Tulare Dust Trivia Quiz

Answer: They're Tearing the Labor Camps Down

This song was released on 1972's "Let Me Tell You About a Song". In his introduction to the song, Haggard says, "I guess it's no secret that I did a few years in San Quentin. And on my release I noticed that a lot of different things had come to pass . . . But the one thing I noticed most of all down through the San Joachin valley was the disappearance of so many labor camps where once I'd lived from time to time myself . . . And I couldn't help but wonder what's gonna happen to the farm workers and the fruit pickers who move from town to town. The man with the big family who can't afford the ole high standard of livin' . . ."

This song is performed on the album by Tom Russell, blended with "Tulare Dust". Russell was the driving force behind the "Tulare Dust" album, and produced it along with Dave Alvin.

Answer: Montana

"Turn me loose, set me free,
somewhere in the middle of Montana.
And gimme all I got comin' to me"

This song was on 1981's "Big City" album, and was a number one hit on Billboard's Hot Country Singles.

"Big City" is sung by Iris Dement. Most of the reviews I've seen of this album cite her performance as the outstanding one of the collection. Dement has what I can only describe as an old fashioned country music voice - it reminds me of the voices on my parents' old recordings from the '30s and '40s.

Answer: But it ain't made

"A Working Man Can't Get Nowhere Today" from the 1977 album of the same name. An uneven album with no really big hits on it, it never really went anywhere, but this is a pretty good song, with more than a tinge of bitterness. It got to number 16 on the US country charts.

It's performed on "Tulare Dust" by Peter Case. Case is an eclectic musician, a former member of The Plimsouls. His "Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John" was nominated for a Best Traditional Folk Album Grammy in 2007.

Answer: Angie

"Today was Angie's birthday
I guess it slipped your mind
I tried twice to call you
But no answer either time
But the postman brought a present
I mailed some days ago
I just signed it love from mama
So Angie wouldn't know."

A heartbreaking song about a man trying to raise his family after his wife runs out on him.

Dwight Yoakum sings this one, and does the expected fine job. Yoakum followed in Haggard's footsteps in the Bakersfield sound, and has put out some great honky-tonk music over the years.

Answer: Blind

A song about a a family band with a deaf mama and a blind Daddy Frank, this one went to number one on the US Country charts in 1971. It was on the "Let Me Tell You About a Song" album.

Robert Earl Keen and the Sunshine Boys perform it on this album - a fine singer-songwriter from Texas.

Answer: White line

"White Line Fever" is another name for the phenomenon known as Highway Hypnosis. And of course, it's a Merle Haggard song from the 1969 "Okie from Muskogeee" album.

It's performed by Joe Ely, yet another Texas singer/songwriter. He was one of the Flatlanders, with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, an influential band in the "non-Nashville" country music world. The members have had successful solo careers, all over the country/rock/folk end of the musical spectrum.

Answer: cats

From "My Own Kind of Hat", a cheeky song full of double entendre; it shows that Haggard is a much cooler guy than someone who doesn't listen to his music would suspect. It hit number four in the US Country charts in 1979.

Rosie Flores does a great job of this song - she's got just the right light touch. Rosie's music tends toward the honky tonk side, with a bit of swing and Tex/Mex for flavour.

Answer: Shopping for Dresses

The ultimate lonely guy song - I can just see him, can't you, looking through the store windows....

"I'm shopping for dresses with no one to wear them
One in each color, one in each style.
Maybe someday I'll find me a lady to wear them,
My shopping will be done for a while.

I bet somewhere there's a lady, shopping for britches..."

This song is done by Steve Young for the "Tulare Dust" album. Randy Travis has also done a nice cover of it.

Answer: Silver Wings

"Silver Wings" was on 1969's "A Portrait of Merle Haggard".

Marshall Crenshaw performs this song - probably my least favourite song on the album. Crenshaw would not really spring to most people's minds as a Merle Haggard fan - most of his work has been in the pop field. He portrayed Buddy Holly in the Ritchie Valens biopic "La Bamba".

Answer: Irma Jackson

"If my lovin' Irma Jackson is a sin
Then I don't understand this crazy world we're livin' in
There's a muddy wall between us standin' high
But I'll love Irma Jackson till I die"

From 1972's "Let Me tell You About a Song" - "Let me tell you all about a song
that I wrote and recorded some time ago that I didn't release for one reason or another. Possibly because the time wasn't right, but I feel it's right now".

Barrence Whitfield performs this one - an apt choice, since, as Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, he was an African American singer with an all white backup band. He's been compared to Little Richard, and does indeed have a fine set of pipes.

Answer: turnin' down the flame of love too low

"...and if you want to break my heart,
you don't have very far to go".

From 1969's "Branded Man", "You Don't Have Very Far to Go" has been covered by absolutely everybody - Roseanne Cash, Bonnie Owens, Roy Clark, even the rock band Cool for August. Lucinda Williams does the honours here, and gives a very slow, discouraged-sounding reading, which fits the song quite well.

Answer: rub my back

"...talkin' about when I'll be coming back." "Ramblin' Fever" is from the 1977 album of the same name. The song got to number two on the US Country charts, while the album made it to number four. The Glasgow band Rambling Fever took their name from this song.

Billy Joe Shaver sings this one, and really makes it cook. Billie Joe has always been better known as a songwriter than a singer - his songs have been covered by such big names as Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Elvis Presley.

Answer: I Can't be Myself

A number three hit from 1970's "Hag".

Katy Moffatt hits this one out of the park - a fabulous cover version of a great country song. Moffatt is yet another fine Texas singer/songwriter (is it something in the water down there?) with a lovely clear voice. The only time I saw her live was as a double bill with her brother, Hugh Moffatt, a talented songwriter on his own account.

Answer: I Can't Hold Myself in Line

From 1968's "Pride in What I Am". A drinking song, with one of my favourite drinking song lines - "Now I'm full speed ahead down the wrong road of life" that pretty well sums up early Merle Haggard lyrics.

John Doe sings this song - he's a punk rocker with roots in country and folk, who was born John Nommensen Duchac but chose to change his name to one which makes it very hard to Google him!

Answer: Kern River

"Now, it's not deep nor wide,
But it's a mean piece of water, my friend.
And I may cross on the highway,
But I'll never swim Kern River again."

"Kern River" was a number ten hit in 1985; the album went to number eight. The real Kern River is a dangerous one, and many people have drowned in it over the years.

This is a gorgeous song, and Dave Alvin does a wonderful job - his deep slow voice is exactly suited to it. Alvin was co producer of this project with Tom Russell - their songs bracket the album.