At the time Double Trouble was recorded, George Jones was enjoying the attention of hip rock & rollers, thanks to a glowing article in Rolling Stone. Jones and Billy Sherrill decided to make the most of his new rock audience, as evidenced by the presence of James Taylor on the previous year's Bartender's Blues. But their attempts to court the rock audience came to fruition with Double Trouble, recorded as a duet album with Johnny Paycheck. Primarily consisting of '50s rock & roll covers — "Maybellene," "Along Came Jones," "Roll Over Beethoven," etc. — the arrangements are flat, lifeless, and over-produced, featuring an overbearing chorus of female supporting vocalists. That's not to say that Jones and Paycheck are mellow. The pair sound as if they were on one of their notorious drinking and drugging binges, making jokes with each other throughout every song (except the closing "You Better Move On") and singing without regard for key. There is a bizarre fascination in hearing them so completely out of their heads, but it is an embarrassing record, particularly since it illustrates that Jones and Sherrill had no idea why a rock audience would be attracted to Jones' music. It's easily the worst album George Jones ever recorded.
GEORGE JONES & JOHNNY PAYCHECK
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Epic JE-35783June/1980
Produced by Billy Sherrill
1.
WHEN YOU'RE UGLY LIKE US
(Don Goodman - Rick Schulman) « © '79 Songs Of PolyGram, BMI »**********
2.
ALONG CAME JONES
(Jerry Leiber - Mike Stoller) « © '69 Jerry Leiber Music, ASCAP / Mike Stoller Music, ASCAP »Well I plopped down in my easy chair and turned on Channel Two
A bad gun slinger called Salty Sam was a chasin' poor Sweet Sue
He trapped her in the old sawmill and he said with an evil laugh
If you don't give me the deed to your ranch I'll saw you all in half
And then he grabbed her (and then) he tied her up (and then)
He turned on the buzz saw (and then and then)
Ah oh and then along came Jones tall thin Jones
Slow walking Jones slow talking Jones along came long lean lanky Jones
Well commercial came on so I got up to get myself a snack
You should have seen what was going on by the time I got back
Down in the old abandoned mine sweet Sue was a havin' fits
That villain said gimme the deed to your ranch or I'll blow you all to bits
And then he grabbed her (and then) he tied her up (and then)
He lit the fuse to the dynamite (and then and then)
Ah oh and then along came Jones...
[ sax ] Well I got so bugged I turned it off and turned on another show
But there was the same old shoot-em up and the same old rodeo
Salty Sam was a tryin' to stuff Sweet Sue in a burlap sack
He said if you don't give me the deed to your ranch
I'm gonna throw you on the railroad track
And then he grabbed her (and then) he tied her up (and then)
A train started coming (nd then and then) eh eh
Ah oh and then along came Jones...
**********
3.
PROUD MARY
(John C. Fogerty) « © '68 Jondora Music, BMI »Well I left a good job in the city a workin' for the man every night and day
And I never lost one minute of sleep
While worryin' bout the way things might have been
Big wheels keep on turnin' Proud Mary keeps on burnin'
I said rollin' rollin' rollin' on the river
I cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis copped a lot of cane down in New Orleans
But I never saw the good side of the city till I hitched a ride on this river boat queen
Big wheels keep on turnin'...
[ guitar ] Well if you come down to the river well I bet you gonna find some people who live
You don't have to worry if you have no money people on the river are happy to give
I said the big wheels keep on turnin'...
[ guitar ] I said rollin' rollin' rollin' on the river
**********
4.
YOU CAN HAVE HER
(William S. Cook) « © '64 Big Billy Music, BMI / Grove Park Music, BMI »Well you can have her I don't want her she didn't loved me anyway
She only wanted someone to play with but all I wanted was a love to stay
When you're stuck with the wrong woman there ain't that much that you can do
You just dig a hole and crawl right in it then you pull the ground right over you
Well you can have her...
The girl I love she upped and left me she ran away with my best friend
Comes home at night for just for an hour when daylight comes she's gone again
Well life without love is mighty empty but confession is good for your soul
I'd rather have love for just an hour than have the world and all of its gold
Well you can have her...
Now you can have her...
**********
5.
SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE
(Charles E. Calhoun) « © '79 Screen Gems Music, BMI »**********
6.
MAYBELLINE
(Chuck Berry - Alan Freed - Russ Fratto) « © '55 Arc Music, BMI »Oh Maybelline why can't you be true oh Maybelline why can't you be true
You've started back doin' the things you used to do
As I was motivatin' over the hill I saw Maybelline in a Coupe DeVille
Cadillac rollin' on an open road but nothin' outrun my V8 Ford
Cadillac doin' about ninety-five bumper to bumper rollin' side to side
Oh Maybelline...
