Audio Mixers: Mark Wilder; Richard Bennett.
Editor: Evelyn Gerstenberger.
Lefty Frizzell has always played a pivotal role in the history of Bear Family Records. It could be argued that when they released this 14-LP Frizzell retrospective His Life, His Music in 1984, the label earned international recognition, and their 1992 sequel, Life's Like Poetry, inaugurated their golden era of releasing massive, comprehensive CD box sets, weighing in at a hefty 12 CDs. In the quarter-century since its release, Bear Family has compiled larger sets, many working from the template of Life's Like Poetry, so that the original 1992 set began to seem a little quaint. Bear Family remedied that situation with the 2018 release of An Article from Life, which expands the original 12-disc box to a whopping 20 CDs. This significant expansion is slightly misleading, however. Those extra eight CDs are devoted to the audiobook of I Love You a Thousand Ways: The Lefty Frizzell Story, a biography written and narrated by his brother David Frizzell. As worthy as this addition is, it may not entice fans who owned the original box, yet An Article from Life remains a significant upgrade to Life's Like Poetry. For one, it has some stray non-session recordings that were discovered in the years since 1992, so there are interesting transcriptions and private tapes to be heard here, plus the fidelity is improved, as is the accompanying book. That's no small thing. The hardcover book is expertly researched and produced, eclipsing the audiobook as the definitive biographical statement on Frizzell, while the fidelity is warm and enveloping, a shift that's welcome on the raw early honky tonk and the wonderful barroom ballads and drinking songs Frizzell recorded at the end of his life. The music itself remains the chief attraction on An Article from Life -- not only is Frizzell's influence on Merle Haggard, Randy Travis, and George Strait immediately apparent, the nine discs of officially released recordings tell their own compelling story that parallels the evolution of country music during the post-war era. Any country fan worth their salt will find this box set absorbing and illuminating. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
1.
[CD]
DISC 1: RECORDINGS 1950-1951:
1.
I Love You a Thousand Ways
2.
If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time
3.
Shine, Shave, Shower (It's Saturday)
4.
Cold Feet
5.
Don't Think It Ain't Been Fun Dear
6.
When Payday Comes Around
7.
My Baby's Just Like Money
8.
Look What Thoughts Will Do
9.
My Baby's Just Like Money
10.
You Want Everything But Me
11.
I Want to Be With You Always
12.
Give Me More, More, More (Of Your Kisses)
13.
How Long Will It Take (To Stop Loving You)
14.
Always Late (With Your Kisses)
15.
Mom and Dad's Waltz
16.
You Can Go on Your Way Now
17.
Treasure Untold
18.
Blue Yodel No. 6
19.
Travellin' Blues
20.
My Old Pal
21.
Blue Yodel No. 2
22.
Lullaby Yodel
23.
Brakeman's Blues
24.
My Rough and Rowdy Ways
25.
I Love You (Though You're No Good)
26.
It's Just You (I Could Love Always)
27.
(Darling Now) You're Here So Everything's Alright
28.
I've Got Reasons to Hate You
2.
[CD]
DISC 2: RECORDINGS 1952-1953:
1.
I Love You (Though You're No Good)
2.
Don't Stay Away (Till Love Grows Cold)
3.
It's Just You (I Could Love Always)
4.
(Darling Now) You're Here So Everything's Alright
5.
If You Can Spare the Time (I Won't Miss the Money)
6.
King Without a Queen, A
7.
Forever (And Always)
8.
I Know You're Lonesome (While Waiting for Me)
9.
Lost Love Blues
10.
That's Me Without You
11.
Send Her Here to Be Mine
12.
Lost Love Blues
13.
That's Me Without You
14.
I Won't Be Good for Nothin'
15.
If I Lose You (I'll Lose My World)
16.
I'm an Old Man (Tryin' to Love While I Can)
17.
You're Just Mine (Only in My Dreams)
18.
I'll Try
19.
