums... Have you been missing the #1 hits "Check Yes Or No", "I Know She Still Loves Me", "The Best Day", and "I Hate Everything"? Check! "Murder On Music Row" and "Designated Drinker", the Alan Jackson duets that SHOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED TO RADIO? Present! What about the moment where George kissed country radio goodbye and told them he didn't need them anyway with the iconic modern classic "Kicked Out Of Country"? It's all here, folks!)


And that'll be it for the album portion of this series!!! I have some album tracks rankdowns planned as well to honor the hits that never were, so you can look forward to more information on those coming soon. In the meantime, I'm hoping to get some lively participation in these last handful of rankdowns!!! We are entering the most exciting stretch of his career, imo, so I'd like to see all hands on deck as we plunge into the next set.

---

Previous Participants:
tim Kanenrá:ke Troublemaker gardyfan castleoblivion26 fearlessarrow Cody Wants Out... .indulgecountry collinkottke LBTrocks bboat11 DistrictTwelve George Strait Junkie BackwoodsBarbie  cerulean gonecountry dub g8erboi  born mamasaid @xfer ClevelandRox  taylor is terrified  kw9461


People who participated in the George Strait singles rankdown:
bboat11 Cody Wants Out... .indulgecountry codyj100 George Strait Junkie mamasaid castleoblivion26 DistrictTwelve CoJoFan gardyfan fearlessarrow LBTrocks tim BackwoodsBarbie Kanenrá:ke


General tag list!
bigfan101 rgreen0625 bboat11 CoJoFan LBTrocks austin .indulgecountry fearlessarrow castleoblivion26 Darkest Hour Troublemaker Kanenrá:ke codyj100 d3vin44 sbp17 Sean The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷 mamasaid Cody Wants Out... tim toomuchboy kansasmeetsmo cerulean BlueShades874 andrewantonio aerodynamite BackwoodsBarbie dub g8erboi collinkottke  ClevelandRox @xfer

[bboat11]

Jul 9, 2020 0:57:30 GMT -5 taylor is terrified said:

Well, at least I get the #1 songs from these George albums correct!

Oct 28, 2019 21:34:06 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

10. "Angel, Angelina"

taylor is terrified - 1 ( )

[tim]

I was hoping to be here for the top 5 reveal yesterday evening, but not all of us have the benefit of living in Pacific Daylight Time like our host so it was bed time for this old lad

I expected the title track to not make it any further than #5 and sure enough it did end up leaving first. I'm still shocked it managed to even make it that far because I never would've pegged this as a song from the album that Pulse would be a fan of, but color me surprised. This is probably the most country song on the record and one that I do love, but as someone who has grown up with this record I just find that I don't often revisit this song nearly as much as the other album tracks.

It never seemed as though MCA was going to go with "Why Not Now" as a single during this era which I think leaves this as one of the biggest missed single opportunities of George's radio career. This was also another Steve Boggard/Jeff Stevens song that George recorded, so considering that "Carried Away" and "Carrying Your Love With Me" were the big hits that they were for the previous two eras that's another reason I had always assumed this song was going to be a single then. If any album track was going to be able to muster past a single in the rankdown it was going to be this one, but alas it fell short.

Jul 8, 2020 22:46:28 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

WRSBDT is a bit of a weird hit for George, that I honestly think would have been better left as an album track in favor of "Why Not Now" or "You Haven't Left Me Yet"... But it was a bit of a fan favorite from this album, so that's probably why it got released.

This is the main reason why "We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This" was released actually! The song was not only a favorite of mine when I first heard the album but I remember it having a lot of chatter amongst fans online. I'm not sure MCA had really wanted to go with this one TBH, but this was probably the first time in George's career where the label had opted to go with a fan favorite just based on the reaction it was receiving. That said, this song hasn't aged quite as well for me overtime as I just don't have the same passion for it as I once did. Even still, it's such a short infectious song that it's hard not to wanna jam out to it when it comes on.

The top two came as no surprise and considering how beloved "True" is amongst George's hits there was little doubt it would come out on top. Some of you probably know this already but "True" was the first single of George's to ever peak at #2 where it remained perched at for four weeks (it got sandwiched between Jo Dee's "I'm Alright" and Brooks & Dunn's "How Long Gone"). I suppose my top ranking for "I Just Wanna Dance With You" is partially nostalgic, but it's such an easy going and smooth song that fits George's style perfectly...and then of course there's that whistle . And let's not forget that this song was co-written by the late, great John Prine!

[taylor is terrified]

Jul 9, 2020 2:43:38 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

Jul 9, 2020 0:57:30 GMT -5 taylor is terrified said:

Well, at least I get the #1 songs from these George albums correct!

Oct 28, 2019 21:34:06 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

10. "Angel, Angelina"

taylor is terrified - 1 ( )

My point exactly. I got the #1 song correct. Y'all didn't sadly.

[mamasaid]

Mama's been slacking again and missed submitting to both of these...and I would have seriously skewed the results...

#1...I Just Want To Dance With You

#1...You Know Me Better Than That (my favorite, if there really can be just one, George Strait tune)...

Plus, Milk Cow Blues would have probably ranked a bit higher...it's an old Bob Wills standard...and gives George a chance to showcase his band.

Stay well....

[tim]

[bboat11]

WELL!!!! I'd say it's about time I finally open the next set!!!!

[bboat11]

This is going to be an exciting and fun round

[bboat11]

Just gotta get to a new page