Bear Family's six-CD Waltz Across Texas continues the label's comprehensive release of Ernest Tubb's complete recordings. The highlights for most fans will be the dozen 1964-65 duets with Loretta Lynn, which are considered essential listening, but there's a lot more here worth owning. Tubb's vocal range had narrowed considerably in the ten years or so leading up to the 1960s, but he and producer Owen Bradley had worked out recordings that made his range sound greater than it was. For a lot of real fans, the highlights on Disc One will be the raw studio performances of cuts that were later mixed with applause for release as the fake "live" On Tour album, which might have been a cheat but did present Tubb and the band playing loose and freewheeling. Disc Three has a generally jauntier selection of material, including a dozen songs by the Texas Troubadors; its last two songs mark the beginning of the Ernest Tubb-Loretta Lynn collaborations. The quality of Tubb's music held steady even coming up on his 30th year in the recording business, mostly by virtue of his continuing to find good songs and Owen Bradley's way of recording him to the best advantage -- his voice on much of his mid-'60s output sounds like a finely aging instrument, and far more comfortable and pleasing than some of his late '50s material. Disc Five presents the balance of the early Lynn duets, as well as the title track, Tubb's last major hit. The sound throughout is state-of-the-art, and the annotated booklet is worth owning by itself, for what it tells us about the man and the band.
Disc 1 (01:18:10)
01 - Go To Sleep Conscience (Don't Hurt Me This Time) (2:34)
02 - Danny Boy [The Texas Troubadours] (3:23)
03 - Through That Door (2:39)
04 - What Kind Of God Do You Think You Are (2:54)
05 - Rose City Chimes [The Texas Troubadours] (2:23)
06 - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (2:19)
07 - I Never Could Say No (2:42)
08 - In And Out (Of Every Heart In Town) (2:33)
09 - Steel Guitar Rag [The Texas Troubadours] (3:01)
10 - Redskin Rag [The Texas Troubadours] (2:49)
11 - Old Love, New Tears [The Texas Troubadours] (2:25)
12 - Out Of My Mind [The Texas Troubadours] (2:41)
13 - The Women Make A Fool Out Of Me (2:39)
14 - Drivin' Nails In My Coffin (2:48)
15 - Pick Me Up On Your Way Down [The Texas Troubadours] (2:09)
16 - Try Me One More Time (2:58)
17 - Lover's Waltz [The Texas Troubadours] (2:03)
18 - Show Her Lots Of Gold (2:57)
19 - I'm Looking High And Low For My Baby (2:33)
20 - Go On Home (2:32)
21 - Try Me One More Time (3:03)
22 - Watching My Past Go By (2:49)
23 - Show Her Lots Of Gold (2:53)
24 - Bandera Waltz [The Texas Troubadours] (2:13)
25 - I Told You So (2:41)
26 - I Loved You Once (2:43)
27 - An Old Faded Photograph (2:41)
28 - The Last Letter (3:24)
29 - Out Of My Mind [The Texas Troubadours] (2:41)
Disc 2 (01:17:40)
01 - Beyond The Last Mile (2:57)
02 - Just Call Me Lonesome (2:53)
03 - Just Partners (2:36)
04 - If You Call That Gone, Goodbye (2:47)
05 - How Can I Be Sure (2:49)
06 - I'll Never Tell You I Love You (2:53)
07 - I Think I'll Give Up (It's All Over) (2:27)
08 - I'm As Free As The Breeze (2:46)
09 - Just Call Me Lonesome (3:02)
10 - House Of Sorrow (2:53)
11 - No Letter Today (2:39)
12 - The Great Speckled Bird (2:40)
13 - Family Bible (2:59)
14 - He'lll Understand And Say Well Done (2:15)