(Honey, Baby, Hurry) Bring Your Sweet Self Back to Me
20.
Time Changes Things
21.
All of Me Loves All of You
22.
California Blues (Blue Yodel #4)
23.
Never No' Mo' Blues
24.
We Crucified Our Jesus
25.
When It Comes to Measuring Love
26.
Sleep Baby Sleep
27.
(I'm) Lonely and Blue
3.
[CD]
DISC 3: RECORDINGS 1953-1955:
1.
Before You Go, Make Sure You Know
2.
Two Friends of Mine in Love
3.
Hopeless Love
4.
Then I'll Come Back to You
5.
Tragic Letter, The (The Letter That You Left)
6.
Two Hearts Broken Now
7.
You Can Always Count on Me
8.
I've Been Away Way Too Long
9.
Run `Em Off
10.
Darkest Moment, The (Is Just Before the Light of Day)
11.
You're Too Late
12.
My Little Her and Him
13.
I Love You Mostly
14.
You're There, I'm Here
15.
Let It Be So
16.
Mama!
17.
Making Believe
18.
Moonlight, Darling and You
19.
I'll Sit Alone and Cry
20.
Forest Fire, A (Is in Your Heart)
21.
Sweet Lies
22.
Your Tomorrows Will Never Come
23.
It Gets Late So Early
24.
I'm Lost Between Right and Wrong
25.
Promises (Promises, Promises)
26.
Today Is That Tomorrow (I Dreamed of Yesterday)
27.
My Love and Baby's Gone
28.
First to Have a Second Chance
4.
[CD]
DISC 4: RECORDINGS 1955-1958:
1.
These Hands
2.
You Can't Divorce My Heart
3.
Treat Her Right
4.
Heart's Highway
5.
I'm a Boy Left Alone
6.
Just Can't Live That Fast (Anymore)
7.
Waltz of th e Angels, The
8.
Lullaby Waltz
9.
Glad I Found You
10.
Now That You Are Gone
11.
From an Angel to a Devil
12.
Lover by Appointment
13.
Sick, Sober and Sorry
14.
No One to Talk To (But the Blues)
15.
Is It Only That You're Lonely
16.
Mailman Bring Me No More Blues
17.
You've Still Got It
18.
Tell Me Dear
19.
To Stop Loving You (Means Cry)
20.
Torch Within My Heart, The
21.
Time Out for the Blues
22.
I Love You a Thousand Ways
23.
If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time
24.
I Want to Be With You Always
25.
Mom and Dad's Waltz
26.
(Darling) Let's Turn Back the Years
27.
You Win Again
28.
Why Should I Be Lonely
29.
Signed, Sealed and Delivered
30.
Nobody Knows But Me
5.
[CD]
DISC 5: RECORDINGS 1958-1961:
1.
If You're Ever Lonely Darling
2.
Silence
3.
Release Me
4.
Our Love's No Bluff
5.
You're Humbuggin' Me
6.
She's Gone
7.
Cigarettes and Coffee Blues
8.
I Need Your Love
9.
My Bucket's Got a Hole in It
10.
I Love You a thousand Ways
11.
If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time
12.
Mom and Dad's Waltz
13.
I Want to Be With You Always
14.
Always Late (With Your Kisses)
15.
If You're Ever Lonely Darling
16.
Sin Will Be the Chaser for the Wine
17.
Knock Again, True Love
18.
Long Back Veil, The
19.
One Has-Been to Another
20.
Farther Than My Eyes Can See
21.
My Blues Will Pass
22.
Ballad of the Blue and Grey
23.
That's All I Can Remember
24.
So What! Let It Rain
25.
What You Gonna Do, Leroy?
26.
I Feel Sorry for Me
27.
Heaven's Plan
28.
Looking for You
6.
[CD]
DISC 6: RECORDINGS 1962-1965:
1.
Stranger
2.
Few Steps Away, A
3.
Forbidden Lovers
4.
