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Strait Out of the Box
Box set by
ReleasedSeptember 12, 1995
RecordedJune 1976 – April 10, 1995
Genre
LengthDisc 1 - 51:42
Disc 2 - 53:12
Disc 3 - 59:25
Disc 4 - 52:56
Total - 3:37:15
Label MCA
ProducerGeorge Strait, Phil Ramone, Blake Mevis, Don Daily, Hank Cattaneo, Tony Brown, Jimmy Bowen, Ray Benson, Ray Baker, Joe Barnhill
George Strait chronology
Lead On
(1994)
Strait Out of the Box
(1995)
Blue Clear Sky
(1996)
Singles from Strait Out of the Box
  1. " Check Yes or No"
    Released: September 11, 1995
  2. " I Know She Still Loves Me"
    Released: December 11, 1995
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [1]
Entertainment WeeklyA− [2]
Los Angeles Times [3]

Strait Out of the Box (retroactively known as Strait Out of the Box: Part 1) is the first box set album by American country music artist George Strait. It contains four albums' worth of music, dating from 1976 to 1995. It mainly consists of Strait's singles, except for a select few that he decided to exclude. They were replaced by his choice of album cuts and several studio outtakes. It also contains his three singles recorded in the 1970s for indie label D Records, one of which, "I Just Can't Go on Dying Like This", was re-recorded for Strait's 2013 album Love Is Everything. [4]

"Check Yes or No" and "I Know She Still Loves Me" were both released from this set as singles. Respectively, they reached number 1 and number 5 on the Billboard country charts.

The album was certified 8× platinum by the RIAA on July 29, 2003, indicating shipment of 2 million copies. [5] This made the album at the time the best-performing country music box set of all time, and it was second only to the Live 1975–85 box set by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band overall. It had sold 1,525,100 copies in the United States as of October 2019. [6]

