Free (fre),adj.; fre'er (fre'er); fre'st. (AS. freo, freoh, fri.) Indenpendent. Not subject to some particular authority or obligation; eas'y (ez'i), adj.; eas'er (-i.er); eas'iest; of.aisie, prop.past part.of aisier.) At ease; free from trouble, pain, care, worry, constraint, etc. Syn. facile, simple, light, effortless, smooth mean not demanding much effort or difficulty. Webster sure knows his Country & Western music. At least his description of Dave Dudley is apt. Free and easy - that's Dave's style. And it's certain Dave knows Country & Western music. Here's the man who spans the many moods of this, his kind of music... at home with either ballad or beat. Free and easy - above the compilation of life's frustrations, yet human enough to be moved deeply by the hurts and heartbreaks, the ins and outs of love. Dave Dudley sings of love and loneliness, expertly communicating the full range of emotions for which Country & western music is loved. That's really so. And, as if to prove it, Dave shows additional evidence of his ability by writing three of the songs he sings on this album.
DAVE DUDLEY
FREE AND EASY
Mercury SR-61098November/1966
Produced by Jerry Kennedy
Jerry Kennedy - guitar/dobroRay Edenton, Jerry Shook - rh.guitar
Harold Bradley - bass guitar
Pete Drake - steel
Bob Moore - bass
Buddy Harman - drums
Hargus Pig Robbins - piano
Recorded:
July/1966, Columbia Recording Studio, Nashville
1.
LONG TIME GONE
(Dave Dudley - Danny Morrison) « © '66 Southern Arts Music, BMI »I guess you think you broke my heart
But I don't mind that we're apart
As sure as there's another dawn
You can bet that I will be a long time gone
For every time you lied to me
I told myself that this can't be
I know I was completely wrong
You can bet that I will be a long time gone
[ dobro ] My mind's been on you day and night
But now I finally saw the light
I'm gonna tell you now so long
You can bet that I will be a long time gone
Today I saw a mourning dove
And he was crying for his love
I'm sorry that he's all alone
But for me I'm glad I'll be a long time gone
But for me I'm glad I'll be a long time gone
**********
2.
BEFORE MY TIME
(Dave Dudley) « © '63 Southern Arts Music, BMI »Yes I know that I'm about to lose you
Cause someone else is always on your mind
Why must I have to give you up and give my heart up too
For a love that came along before my time
You say with me you think you've made a big mistake
Well good luck I hope your ending turns out fine
It's gonna hurt a long long time that's the price I'll pay
For a love that came along before my time
Well please don't blame me if I stay in love with you
And while I'm alone if I pretend that you're still mine
I can stand my loneliness if I know you're not blue
With a love that came along before my time
With a love that came along before my time
**********
3.
BACK IN CIRCULATION
(Tom T. Hall - Danny Morrison) « © '66 Newkeys Music, BMI / Unichappell Music, BMI »Got my heart patched up my goodnight sleep and my dancin' slippers on
I'm diggin' up where I left off when lovin' you went wrong
You'll notice I'm all smiles again and out of hibernation
Gonna hit those moonlit lanes again I'm back in circulation
Don't play the blues for me I want the sunny side of life
Tell all the gang to meet me here we're gonna swing the night
Hunt for everything that's wet and start the celebration
Gonna have myself a ball tonight I'm back in circulation
[ guitar ] Put my cryin' towel away sunshine just peeped through the clouds
Gettin' out my little black book checkin' upon my ole crowd
Tell Mr Moon to shine tonight and make this observation
I just bounced back from being hurt and I'm back in circulation
Don't play the blues for me...
**********
4.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE MILL
(Tom T. Hall) « © '66 Newkeys Music, BMI / Unichappell Music, BMI »Oh I'm so surprised to see me here sittin' all alone
It's late and everybody's gone to their respective homes
I could go home I should go home but it's so dark and still
Well look at me I'm looking back oh I have been through the mill
I've been through the mill oh ain't I I have been through the mill
The hunter is now hunted and time moves in for the kill
Oh stranger do pull up a chair and listen if you will
It's purely biographical but I have been through the mill
There was a time I'd come in here and the folks would wave and smile
Do you remember what's her name oh she was such a lovely child
But times will change and towns will change oh you know how they will
Oh look at me I'm looking back and I have been through the mill
Oh look at me I'm looking back and I have been through the mill
**********
5.
ARTIFICIAL ROSE
(Tom T. Hall) « © '66 Newkeys Music, BMI / Unichappell Music, BMI »The little waitress wore an artificial rose
I met her in a truckstop long ago
She brought my coffee with a smile and then sat down
And we started talking bout my wanderin' round
I recall the night I gave her that red rose
Just a little joke between us I suppose
But she laughed and tucked it in her golden hair
And from that day on she always wore it there
Never blooms never grows artificial rose
As time went out I got to know her well
Grew to love her but I knew I couldn't tell
About the other woman farther down the line
But she trusted me said I was not that kind
Never blooms never grows artificial rose
One night when I had traveled many miles
I pulled in and thought I'd see her loving smile
But she only left a package tied in red
And inside a little tear stained note that read
She said I've found out now I return to you
This rose that I've been wearing like a fool
May your life be cold and lonely as can be
Like this artificial rose you gave to me
Never blooms never grows artificial rose
**********
6.
