| Same Train, A Different Time | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 1, 1969 | |||
| Recorded | August 26, 1968 – February 26, 1969 | |||
| Studio | Capitol (Hollywood) | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 65:11 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | Ken Nelson | |||
| Merle Haggard chronology | ||||
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Same Train, A Different Time (subtitledMerle Haggard Sings the Great Songs of Jimmie Rodgers) is the ninthstudio album byAmericancountry music artistMerle Haggard backed bythe Strangers, released in 1969, featuring covers of songs by legendary country music songwriterJimmie Rodgers. It was originally released as a 2LP set on Capitol (SWBB-223).
After producing a string of albums and No. 1 chart hits, Haggard decided to record a tribute album to Jimmie Rodgers, who, along withLefty Frizzell andBob Wills, was one of his favorite artists. Haggard had already recorded a couple of Rodgers songs, having included the Blue Yodeler's "Rough and Rowdy Ways" on his 1967 LPI'm a Lonesome Fugitive while the same version of "California Blues" on this album had been featured onPride in What I Am three months earlier.Same Train, A Different Time includes several spoken word introductions by Haggard where he talks about the life and songs of the legendary country singer.[1]
In 1990 it became the first of Merle Haggard's Capitol albums to be re-released on CD when it was reissued by EMI-Toshiba in Japan in its entire original repertoire.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [2] |
The album was released May 1, 1969, and topped theBillboard country albums chart without the benefit of a hit single.AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine stated in his review: "While the album is rooted in the past, the key to its success is how Haggard updates these traditional songs without losing sight of their roots. There are contemporary folk, country and blues influences scattered throughout the record, adding depth to the music and proving that Rodgers' music is indeed timeless."[2]
All tracks written by Jimmie Rodgers unless otherwise noted.
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