Gene Watson's 'Matters of the Heart' (HumpHead Country, 2008)

'Matters Of The Heart'
Hump Head Country HUMP 044 (2008)

'Matters Of The Heart' was officially released by Hump Head Country on Monday 11 August 2008; the record label was based in Leatherhead, Surrey, England.

'Matters Of The Heart' discography information is presented on the Gene Watson Fan Site for educational purposes only and no infringement of copyright is intended.

About 'Matters Of The Heart'...

Album Sleeve Notes
'Whenever country music aficionados discuss the genre's best traditional male vocalists, Gene Watson's name is among those that suffice, along with the likes of George Jones, Vern Gosdin (Sunday 5 August 1934 - Tuesday 28 April 2009) and Merle Haggard.

One of the most consistent hit-makers of the 1970s and 1980s, his breakthrough single, 'Love In The Hot Afternoon', made number 3 in the US country charts in 1975 and launched a successful run that included 21 top ten singles, among them 'Where Love Begins', 'Farewell Party', 'Fourteen Carat Mind', 'This Dream's On Me', 'Paper Rosie', 'What She Don't Know Won't Hurt Her' and 'Sometimes I Get Lucky And Forget'.

One of country music's all-time finest singers and performers, in his voice is all the ache of existence. His speciality is songs of heartbreak, unrequited love and regret. There are people who sing songs...and then there are the singers' singers.

Gene Watson is in that elite class. He not only possesses a potent set of pipes, but an unerring song sense. The songs from writers like Joe Allen, Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 - Saturday 17 April 2004), Tom T. Hall, Buzz Rabin and Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 - Sunday 3 March 2002) included here are mainly lesser known classic country songs. Though some made it as hit singles, many more were hidden away on albums, but all are well worth listening to again and again.

Among their best creations are 'Maybe I Should Have Been Listening', 'The Girl I Used To Run Around On', 'Baby Me Baby', 'Three' and 'Come Back Home'. The by-word of all those songs are meaningful lyrics that get to the very heart and soul of human emotions and relationship issues.

Among the genuine hits here are 'Fourteen Carat Mind', a country chart-topper from 1982 in which Watson's voice masterfully pierces the music with strong effect, ranging from redneck rawness to sensuous sensitivity. 'What She Don't Know Won't Hurt Her' which made the top ten in 1983 is poignantly understated and Watson's vocals wring every drop of emotion out of this well-written ballad about a man realising that his cheating is hurting him more than he can stand.

There was a time, some twenty-odd years ago, when Gene was the lone torch carrier for solid traditional Texas honky-tonk music. Whilst everybody around him were drowning the music in lavish strings and getting all dressed up like Urban Cowboys, he was quietly going about his business of performing the real thing. He is still out there singing peerless country music. For no one, but no one, can sing a country song like the Watson man can. He has survived enough fads to know not to follow them. 'Oh, man, I've come through everything - the pop-country thing, the rhinestone cowboys, the Outlaw movement', he declares. 'But I never altered my style. I just sing good country music and try to give fans their money's worth'.

Alan Cackett (Maverick Country, Editor)

Overview

'Matters Of The Heart' (Hump Head Country, 2008) is a 20-track compilation, which celebrates Gene Watson's successful five-year (1980-1985) country music career at MCA Records.

'Matters Of The Heart' (Hump Head Country, 2008) is a twenty track compilation, which includes tracks taken from four of Gene Watson's MCA Records albums; 'Between This Time & The Next Time' (MCA Records, 1981), 'Old Loves Never Die' (MCA Records, 1981), 'This Dream's on Me' (MCA Records, 1982) and 'Sometimes I Get Lucky' (MCA Records, 1983).

Of the twenty tracks included on 'Matters Of The Heart' (Hump Head Country, 2008), twelve of the tracks appear on CD for the first time, namely the following:

5 'You Sure Make Cheatin' Seem Easy'
6 'You're Just Another Beer Drinkin' Song'
7 'The Girl I Used To Run Around On'
8 'Til Melinda Comes Around'
9 'Roads And Other Reasons'
10 'Old Loves Never Die'
14 'Lonely Me'
15 'From Cotton To Satin'
16 'Three'
17 'Come Back Home'
18 'Somethin' 'Bout' Bein' Gone'
19 'Thinkin' 'Bout Leaving'

The original version of 'Baby Me Baby' (track number 11) had not appeared on CD before, although Gene Watson re-recorded the track and included it on 'Gene Watson: Then & Now' (Koch Records Nashville, 2005).

The original version of 'If I Were You, I'd Fall In Love With Me' (track number 13) has not appeared on CD before, although Gene Watson re-recorded the track and included it on 'Gene Watson: Then & Now' (Koch Records Nashville, 2005).

'Matters Of The Heart'
Hump Head Country HUMP 044 (2008)

1 'Fourteen Carat Mind'
Writers: Dallas Frazier and Larry Lee
Publishers: Acuff-Rose Publications Inc. (BMI)

'Fourteen Carat Mind' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Old Loves Never Die' (MCA Records, 1981).

Gene Watson re-recorded 'Fourteen Carat Mind' and included the track on 'Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits' (Fourteen Carat Music, 2012).

2 'Sometimes I Get Lucky And Forget'
Writers: Ernie Rowell and Bob House
Publishers: Blue Creek Music / Booth & Watson Music / On the House Music (BMI)

'Sometimes I Get Lucky And Forget' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Sometimes I Get Lucky' (MCA Records, 1983).

Gene Watson re-recorded 'Sometimes I Get Lucky And Forget' and included the track on 'Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits' (Fourteen Carat Music, 2012).