Just Passing Through
5.
That Reminds Me of Me
6.
Don't Let Her See Me Cry
7.
Through the Eyes of a Fool
8.
James River
9.
Preview of Coming Attractions
10.
Lonely Heart
11.
What Good Did You Get (Out of Breaking My Heart)
12.
When It Rains the Blues
13.
I'm Not the Man I'm Supposed to Be
14.
Saginaw Michigan
15.
There's No Food in This House
16.
Rider, The
17.
Nester, The
18.
I Was Coming Home to You
19.
Hello to Him (Goodbye to Me)
20.
I Can Tell
21.
Make That One for the Road a Cup of Coffee
22.
`Gator Hollow
23.
It Costs Too Much to Die
24.
She's Gone, Gone, Gone
25.
Running Into Memories of You
26.
Confused
27.
How Far Down Can I Go
7.
[CD]
DISC 7: RECORDINGS 1965-1967:
1.
It's Bad (When It's Thataway)
2.
I Don't Trust You Anymore
3.
Little Unfair, A
4.
Woman Let Me Sing You a Song
5.
Preparations to Be Blue
6.
Stranger
7.
Love Looks Good on You
8.
Mama
9.
It's Hard to Please You
10.
You Don't Want Me to Get Well
11.
Writing on the Wall
12.
I Just Couldn't See the Forest (For the Trees)
13.
I'm Not Guilty
14.
It Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Guy
15.
Everything Keeps Coming Back (But You)
16.
Heart (Don't Love Her Anymore)
17.
You Don't Have to Be Present to Win
18.
My Feet Are Getting Cold
19.
Is There Anything I Can Do
20.
Old Gang's Gone, The
21.
Song From a Lonely Heart, A
22.
You Gotta Be Puttin' Me On
23.
There in the Mirror
24.
Get This Stranger Out of Me
25.
Money Tree
26.
Hobo's Pride
8.
[CD]
DISC 8: RECORDINGS 1967-1970:
1.
When the Rooster Leaves the Yard
2.
Anything You Can Spare
3.
Only Way to Fly [Original Vocal]
4.
Only Way to Fly [Laughing Version]
5.
Prayer on Your Lips Is Like Freedom in Your Hands, A
6.
Little Old Winedrinker Me
7.
Word or Two to Mary, A
8.
Almost Persuaded
9.
Have You Ever Been Untrue
10.
If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time
11.
When the Grass Grows Green Again
12.
Marriage Bit, The
13.
I'll Remember You
14.
Wasted Way of Life
15.
Keep Them Flowers Watered While I'm Gone
16.
Article From Life [Chorus], An
17.
Blind Street Singer
18.
Honky Tonk Hill
19.
My Baby Is a Tramp
20.
She Brought Love Sweet Love
21.
Watermelon Time in Georgia
22.
I Must Be Getting Over You
23.
Out of You
24.
It's Raining All Over the World
25.
There's Something Lonely in This House
26.
Three Cheers for the Good Guys
27.
Article From Life [Without Chorus], An
28.
Honky Tonk Hill [Without Overdub]
9.
[CD]
DISC 9: RECORDINGS 1971-1974:
1.
Honky Tonk Stardust Cowboy
2.
What Am I Gonna Do
3.
Give Me More, More, More (Of Your Kisses)
4.
You Babe
5.
This Just Ain't a Good Day for Leavin'
6.
Down by the Railroad Track
7.
Let Me Give Her the Flowers
8.
If I Had Half the Sense (A Fool Was Born With)
9.
Somebody's Words
10.
Lucky Arms
11.
True Love Needs to Be in Touch
12.
My House Is Your Honky Tonk
13.
I Buy the Wine
14.
If She Just Helps Me to Get Over You
15.
Falling
16.
Railroad Lady
17.
I Can't Get Over You to Save My Life
18.
I Never Go Around Mirrors (I've Got a Heartache to Hide)