Search - Jerry Jeff Walker :: Viva Terlingua

Jerry Jeff At His Best

Kurt Harding | Boerne TX | 06/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD really takes me back. I was fresh out of high school, working construction in Phoenix when this came out. One of the guys on the crew had this album and used to crank it up at parties after work. Something about it was mesmerizing. Though Viva Terlingua appeared in the efflorescence of the country-rock/outlaw music scene, it stood out from others of its type in that it really got listeners going. An evening with Viva Terlingua on the turntable often resulted in a mass sing-a-long and howl-in of drunken and stoned revelers.
In addition to the great music, the photos in the album jacket made Texas seem a mighty appealing place to one who hadn't been there. So in 1975, I made a pilgrimage to Luckenbach from Phoenix by hitch-hiking and met all kinds of fine Texas folk including Walker who happened to be there playing dominoes that day. Today, I live less than 30 miles from Luckenbach, but the town itself has been spoiled in my view by a non-stop swarm of tourists who followed on the success of the Waylon Jennings/Willie Nelson song about the town.
Now back to the music. Not only did Walker bring wide fame to himself with this classic, he jumpstarted the careers of two fellow Texans (Gary P Nunn and Ray Wylie Hubbard) by covering one song written by each. In addition to the rowdy Hubbard classic Up Against The Wall, Redneck Mother, Jerry Jeff made Nunn's London Homesick Blues one of Texas' most famous songs. There are few people of my generation here who cannot sing at least the refrain.
If those two songs were the only worthwhile songs on the album, then they would earn it a five-star rating by themselves. But there are other great songs here, no less unforgettable. My "best of the rest" are the rollicking Gettin' By and Sangria Wine and the sad and thought-provoking Wheel and Desperadoes Waiting For A Train. Other songs are great, too. Jerry Jeff's vocals are animated, and the band seems that its really caught up in the spirit of the moment.
Viva Terlingua is one of the most important albums of its age and genre, epitomizing the gonzo spirit of the Texas Outlaw music movement. And it features Jerry Jeff Walker at his best.
This is a CD that can be enjoyed by anyone who likes good music regardless of whether or not they like country music in general. I used to play this for hard-rock fan friends whenever I went home from Phoenix to hometown San Diego for a visit. They were skeptics until I put it on. Then they became fans.
If you do not yet own this recording in some form, you owe it to yourself to pick it up. You won't be disappointed."

The Essential Jerry Jeff Walker Album

markmulligan@hotmail.com | Phoenix | 07/04/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is Jerry Jeff's finest hour. At his pinnacle in the early 70's backed by the Lost Gonzo Band, you will find these songs agreeably stuck in your head after the CD is over. Among the great songs: "Gettin' By", "Little Bird", "Get it Out", "Sangria Wine", are even better songs. Everybody's heard "Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother," but advance the CD player to Gary P. Nunn's "London Home Sick Blues" for the rousing anthem of Austin City Limits--it will make you feel like your "back in that place." Finally, "Desperados Waiting for the Train" may well be Walker's greatest song--better than Mr. Bojangles. It may tear your heart out. No Jerry Jeff fan can be without this album."

Hi Buckaroos!

TundraVision | o/~ from the Land of Sky Blue Waters o/~ | 07/15/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

".
"It's Scamp Walker time again!" And with those words, JJW kicks off one of the essential albums of all time (well, at least essential to the times of my life ;-) Once upon a time, a long, long time ago - in a land far, far away, I used to crank up the stereo - remember stereos? - with those heavy vinyl discs that went around at 33 1/3 rpm? - with this hymn just before walking out the door to do battle with final exams: "Just gettin by on gettin by's my stock in trade - livin it day to day, pickin up the pieces wherever they fall. ...Just living my life easy come easy go." I am glad I got this on CD! Ain't Modern Technology wonderful? Those old fashioned turn-tables just jumped and scratched all over the place when one tried to play a record whilst driving the pick up truck! OK, everybody sing now:
He was born in Oklahoma
& his wife's name is Betty Lou Thelma Liz
& he's not responsible for what he's doing
`cause his mother made him what he is.
...
M is for the mudflaps you gimme for my pickup truck
O is for the oil I put on my hair
T is for T-bird [in this live at Terlingua concert version]
H is for Haggard
E is for eggs and
R is for REDNECK!!!
in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA"Gotta put myself back in that place..."Listening to this JJW retro makes me "wanna go home with the armadillo.""