Well the Cadillac pulled up ahead of the Ford
The Ford got hot and wouldn't do no more
It done got cloudy and started to rain I tooted my horn for the passing lane
The rain water poured up under my motor hood I knew that were doin' my motor good
Oh Maybelline...
[ guitar ] Well now the heat went down and the motor cooled down
And that's when I heard that highway sound
Cadillac lookin' like a ton of lead a hundred and ten a half a mile ahead
Cadillac lookin' like it's sittin' still I caught Maybelline at the top of the hill
Oh Maybelline...
[ guitar ] Oh Maybelline...
**********
7.
ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN
(Chuck Berry) « © '56 Isalee Music, BMI »Well I'm a write a little letter gonna mail it to my local DJ
Yes it's a jumpin' little record I want my jockey to play
Roll over Beethoven I gotta hear it again today
You know my temperature's risin' and a jukebox blowin' a fuse
My heart's a beatin' rhythm and my soul keeps a singin' the blues
Roll over Beethoven and tell Tchaikovsky the news
We got the rockin' pneumonia we need a shot of rhythm and blues
We caught the rollin' arthritis sittin' down at a rhythm review
Roll over Beethoven they're rockin' in two by two
Well if you feel you like it go get your lover then reel and rock it roll it over
Then move on up just a trifle further then reel and rock with one another
Roll over Beethoven dig these rhythm and blues
[ guitar ] Well early in the mornin' and I'm givin' you my warnin'
Don't you step on my blue suede shoes
Hey diddle diddle I'm a playin' my fiddle ain't got nothin' to lose
Roll over Beethoven and tell Tchaikovsky the news
You know she wiggles like a glow worm dance like a spinnin' top
She got a crazy little partner you oughta see 'em reel and rock
Long as she's got a dime they must won't ever stop
Roll over Beethoven roll over Beethoven roll over Beethoven roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven roll over Beethoven roll over Beethoven roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven and dig these rhythm and blues
[ piano - guitar ] Roll over Beethoven...
**********
8.
KANSAS CITY
(Jerry Leiber - Mike Stoller) « © '60 Jerry Leiber Music, ASCAP / Mike Stoller Music, ASCAP »We're goin' to Kansas City Kansas City here we come
We're goin' to Kansas City Kansas City here we come
They got some crazy little women and we're gonna get us one
We go on and stand on the corner of 12th street in line
We'll be standin' on the corner of 12th in line
With our Kansas City baby and our bottle of Kansas City wine
We might take a train we might take a plane
But if I have to walk I'm gonna get there just the same
We're goin' to Kansas City Kansas City here we come
They got some crazy little women and we're gonna get us one
Well if we don't have these women we know we're gonna die
Gotta find a brand new baby and that's the reason why
We're goin' to Kansas City Kansas City here we come
Got some crazy little fellows and we're a gonna get us one
[ guitar ] Well if we don't have these women...
**********
9.
TUTTI FRUTTI
(Otis Blackwell - Dorothy LaBostrie - Richard Penniman) « © '55 ATV Songs, BMI / Venice Music, BMI »Tutti frutti awrootie tutti frutti awrootie tutti frutti awrootie tutti frutti awrootie
Got a gal named Sue she knows just what to do
Got a gal named Sue she knows just what to do
She rocks to the east she rocks to the west but she's the girl that I love best
Tutti frutti awrootie...
[ guitar ] Got a gal named Daisy she almost drives me crazy
Got a gal named Daisy she almost drives me crazy
She knows how to love me yes indeed
But boy you don't know what you're doin' to me
Tutti frutti awrootie...
[ sax ] Tutti frutti awrootie...
**********
10.
YOU BETTER MOVE ON
(Arthur Alexander) « © '71 Arthur Alexander Music, BMI / Gil Music, BMI »You ask me to give up a hand of the girl I love
You tell me I'm not the man she's worthy of
But who are you to tell her who to love oh that's up to her yes and the Lord above
You better move on
Well I know you can buy her fancy clothes and diamond rings
But I believe she's happy with me that don't sting
Still you beg me to set her free but my friend I'm gonna never be
You better move on
I can't blame you of loving her but can't you understand she's my girl
Lord I'm never ever gonna let her go Lord you know that I love her so
I think you'd better go now I'm gettin' mighty mad
You'd ask me to give up the only love I've ever gad
Maybe I would oh but I love her so I'm never gonna let her go
You better move on you better move on you better move on
**********
