Going Where the Lonely Go
Encyclopedia
Going Where the Lonely Go is an album by American
recording artist Merle Haggard
, released in 1982. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard
Hot Country Albums chart. The album bore two singles, both of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
chart: the title track and "You Take Me For Granted" (the latter track written by Haggard's wife, Leona Williams).
Going Where the Lonely Go was recorded during the same sessions that produced Big City
.
' band, to the point where Haggard's music from this period transcends country music in its appeal and elegance. It's a pity this one didn't get the notice it deserved — it's a masterpiece." Music critic Robert Christgau
didn't think as highly of it, writing "... material that might be touching from a more austere singer is barely credible, and the three songs that open side two... ooze with the kind of moist self-pity ordinarily encountered only in leaders of the men's liberation movement."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
recording artist Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
, released in 1982. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
Hot Country Albums chart. The album bore two singles, both of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart: the title track and "You Take Me For Granted" (the latter track written by Haggard's wife, Leona Williams).
Going Where the Lonely Go was recorded during the same sessions that produced Big City
Big City (Merle Haggard album)
Big City is an album by Merle Haggard, released in 1981. It was his debut on the Epic label after ending his association with MCA. Big City peaked at number three on the Billboard Country Album charts and number 161 on the Pop Album charts...
.
Reception
Allmusic critic Thom Jurek stated in his review: "Haggard and the Strangers were one of the tightest and most sophisticated bands in country music, inspired by the elaborate arrangements of Bob WillsBob Wills
James Robert Wills , better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western Swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western Swing and universally known as the pioneering King of Western Swing.Bob Wills' name will forever be associated with...
' band, to the point where Haggard's music from this period transcends country music in its appeal and elegance. It's a pity this one didn't get the notice it deserved — it's a masterpiece." Music critic Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
didn't think as highly of it, writing "... material that might be touching from a more austere singer is barely credible, and the three songs that open side two... ooze with the kind of moist self-pity ordinarily encountered only in leaders of the men's liberation movement."
Reissues
- Going Where the Lonely Go was reissued on CDCompact DiscThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
by Epic in 1990. It contains a hidden trackHidden trackIn the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
"Now I Know Why I'm Drinkin". - Going Where the Lonely Go was reissued along with That's the Way Love GoesThat's the Way Love Goes (Merle Haggard album)That's the Way Love Goes is an album by American country singer Merle Haggard, released in 1983. It reached Number 8 on the Billboard Country album chart...
on CDCompact DiscThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
by S & P Records in 2005.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Merle Haggard; except where indicated- "Going Where the Lonely GoGoing Where the Lonely Go (song)"Going Where the Lonely Go" is the title track from a 1982 album by Merle Haggard. "Going Where the Lonely Go" was written by Merle Haggard and would be his twenty-eighth number one country single. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of thirteen weeks on the country...
" – 4:48 - "Why Am I Drinkin'" – 2:40
- "If I Had Left It Up to You" – 2:35
- "I Won't Give Up My Train" (Mark Yeary) – 4:33
- "Someday You're Gonna Need Your Friends Again" (Leona Williams) – 4:02
- "Shopping For Dresses" (Little Jimmy DickensLittle Jimmy DickensJames Cecil Dickens , better known as Little Jimmy Dickens, is an American country music singer famous for his humorous novelty songs, his small size, 4'11" , and his rhinestone-studded outfits...
, Haggard) – 2:35 - "You Take Me For GrantedYou Take Me for Granted"You Take Me for Granted" is a track from Merle Haggard's 1982 album, "Going Where the Lonely Go". "You Take Me For Granted" was written by Leona Williams, Merle Haggard's wife and was his twenty-ninth number one on the country chart. The single stayed at number one for one week and spent a total...
" (Leona Williams) – 2:40 - "Half a Man" (Willie NelsonWillie NelsonWillie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
) – 4:05 - "For All I Know" – 3:56
- "Nobody's Darlin' But Mine" (Jimmie Davis) – 3:34
- "Now I Know Why I'm Drinkin" Hidden Track- 7:47
Personnel
- Merle HaggardMerle HaggardMerle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
– guitar, vocals - Jimmy Belkin – fiddle
- Roy NicholsRoy NicholsRoy Nichols was an American country music guitarist best known as the lead guitarist for Merle Haggard for more than two decades. He was known for his guitar technique, a mix of fingerpicking and pedal steel-like bends, usually played on a Telecaster.-Biography:Roy Ernest Nichols was born in...
– guitar, harmonic - Biff Adam – drums
- Norm HamletNorm HamletNorm Hamlet is an American steel guitarist best known as a member of Merle Haggard's Stranger's group. In 2005 Hamlet had quadruple heart bypass surgery and recovered well at his home in Bakersfield, California. In April 2006 while on tour with Merle Haggard Hamlet's Dobro was stolen and a reward...
– steel guitar, dobro - Dennis Hromek – bass
- Tiny MooreTiny MooreBillie "Tiny" Moore was a Western swing musician who played the electric mandolin and fiddle with Western swing legend Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys in the 1940s....
– fiddle, mandolin - Bobby Wayne – guitar, background vocals
- Leona Williams – background vocals
- Mark Yeary – piano
Chart performance
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 3 |