15 - Mr. Juke Box (Alt) (2:18)
16 - Mr. Juke Box (2:24)
17 - Walking The Floor Over You (2:51)
18 - That's All She Wrote (2:36)
19 - Just One More (2:33)
20 - Wings Of A Dove (2:40)
21 - I Saw The Light (2:42)
22 - Stand By Me (2:43)
23 - What A Friend We Have In Jesus (2:51)
24 - When It's Prayer Meeting Time In The Hollow (2:45)
25 - Precious Memories (2:39)
26 - If We Never Meet Again (2:30)
27 - Lonesome Valley (2:25)
28 - Follow Me (2:37)
29 - Your Side Of The Story (2:30)
Disc 3 (01:17:27)
01 - Be Better To Your Baby (2:23)
02 - The Way That You're Living (Is Breaking My Heart) (2:52)
03 - Your Side Of The Story (2:56)
04 - Beyond The Last Mile (3:21)
05 - Thanks A Lot (2:35)
06 - Thanks A Lot (2:34)
07 - Lonesome 7-7203 (3:06)
08 - San Antonio Rose [The Texas Troubadours] (2:26)
09 - Six Days On The Road [The Texas Troubadours] (2:20)
10 - Cain's Corner [The Texas Troubadours] (2:14)
11 - Rhodes'-Bud Boogie [The Texas Troubadours] (2:09)
12 - I'll Have Another Cup Of Coffee [The Texas Troubadours] (2:21)
13 - Panhandle Rag [The Texas Troubadours] (1:54)
14 - Texas Troubadour Stomp [The Texas Troubadours] (1:48)
15 - I Will Miss You When You Go [The Texas Troubadours] (2:59)
16 - The Last Letter [The Texas Troubadours] (3:37)
17 - 12th Street Rag [The Texas Troubadours] (1:51)
18 - Honey Love [The Texas Troubadours] (2:25)
19 - The Waltz You Saved For Me [The Texas Troubadours] (2:29)
20 - Stop Me (If You've Heard This One Before) (3:16)
21 - Big Fool Of The Year (2:30)
22 - Take A Letter, Miss Gray (2:26)
23 - Lonesome 7-7203 (2:49)
24 - Think Of Me, Thinking Of You (2:32)
25 - The Green Light (2:31)
26 - There She Goes (2:38)
27 - I Almost Lost My Mind (2:43)
28 - Steppin' Out (2:43)
29 - Love Was Right Here All The Time [with Loretta Lynn] (2:34)
30 - I'll Just Call You Darlin' [with Loretta Lynn] (2:25)
Disc 4 (01:16:57)
01 - Two In The Cold [with Loretta Lynn] (2:41)
02 - Mr. & Mrs. Used To Be [with Loretta Lynn] (2:43)
03 - Pass The Booze (2:43)
04 - (A Memory) That's All You'll Ever Be To Me (2:35)
05 - Turn Around Walk Away (2:41)
06 - Red Top [The Texas Troubadours] (2:39)
07 - Hello World (2:46)
08 - The Last Goodbye (2:53)
09 - That's When It's Coming Home To You (2:21)
10 - Oklahoma Hills [The Texas Troubadours] (2:39)
11 - Just A Stone's Throw Away [The Texas Troubadours] (2:48)
12 - Another Bridge To Burn [The Texas Troubadours] (3:20)
13 - Almost To Tulsa [The Texas Troubadours] (2:06)
14 - Highway Man [The Texas Troubadours] (2:46)
15 - Leon's Guitar Boogie [different take - The Texas Troubadours] (2:48)
16 - Honky Tonks And You [The Texas Troubadours] (2:29)
17 - Twilight Over Texas [The Texas Troubadours] (2:40)
18 - Detour [The Texas Troubadours] (2:23)
19 - C-Jam Blues [The Texas Troubadours] (2:00)
20 - What About Me [The Texas Troubadours] (2:42)
21 - Leon's Guitar Boogie [The Texas Troubadours] (2:06)
22 - Are You Mine [with Loretta Lynn] (2:45)
23 - Just Between The Two Of Us [with Loretta Lynn] (2:53)
24 - Lots Of Luck (2:39)
25 - (My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers (2:47)
26 - Do What You Do Do Well (2:56)
27 - Throw Your Love My Way (2:29)
28 - The Wild Side Of Life (2:54)
29 - Leon's Guitar Boogie [different take - The Texas Troubadours] (2:45)
Disc 5 (01:19:01)
01 - I'm With A Crowd But So Alone (3:07)
02 - Give Me A Little Old Fashioned Love (2:51)