3 'Maybe I Should Have Been Listening'
Writer: Buzz Rabin
Publishers: Screen Gems-EMI Music Inc. (BMI)

'Maybe I Should Have Been Listening' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Between This Time & The Next Time' (MCA Records, 1981).

4 'What She Don't Know Won't Hurt Her'
Writers: Dave Lindsey and Ernie Rowell
Publishers: Booth and Watson Music / Crosstimbers Music / Blue Creek Music (BMI)

'What She Don't Know Won't Hurt Her' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'This Dream's on Me' (MCA Records, 1982).

Gene Watson re-recorded 'What She Don't Know Won't Hurt Her' and included the track on 'Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits' (Fourteen Carat Music, 2012).

5 'You Sure Make Cheatin' Seem Easy'
Writers: Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 - Saturday 17 April 2004) and Warren Robb
Publishers: Millstone Music Company / Baray Music Inc. (BMI)
This track appears on CD for the first time

'You Sure Make Cheatin' Seem Easy' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'This Dream's on Me' (MCA Records, 1982).

6 'You're Just Another Beer Drinkin' Song'
Writers: Warren Robb and Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 - Saturday 17 April 2004)
Publishers: Millstone Music Company (ASCAP) / Baray Music Inc. (BMI)
This track appears on CD for the first time

'You're Just Another Beer Drinkin' Song' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Sometimes I Get Lucky' (MCA Records, 1983).

7 'The Girl I Used To Run Around On'
Writer: Joe Allen
Publishers: Tree Publishing Company Inc. (BMI)
This track appears on CD for the first time

'The Girl I Used To Run Around On' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Old Loves Never Die' (MCA Records, 1981).

8 'Til Melinda Comes Around'
Writer: Glenn Ray
Publishers: Gator Music (SESAC)
This track appears on CD for the first time

'Til Melinda Comes Around' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Old Loves Never Die' (MCA Records, 1981).

9 'Roads And Other Reasons'
Writer: Buzz Rabin
Publishers: Window Music Publishing Company Inc. (BMI)
This track appears on CD for the first time

'Roads And Other Reasons' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Old Loves Never Die' (MCA Records, 1981).

10 'Old Loves Never Die'
Writers: Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 - Saturday 17 April 2004) and Warren Robb
Publishers: Millstone Music / Baray Music Inc. (ASCAP/BMI)
This track appears on CD for the first time

'Old Loves Never Die' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Old Loves Never Die' (MCA Records, 1981).

11 'Baby Me Baby'
Writer: Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 - Sunday 3 March 2002)
Publishers: Harlan Howard Songs / Tree Publishing Company Inc. (BMI)

'Baby Me Baby' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'This Dream's on Me' (MCA Records, 1982).

12 'You Waltzed Yourself Right Into My Life'
Writer: Ron Moore
Publishers: Low Ball Music Inc. (BMI)

'You Waltzed Yourself Into My Life' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Sometimes I Get Lucky' (MCA Records, 1983).

13 'If I Were You, I'd Fall In Love With Me'
Writers: Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 - Saturday 17 April 2004) and Warren Robb
Publishers: Almarie Music (BMI) / Millstone Music Company (ASCAP)

'If I Were You, I'd Fall In Love With Me' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Sometimes I Get Lucky' (MCA Records, 1983).

14 'Lonely Me'
Writer: Larry Booth
Publishers: Booth & Watson Music (BMI)
This track appears on CD for the first time

'Lonely Me' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Old Loves Never Die' (MCA Records, 1981).

15 'From Cotton To Satin'
Writer: David Chamberlain and Jim Vest
Publishers: Column One Music (ASCAP)
This track appears on CD for the first time

'From Cotton To Satin' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'This Dream's on Me' (MCA Records, 1982).

16 'Three'
Writer: Tom T. Hall
Publishers: Newkeys Music Inc. (BMI)
This track appears on CD for the first time

'Three' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Between This Time & The Next Time' (MCA Records, 1981).

17 'Come Back Home'
Writers: Joe Allen and Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 - Saturday 17 April 2004)
Publishers: Joe Allen Music Inc. (BMI)
This track appears on CD for the first time

'Come Back Home' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Between This Time & The Next Time' (MCA Records, 1981).

18 'Somethin' 'Bout' Bein' Gone'
Writer: Buzz Rabin
Publishers: Screen Gems-EMI Music Inc. (BMI)
This track appears on CD for the first time

'Somethin' 'Bout' Bein' Gone' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'This Dream's on Me' (MCA Records, 1982).

19 'Thinkin' 'Bout Leaving'
Writers: Randy Albright, Mark D. Sanders and Butch Paulson
Publishers: Milene Music (ASCAP)
This track appears on CD for the first time

'Thinkin' 'Bout Leaving' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'Sometimes I Get Lucky' MCA Records, 1983).

20 'This Dream's On Me'
Writer: Fred Koller
Publishers: Coal Miners Music Inc. (BMI)

'This Dream's On Me' was originally included on Gene Watson's 'This Dream's on Me' MCA Records, 1982).

Gene Watson re-recorded 'This Dream's On Me' and included the track on 'Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits' (Fourteen Carat Music, 2012).

Read a CMP review of Gene Watson's 'Matters of the Heart'
The review, which was written by Al Moir, was published in the November 2008 issue of the United Kingdom monthly publication Country Music People.

'Matters of the Heart'
Hump Head Country HUMP 044 (2008)

This album was mastered from vinyl LPs and everything was done to eliminate any noise imperfections.

Thank you to Alan Cackett, Sarah Brosmer and Sean Brady for helping to put this album together.