Longhaired Redneck/Rides Again

This double album of early DAC recordings is interesting and has one or two worthwhile tracks. It all seems a little self indulgent when compared to his later releases. Still "If That Ain't Country and "Long Haired Redneck" are required listening and the album is worth the cost for these alone.

Essential listening for DAC fans

Super fast delivery, Loved the music, Would highly recommend. Thank you

When these albums were recorded in 1976 and 1977, David was going through difficult times in his personal life. As so often happens with singer-songwriters in such situations, these problems affected the content of his music but not its quality. In many ways, these are the kind of albums you would expect David to record.In Longhaired redneck, the title track to the first album in this twofer, David complains about all the DJ's who won't play his music because he's an outlaw and doesn't fit their idea of what country music is about. In two other songs (Revenge, Living on the run), David sings about murder. Much more cheerful is Family reunion, a song with a touch of bluegrass (rare for David) in which David reminisces about playing music with the family. But that song provides a rare dose of cheer among the many sad, dark or bitter songs to be found on these two albums.Perhaps the strangest song is Dakota the dancing bear. I don't know what the inspiration for this song about hippies, rednecks, heroin and a dancing bear was, but it will outrage some people while others will find it very funny. Some aspects of the song are funny, but having heard (some years ago) about the plight of real dancing bears, I think David could have written a funnier song without the bear.Perhaps the best-known song here is Willie Waylon and me, in which David put himself in some illustrious company including the Beatles, Stones, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, the Byrds and the Eagles as well as Waylon and Willie.There are many other great songs here including Greener than the grass we laid on (a song that Tammy Wynette has covered), A sense of humor (attacking reporters who treat him unfairly) and The house we've been calling home (about a man with three wives).The more you listen to this album - or study the lyrics in the accompanying booklet - the stranger it gets. While it is often dark and moody, this album has much to offer to those who are looking for songs with a difference. There are plenty here.