Garage Sale Vinyl: Tanya Tucker
Greatest Hits / CBS / January 1975
by Christopher Long
What a freak out, man! It was 1972 when this wholesome-looking little 14-year-old girl from the trailer park popped onto the scene, belting out authentic honky tonk tunes with all the raspy sass and conviction of a seasoned pro who’d done some hard living. And in just three years, Tanya Tucker would become one of the biggest names in country music.
But by the late ’70s, Tucker had snapped an axle, hitting a curb while swerving into the rock and roll fast lane. Her notorious relationship with crossover music superstar Glen Campbell became so toxic that by Tucker’s own admission, the Rhinestone Cowboy knocked her teeth out. Dude, that’s some seriously messed-up, hardcore shit right there!
After cooling down in the early ’80s, Tucker’s career would heat back up, hotter than ever, in the mid-‘80s — an impressive streak that would run another 15 years. While I really loved Tucker’s post-‘80s work, I remain particularly fond of her early ’70s chartbusters. So I was amped to snatch up this well-loved vinyl gem at Little Big Store, an incredible used joint I discovered while on a recent excursion through Mississippi.
Truth be told, I still can’t stand “Delta Dawn.” Fortunately, this otherwise fat-free, ten-track collection of Tucker’s ‘72-‘74 hits IS packed with plenty of personal picks, including “Blood Red and Goin’ Down,” “What’s Your Mama’s Name,” and the classic David Allan Coe-penned “Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone).”
In sum, for unapologetic, drooling disciples (like me), this one is a must-have. And I scored it for just six bucks!
5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tanya Tucker Greatest Hits Track List
SIDE ONE
1. Delta Dawn (L. Collins, A. Harvey) – 2:52
2. Blood Red and Goin’ Down (C. Putman) – 3:02
3. The Jamestown Ferry (B. Borchers, M. Vickery) – 2:53
4. What’s Your Mama’s Name (E. Montgomery, D. Frazier) – 2:55
5. I Believe the South Is Gonna Rise Again (B. Braddock) – 3:01
SIDE TWO
1. Would You Lay with Me In a Field of Stone (D. A. Coe) – 2:23
2. Love’s the Answer (E. Mitchell, N. Wilson) – 2:34
3. Rainy Girl (T. Tucker, C. Hancock) – 2:29
4. No Man’s Land (Don Wayne) – 3:37
5. The Man That Turned My Mama On (E. Bruce) – 2:54