03 - Precious Little Baby (2:33)
04 - I Wonder Where You Are Tonight (2:26)
05 - I Reached For The Wine [with Loretta Lynn] (2:41)
06 - My Past Brought Me To You (Your Past Brought You To Me) [with Loretta Lynn] (2:48)
07 - A Dear John Letter [with Loretta Lynn] (2:40)
08 - We're Not Kids Anymore [with Loretta Lynn] (2:40)
09 - Keep Those Cards And Letters Coming In [with Loretta Lynn] (1:53)
10 - Our Hearts Are Holding Hands [with Loretta Lynn] (2:36)
11 - Each Night At Nine (2:23)
12 - Big City (2:11)
13 - Before I'm Over You (2:45)
14 - Beggar To A King (2:34)
15 - When Two Worlds Collide (2:35)
16 - Fraulein (2:49)
17 - She Called Me Baby (2:41)
18 - Tell Her So (2:17)
19 - Don't Be Angry (2:43)
20 - I've Got A Tiger By The Tail (2:11)
21 - Waltz Across Texas (2:39)
22 - Honeymoon With The Blues [The Texas Troubadours] (2:15)
23 - Afraid To Care [The Texas Troubadours] (2:34)
24 - Big Beaver [The Texas Troubadours] (2:29)
25 - Cocoanut Grove [The Texas Troubadours] (2:44)
26 - What Am I Bid [The Texas Troubadours] (2:23)
27 - Lost Highway (2:47)
28 - After The Boy Gets The Girl (2:23)
29 - I'm A Sad Lonely Man (That Love Left Behind) [The Texas Troubadours] (2:48)
30 - I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me) (2:14)
31 - Holdin' Hands (2:21)
Disc 6 (01:15:50)
01 - With Tears In My Eyes (3:32)
02 - Blue Christmas Tree (2:31)
03 - Who's Gonna Be Your Santa Claus This Year (2:07)
04 - What Am I Bid [The Texas Troubadours] (2:41)
05 - It's For God, And Country, And You, Mom (That's Why I'm Fighting In Viet Nam) (3:28)
06 - You'll Still Be In My Heart (2:40)
07 - Forgive Me (2:40)
08 - Too Many Rivers (2:47)
09 - My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You (2:47)
10 - Till My Getup Has Got Up And Gone (2:47)
11 - Release Me (2:40)
12 - Mom And Dad's Waltz (2:55)
13 - Born To Lose (Outtake) (2:56)
14 - Hello Trouble (Come On In) (2:06)
15 - Just One More (2:31)
16 - Born To Lose (3:06)
17 - I'll Keep On Loving You (2:03)
18 - Under Your Spell Again (2:42)
19 - They'll Never Take Her Love From Me [The Texas Troubadours] (2:45)
20 - Remember Me (When The Candlelights Are Gleaming) (2:41)
21 - Tennessee Waltz (2:46)
22 - Fireball Mail (2:30)
23 - I Hung My Head And Cried (1:58)
24 - Before I Met You (2:21)
25 - Memphis (2:14)
26 - I'm Gonna Tie One On Tonight (2:08)
27 - May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose (2:37)
28 - Waitin' In Your Welfare Line (2:13)
29 - No Matter What Happens My Darling (2:38)
01 - Go To Sleep Conscience (Don't Hurt Me This Time) (2:34)
02 - Danny Boy [The Texas Troubadours] (3:23)
03 - Through That Door (2:39)
04 - What Kind Of God Do You Think You Are (2:54)
05 - Rose City Chimes [The Texas Troubadours] (2:23)
06 - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (2:19)
07 - I Never Could Say No (2:42)
08 - In And Out (Of Every Heart In Town) (2:33)
09 - Steel Guitar Rag [The Texas Troubadours] (3:01)
10 - Redskin Rag [The Texas Troubadours] (2:49)
11 - Old Love, New Tears [The Texas Troubadours] (2:25)
12 - Out Of My Mind [The Texas Troubadours] (2:41)
13 - The Women Make A Fool Out Of Me (2:39)
14 - Drivin' Nails In My Coffin (2:48)
15 - Pick Me Up On Your Way Down [The Texas Troubadours] (2:09)
16 - Try Me One More Time (2:58)
17 - Lover's Waltz [The Texas Troubadours] (2:03)
18 - Show Her Lots Of Gold (2:57)
19 - I'm Looking High And Low For My Baby (2:33)
