Someday We'll Look Back is the thirteenth studio album by American recording artist Merle Haggard and the Strangers, released in 1971. It reached number 4 on the Billboard country albums chart.
Recording and composition
The album is best remembered for the number-one hit, "Carolyn", written by Haggard's friend and mentor Tommy Collins. Haggard had his doubts that the pop-tinged ballad was right for him, as Collins explains in the liner notes to the 1994 Haggard retrospective Down Every Road, "He said, 'It's just not for me. It's not country enough or something.' And the only time I ever said this to Merle was at this time. I said, 'Would you give it a try?' And (co-producer) Lewis Talley said, 'Hey, you oughta cut that song. That's a hit.'"Down Every Road 1962–1994 compilation album. Liner notes by Daniel Cooper Haggard also returns to the theme of the plight of the working poor on "One Row at a Time," "California Cotton Fields," and the self-penned "Tulare Dust," a song that led music journalist Daniel Cooper to observe in 1994, "Merle has often driven home the point that life is hard, but he's never driven it with quite so few words as he does in 'Tulare Dust.'" The LP's title track was another Top 5 hit, peaking at number 2.
Critical reception
AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the album "a terrific early-'70s LP from Merle Haggard, one that showcases not only his exceptional songwriting skills, but also his rich, subtle eclectism... one of the finest albums he ever recorded." Robert Christgau wrote, "An honest two days' work, but don't let the keynote tune fool you into expecting a lot of class-conscious reminiscences."
Track listing All songs by Merle Haggard unless otherwise noted.
Personnel Merle Haggard – vocals, guitar
The Strangers: Roy Nichols – lead guitar Norman Hamlet – steel guitar, dobro Bobby Wayne – rhythm guitar, background vocals Dennis Hromek – bass, background vocals Biff Adam – drums
with Lewis Talley – guitar Red Lane – guitar Tommy Collins – guitar George French – piano Jerry Ward – bass Eddie Burris – drums Johnny Gimble – fiddle
and James Burton – guitar, dobro Glen Campbell – guitar, background vocals Glen D. Hardin – piano Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano Willard Price – bass Leon Copeland – bass Chuck Berghofer – bass Tommy Ash – drums
Chart positions YearChartPosition1971Billboard Country albums41971Billboard Pop albums108
References