This is probably the defining album of my childhood. Maybe it and Blood on the Tracks are the only albums I can say I know all the words to every song. (Born in the USA maybe too. OK and Cash's Bitter Tears and Emmylou Wrecking Ball probably now I think about it. You get the picture though, its an exclusive list.) "Rawhide" of course is the name recognition song but the western genre doesn't get much better than "Wanted Man":
She had spangles on her red dress
She had laughter in her voice
When he tried to put his hands on her
My heart left me no choice
But was she really worth it?
Well, I guess I'll never know
She'll be drinking someone else's rye
When I'm six feet below
You can hear his Italian crooning roots in the smooth delivery but he totally works that gunfighter's snarl and you actually get thirsty listening to the anguished clippety clop of "Cool Water."
Which is best? A wanderin' fool or a heart at rest? I never have found out. Vale, Frankie.
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