20 - Go On Home (2:32)
21 - Try Me One More Time (3:03)
22 - Watching My Past Go By (2:49)
23 - Show Her Lots Of Gold (2:53)
24 - Bandera Waltz [The Texas Troubadours] (2:13)
25 - I Told You So (2:41)
26 - I Loved You Once (2:43)
27 - An Old Faded Photograph (2:41)
28 - The Last Letter (3:24)
29 - Out Of My Mind [The Texas Troubadours] (2:41)
Disc 2 (01:17:40)
01 - Beyond The Last Mile (2:57)
02 - Just Call Me Lonesome (2:53)
03 - Just Partners (2:36)
04 - If You Call That Gone, Goodbye (2:47)
05 - How Can I Be Sure (2:49)
06 - I'll Never Tell You I Love You (2:53)
07 - I Think I'll Give Up (It's All Over) (2:27)
08 - I'm As Free As The Breeze (2:46)
09 - Just Call Me Lonesome (3:02)
10 - House Of Sorrow (2:53)
11 - No Letter Today (2:39)
12 - The Great Speckled Bird (2:40)
13 - Family Bible (2:59)
14 - He'lll Understand And Say Well Done (2:15)
15 - Mr. Juke Box (Alt) (2:18)
16 - Mr. Juke Box (2:24)
17 - Walking The Floor Over You (2:51)
18 - That's All She Wrote (2:36)
19 - Just One More (2:33)
20 - Wings Of A Dove (2:40)
21 - I Saw The Light (2:42)
22 - Stand By Me (2:43)
23 - What A Friend We Have In Jesus (2:51)
24 - When It's Prayer Meeting Time In The Hollow (2:45)
25 - Precious Memories (2:39)
26 - If We Never Meet Again (2:30)
27 - Lonesome Valley (2:25)
28 - Follow Me (2:37)
29 - Your Side Of The Story (2:30)
Disc 3 (01:17:27)
01 - Be Better To Your Baby (2:23)
02 - The Way That You're Living (Is Breaking My Heart) (2:52)
03 - Your Side Of The Story (2:56)
04 - Beyond The Last Mile (3:21)
05 - Thanks A Lot (2:35)
06 - Thanks A Lot (2:34)
07 - Lonesome 7-7203 (3:06)
08 - San Antonio Rose [The Texas Troubadours] (2:26)
09 - Six Days On The Road [The Texas Troubadours] (2:20)
10 - Cain's Corner [The Texas Troubadours] (2:14)
11 - Rhodes'-Bud Boogie [The Texas Troubadours] (2:09)
12 - I'll Have Another Cup Of Coffee [The Texas Troubadours] (2:21)
13 - Panhandle Rag [The Texas Troubadours] (1:54)
14 - Texas Troubadour Stomp [The Texas Troubadours] (1:48)
15 - I Will Miss You When You Go [The Texas Troubadours] (2:59)
16 - The Last Letter [The Texas Troubadours] (3:37)
17 - 12th Street Rag [The Texas Troubadours] (1:51)
18 - Honey Love [The Texas Troubadours] (2:25)
19 - The Waltz You Saved For Me [The Texas Troubadours] (2:29)
20 - Stop Me (If You've Heard This One Before) (3:16)
21 - Big Fool Of The Year (2:30)
22 - Take A Letter, Miss Gray (2:26)
23 - Lonesome 7-7203 (2:49)
24 - Think Of Me, Thinking Of You (2:32)
25 - The Green Light (2:31)
26 - There She Goes (2:38)
27 - I Almost Lost My Mind (2:43)
28 - Steppin' Out (2:43)
29 - Love Was Right Here All The Time [with Loretta Lynn] (2:34)
30 - I'll Just Call You Darlin' [with Loretta Lynn] (2:25)
Disc 4 (01:16:57)
01 - Two In The Cold [with Loretta Lynn] (2:41)
02 - Mr. & Mrs. Used To Be [with Loretta Lynn] (2:43)
03 - Pass The Booze (2:43)
04 - (A Memory) That's All You'll Ever Be To Me (2:35)
05 - Turn Around Walk Away (2:41)
06 - Red Top [The Texas Troubadours] (2:39)
07 - Hello World (2:46)
08 - The Last Goodbye (2:53)
09 - That's When It's Coming Home To You (2:21)
10 - Oklahoma Hills [The Texas Troubadours] (2:39)
11 - Just A Stone's Throw Away [The Texas Troubadours] (2:48)
12 - Another Bridge To Burn [The Texas Troubadours] (3:20)
13 - Almost To Tulsa [The Texas Troubadours] (2:06)
14 - Highway Man [The Texas Troubadours] (2:46)