Track listing

Disc one (1981–1983)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Just Can't Go On Dying Like This" (recorded in June 1976 in Ray Doggett Studio, Houston, Texas)George Strait2:46
2."(That Don't Change) The Way I Feel About You" (recorded in May 1978 in Soundmaster Studio, Houston, Texas)Strait2:11
3."I Don't Want to Talk It Over Anymore" (recorded in April 1979 in Soundmaster Studio, Houston, Texas)Strait3:11
4." Unwound" Dean Dillon, Frank Dycus2:26
5."Blame It on Mexico"Darryl Staedler2:51
6."Her Goodbye Hit Me in the Heart"Dillon, Dycus3:05
7." If You're Thinking You Want a Stranger (There's One Coming Home)"Blake Mevis, David Wills2:58
8."Any Old Love Won't Do" (recorded in February 23, 1982, in Music City Music Hall, Nashville, Tennessee)Dillon, Dycus3:04
9." Fool Hearted Memory" Byron Hill, Mevis2:39
10." Marina del Rey"Dillon, Dycus3:03
11."I Can't See Texas from Here"Strait2:30
12." Heartbroke" Guy Clark3:34
13." What Would Your Memories Do" Hank Cochran, Dillon3:18
14." Amarillo by Morning" Terry Stafford, Paul Fraser2:53
15."I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name" (recorded in March 29, 1983, in Music City Hall, Nashville, Tennessee) Lee Emerson2:45
16." A Fire I Can't Put Out"Staedtler3:00
17." You Look So Good in Love" Glen Ballard, Rory Bourke, Kerry Chater3:13
18."80 Proof Bottle of Tear Stopper"Staedtler2:15
Disc two (1983–1988)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1." Right or Wrong"Paul Biese, Haven Gillespie, Arthur L. Sizemore2:06
2." Let's Fall to Pieces Together" Dickey Lee, Tommy Rocco, Johnny Russell2:55
3." Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind" Sanger D. Shafer, Darlene Shafer3:15
4." The Cowboy Rides Away" Sonny Throckmorton, Casey Kelly3:23
5." The Fireman" Mack Vickery, Wayne Kemp2:35
6." The Chair"Cochran, Dillon2:50
7." You're Something Special to Me"David Anthony3:20
8."Haven't You Heard" Red Lane, Kemp2:55
9."In Too Deep"Jerry Max Lane, Erv Woolsey2:38
10."Lefty's Gone"S. D. Shafer3:15
11." Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her"Dillon2:51
12." It Ain't Cool to Be Crazy About You"Dillon, Royce Porter2:51
13." Ocean Front Property"Dillon, Cochran, Porter3:07
14."Rhythm of the Road"Dan McCoy2:17
15."Six Pack to Go" (duet with Hank Thompson)Dick Hart, Johnny Lowe, Hank Thompson3:02
16." All My Ex's Live in Texas"S. D. Shafer, Lyndia J. Shafer3:20
17." Am I Blue"David Chamberlain3:06
18." Famous Last Words of a Fool"Dillon, Rex Huston3:26
Disc three (1988–1992)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1." Baby Blue"Barker3:34
2." If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin')" Tommy Collins2:20
3." Baby's Gotten Good at Goodbye" Tony Martin, Troy Martin3:30
4."Bigger Man Than Me"Curtis Wayne2:51
5."Hollywood Squares" Larry Cordle, Wayland Patton, Jeff Tanguay2:43
6." What's Going On in Your World"David Chamberlain, Porter, Red Steagall3:28
7." Ace in the Hole"Dennis Adkins2:38
8." Love Without End, Amen"Barker3:07
9." Drinking Champagne" Bill Mack3:35
10." I've Come to Expect It from You" Buddy Cannon, Dillon3:45
11." If I Know Me"Pam Belford, Dillon2:42
12." You Know Me Better Than That"Anna Lisa Graham, Tony Haselden3:03
13." The Chill of an Early Fall"Green Daniel, Gretchen Peters3:32
14." Lovesick Blues" Cliff Friend, Irving Mills2:57
15."Milk Cow Blues" Kokomo Arnold5:12
16." Gone as a Girl Can Get"Jerry Max Lane3:16
17." So Much Like My Dad" Chips Moman, Buddy Emmons3:26
18."Trains Make Me Lonesome" Paul Overstreet, Thom Schuyler3:46
Disc four (1992–1995)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Wonderland of Love"Wayne2:56
2." I Cross My Heart" Steve Dorff, Eric Kaz3:31
3." Heartland"Dorff, John Bettis2:18
4." When Did You Stop Loving Me" Donny Kees, Monty Holmes2:50
5."Overnight Male"Richard Fagan, Kim Williams, Ron Harbin2:36
6."The King of Broken Hearts" Jim Lauderdale3:09
7."Where the Sidewalk Ends"Lauderdale, John Leventhal3:10
8." Easy Come, Easy Go"Barker, Dillon3:05
9." I'd Like to Have That One Back"Barker, Bill Shore, Rick West3:52
10." Lovebug"Kemp, Wayne2:51
11." The Man in Love with You"Dorff, Gary Harju3:23
12."Just Look at Me"Gerald Smith, Wayne3:10
13."Stay out of My Arms"Lauderdale2:36
14."Big Ball's in Cowtown" (features Asleep at the Wheel)Hoyle Nix2:42
15." The Big One" Gerry House, Devon O'Day2:10
16." Fly Me to the Moon" (duet with Frank Sinatra) Bart Howard2:10
17." Check Yes or No"Dana Hunt Black, Danny Wells3:20
18." I Know She Still Loves Me"Barker, Holmes3:07