KATY BAR THE DOOR
(Jerry Shook) « © '66 Careers Music, BMI »Oh Katy bar the door keep the girls in the house
Cause I'm gonna live it up there ain't no doubt
Katy bar the door I'm a man not a mouse
So look out pretty girls it's my night out
Well all week long I work at the mill
From sunup to sundown everyday
Well at noon on Saturday everything stands still
And I'm halfway to town when I get my pay
So Katy bar the door...
[ dobro ] Before this night is over in troubles where I'll be
I'll be you-know-what-on-wheels you might say
I'll try to drink the town up and I may do it watch and see
If not I'll get it done next Saturday
So Katy bar the door...
So Katy bar the door...
**********
7.
PASSIN' THROUGH
(Bobby Bare) « © '64 Central Songs, BMI »The first sound I heard was a woman's cry
The first word I learned to utter was goodbye
Forgive me if I'm wrong in what I do to you
While passin' through passin' through
A happiness for me cannot be found
But yet I still search from town to town
No offence but I don't think I'll find it here with you
Goodbye babe just passin' through
Passin' through your life like a raging river
No woman needs or can hold the love I give her
Please understand I can't control these things I do
While passin' through passin' through
Well that was that did you say you thought you loved me
Well that's too bad girl for if you really do
You'll just awaken with the dawn and find your love has flown
Like an old wild goose passin' through
Passin' through your life...
Like an old North wind passin' through
Goodbye babe just passin' through
Goodbye babe just passin' through
**********
8.
FOR CRYING OUT LOUD
(Dave Dudley) « © '66 Southern Arts Music, BMI »If I've ever been so blue I can't remember
Seems to me the walls are closing in
I still hear your footsteps fade away forever
Well for crying out loud I'm crying out loud again
I'm crying out loud again
There's nothing like a room that's filled with blackness
And without you here it's blacker than it's been
You said goodbye as if you couldn't careless
Well for crying out loud I'm crying out loud again
I'm crying out loud again
Staring at the red end of my cigarette
Where in the darkness two had always been
Now the hurt grows worse each night I'm trying to forget
Well for crying out loud I'm crying out loud again
I'm crying out loud again
**********
9.
RING OF FIRE
(Merle Kilgore - June Carter) « © '62 Painted Desert Music, BMI »Oh love is a burning thing and it makes a fiery ring
Bound by wild desire I fell into a ring of fire
I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down down down and the flames went higher
And it burns burns burns the ring of fire the ring of fire
[ dobro ] The taste of love is sweet when hearts like ours meet
I fell for you like a child oh but the fire went wild
I fell into a burning ring of fire...
I fell into a burning ring of fire...
**********
10.
LONELY MAN
(Tom T. Hall) « © '66 Newkeys Music, BMI / Unichappell Music, BMI »From the dark and lonely part of town
Comes a man nobody wants around
Dressed in black I cry across the land
It's a hurt it's a pain it's lonely man
I am lonely man lonely and blue
You'll never know I never did get over you
My longing for you is the best kept secret in the land
It's a hurt it's a pain it's lonely man
Nobody knows my true identity
They'll never know how much you're hurting me
A smile is my disguise and that's my plan
It's a hurt it's a pain it's lonely man
I am lonely man...
It's a hurt it's a pain it's lonely man
**********
11.
RIVER RAT
(Roy Baham) « © '66 Southern Arts Music, BMI »I was born on the banks of the river grew up in a floatin' shack
Old Man River was my front yard we had snakes and frogs out back
I learned to cry to a steamboat whistle I cut my teets on a pal of a cat
From this big star just to make my mark
I had to fight like a river rat I'm nothin' but a river rat
Grab that net catch that fish it's all I've ever known
Trap that otter don't you miss I'll give him the great alone
With the temper of a stepped on rattler and the gall of a mean wild cat
Well the strong survive and just to stay alive
You gotta fight like a river rat I'm a meaner than a river rat
[ guitar ] I had me a woman down the river she had eyes for me alone
She was here last night but like this wood with the mornin' tide she was gone
To the night like the great Big Muddy was runnin' wild as blind as a bat
My dream was sank when it went over the bank
It drawned all the river rats and I was runnin' like a river rat
Grab that net catch that fish...
I'm nothin' but a river rat I'm a meaner than a river rat
**********
12.
I FEEL A CRY COMING ON
(Jimmy Key) « © '66 Southern Arts Music, BMI »Oh she just walked out the door and I know she won't be back anymore
The echo of her footsteps have gone and now I feel a cry coming on
Yes I feel a cry coming on for the first time in my life I'm all alone
Everything I love is gone and now I feel a cry coming on
Her picture on the table smiles at me the sweet tender love is there to see
Yesterday that sweet love was my own but now I feel a cry coming on
Yes I feel a cry coming on...
**********