15 - Leon's Guitar Boogie [different take - The Texas Troubadours] (2:48)
16 - Honky Tonks And You [The Texas Troubadours] (2:29)
17 - Twilight Over Texas [The Texas Troubadours] (2:40)
18 - Detour [The Texas Troubadours] (2:23)
19 - C-Jam Blues [The Texas Troubadours] (2:00)
20 - What About Me [The Texas Troubadours] (2:42)
21 - Leon's Guitar Boogie [The Texas Troubadours] (2:06)
22 - Are You Mine [with Loretta Lynn] (2:45)
23 - Just Between The Two Of Us [with Loretta Lynn] (2:53)
24 - Lots Of Luck (2:39)
25 - (My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers (2:47)
26 - Do What You Do Do Well (2:56)
27 - Throw Your Love My Way (2:29)
28 - The Wild Side Of Life (2:54)
29 - Leon's Guitar Boogie [different take - The Texas Troubadours] (2:45)
Disc 5 (01:19:01)
01 - I'm With A Crowd But So Alone (3:07)
02 - Give Me A Little Old Fashioned Love (2:51)
03 - Precious Little Baby (2:33)
04 - I Wonder Where You Are Tonight (2:26)
05 - I Reached For The Wine [with Loretta Lynn] (2:41)
06 - My Past Brought Me To You (Your Past Brought You To Me) [with Loretta Lynn] (2:48)
07 - A Dear John Letter [with Loretta Lynn] (2:40)
08 - We're Not Kids Anymore [with Loretta Lynn] (2:40)
09 - Keep Those Cards And Letters Coming In [with Loretta Lynn] (1:53)
10 - Our Hearts Are Holding Hands [with Loretta Lynn] (2:36)
11 - Each Night At Nine (2:23)
12 - Big City (2:11)
13 - Before I'm Over You (2:45)
14 - Beggar To A King (2:34)
15 - When Two Worlds Collide (2:35)
16 - Fraulein (2:49)
17 - She Called Me Baby (2:41)
18 - Tell Her So (2:17)
19 - Don't Be Angry (2:43)
20 - I've Got A Tiger By The Tail (2:11)
21 - Waltz Across Texas (2:39)
22 - Honeymoon With The Blues [The Texas Troubadours] (2:15)
23 - Afraid To Care [The Texas Troubadours] (2:34)
24 - Big Beaver [The Texas Troubadours] (2:29)
25 - Cocoanut Grove [The Texas Troubadours] (2:44)
26 - What Am I Bid [The Texas Troubadours] (2:23)
27 - Lost Highway (2:47)
28 - After The Boy Gets The Girl (2:23)
29 - I'm A Sad Lonely Man (That Love Left Behind) [The Texas Troubadours] (2:48)
30 - I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me) (2:14)
31 - Holdin' Hands (2:21)
Disc 6 (01:15:50)
01 - With Tears In My Eyes (3:32)
02 - Blue Christmas Tree (2:31)
03 - Who's Gonna Be Your Santa Claus This Year (2:07)
04 - What Am I Bid [The Texas Troubadours] (2:41)
05 - It's For God, And Country, And You, Mom (That's Why I'm Fighting In Viet Nam) (3:28)
06 - You'll Still Be In My Heart (2:40)
07 - Forgive Me (2:40)
08 - Too Many Rivers (2:47)
09 - My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You (2:47)
10 - Till My Getup Has Got Up And Gone (2:47)
11 - Release Me (2:40)
12 - Mom And Dad's Waltz (2:55)
13 - Born To Lose (Outtake) (2:56)
14 - Hello Trouble (Come On In) (2:06)
15 - Just One More (2:31)
16 - Born To Lose (3:06)
17 - I'll Keep On Loving You (2:03)
18 - Under Your Spell Again (2:42)
19 - They'll Never Take Her Love From Me [The Texas Troubadours] (2:45)
20 - Remember Me (When The Candlelights Are Gleaming) (2:41)
21 - Tennessee Waltz (2:46)
22 - Fireball Mail (2:30)
23 - I Hung My Head And Cried (1:58)
24 - Before I Met You (2:21)
25 - Memphis (2:14)
26 - I'm Gonna Tie One On Tonight (2:08)
27 - May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose (2:37)
28 - Waitin' In Your Welfare Line (2:13)
29 - No Matter What Happens My Darling (2:38)