Personnel

  • Tim Alexander – piano on "Big Ball's in Cowtown"
  • David Anthony – acoustic guitar
  • Ron Anthony – acoustic guitar
  • Joe Barnhill – acoustic guitar
  • Eddie Bayersdrums
  • Richard Bennett – acoustic guitar
  • Ray Benson – acoustic guitar and background vocals on "Big Ball's in Cowtown"
  • Chuck Berghofer – upright bass
  • Matt Betton – drums
  • George Binkley III – strings
  • Pete Bordonali – electric guitar
  • John David Boyle – strings
  • Clyde Brooks – drums
  • Ronnie Brooks – acoustic guitar
  • Larry Byrom – electric guitar
  • Sandra Callaway – background vocals
  • Buddy Cannon – background vocals
  • Jimmy Capps – acoustic guitar
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Cindy Cashdollarsteel guitar on "Big Ball's in Cowtown"
  • Marcy Cates – background vocals
  • Margie Cates – background vocals
  • Marvin Chantry – strings
  • Steve Chapman – acoustic guitar
  • Joe Chemay – bass guitar
  • Gene Chrisman – drums
  • Roy Christenson – strings
  • Virginia Christenson – strings
  • Doug Clements – background vocals
  • Mike Daily – steel guitar
  • Hank DeVito – steel guitar
  • Floyd Domino – piano
  • Steve Dorff – conductor, string arrangements
  • Glen Duncan – fiddle
  • Stuart Duncan – fiddle
  • Gene Elders – fiddle
  • Buddy Emmons – steel guitar
  • Mark Feldman – fiddle
  • Gregg Field – drums
  • Rito Figlio – background vocals
  • Phil Fisher – drums
  • Pat Flynn – acoustic guitar
  • Tom Foote – drums
  • Michael Francis – saxophone
  • Paul Franklin – steel guitar, dobro
  • Gregg Galbraith – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Sonny Garrish – dobro, steel guitar
  • Bob Golette – drums
  • Steve Gibson – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, hi-string acoustic guitar
  • Johnny Gimble – fiddle, mandolin
  • Emory Gordy Jr. – bass guitar
  • Carl Gorodetzky – strings
  • Ruben Gosfeld – steel guitar
  • Lennie Haight – strings
  • Rob Hajacos – fiddle
  • Owen Hale – drums
  • Terry Hale – bass guitar
  • Arlene Harden – background vocals
  • Bobby Harden – background vocals
  • Hoot Hester – fiddle
  • John Hobbs – keyboards
  • Jim Horn – saxophone
  • Ronnie Huckaby – piano
  • Sherilyn Huffman – background vocals
  • John Hughey – steel guitar
  • Mitch Humphries – keyboards
  • David Hungate – bass guitar
  • Leo Jackson – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • John Barlow Jarvis – piano
  • Gwen Kay – background vocals
  • Dave Kirby – acoustic guitar
  • Jerry Kroon – drums
  • Mike Leech – bass guitar
  • Larrie Londin – drums
  • Benny McArthur – electric guitar
  • Randy McCormick – piano
  • Wade McCurdy – background vocals
  • Rick McRae – electric guitar
  • Bill Mabry – fiddle
  • Liana Manis – background vocals
  • Steve Marsh – saxophone
  • Brent Mason – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Bill Miller – piano
  • David Miller – bass guitar on "Big Ball's in Cowtown"
  • Dennis Molchan – strings
  • Alan Moore – string arrangements
  • Bob Moore – upright bass
  • Weldon Myrick – steel guitar
  • Nashville String Machine – strings
  • Steve Nathan – piano, organ, synthesizer
  • Fred Newell – electric guitar
  • Jody Nix – background vocals on "Big Ball's in Cowtown"
  • Louis Dean Nunley – background vocals
  • Mark O'Connor – fiddle
  • Gary Van Osdale – strings
  • Pamela Van Osdale – strings
  • Larry Paxton – bass guitar
  • Leon Rhodes – bass guitar
  • Hargus "Pig" Robbins – keyboards
  • Judy Rodman – background vocals
  • Matt Rollings – piano
  • Jack Ross – bass guitar
  • Brent Rowan – electric guitar
  • David Sanger – drums on "Big Ball's in Cowtown"
  • Walter Schwede – strings
  • Randy Scruggs – acoustic guitar
  • Eldon Shamblin – electric guitar on "Big Ball's in Cowtown"
  • Donna Sheridan – background vocals
  • Jerry Shook – acoustic guitar
  • Frank Sinatra – vocals on "Fly Me to the Moon"
  • Leland Sklar – bass guitar
  • Buddy Spicher – fiddle
  • Harry Stinson – background vocals
  • George Strait – acoustic guitar, lead vocals, background vocals
  • Henry Strzelecki – bass guitar
  • Donald Teal – strings
  • Bobby Thompson – acoustic guitar
  • Hank Thompson – vocals on "Six Pack to Go"
  • Diane Tidwell – background vocals
  • Ricky Turpin – fiddle and mandolin on "Big Ball's in Cowtown"
  • Billy Joe Walker Jr. – electric guitar
  • Jamie Whiting – keyboards
  • Patrick Williams – conductor
  • Bobby Wood – keyboards
  • Stephanie Woolf – strings
  • Glenn Worf – bass guitar
  • Paul Yandell – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Chip Young – electric guitar
  • Curtis Young – background vocals
  • Reggie Young – electric guitar
  • Andrea Zonn – background vocals

Charts

References

  1. ^ a b c d Allmusic review
  2. ^ Entertainment Weekly review
  3. ^ Los Angeles Times review
  4. ^ Addison, Daryl (May 14, 2013). "GAC Album Review: George Strait's Love Is Everything". Great American Country. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  5. ^ "American album certifications – George Strait – Strait Out of the Box". Recording Industry Association of America.
  6. ^ Bjorke, Matt (October 9, 2019). "Top Country Catalog Album Sales: October 9, 2019". RoughStock. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  7. ^ "George Strait Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  8. ^ "George Strait Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
  9. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  10. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1996". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  11. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1996". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  12. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  13. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  14. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  15. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2021.

External links