Overview
Gene Watson's 'Reflections' album was
quite successful for the artist, yielding a number of hit singles; 'One
sided conversation’, 'Farewell party' & 'Pick the wildwood flower' all
reached the Top 10 of the American (Billboard) country music charts in
late 1978 & early 1979.
The 'Reflections' album also gained a release in the United Kingdom &
Ireland in June 1979. This release coincided with Gene Watson’s first
tour there in June-July of that year, during which he undertook an
extensive eighteen-date itinerary.
The 'Reflections' album is
a gentle collection of country music & features tracks that had been
selected with great care. Gene Watson has always had an enviable
knack of acquiring the most perfect material for his album releases & he
excelled himself with the release of 'Reflections'.
The album includes
Gene's stellar rendition of 'Farewell party', a highly emotional suicide
saga of unrequited love. 'Farewell party' would later become Gene’s
signature tune & the name of his touring band of musicians.
'Reflections' also includes the track ‘Pick the wildwood flower’.
Although written by songwriter Joe Allen, the song appears to be
slightly autobiographical in nature as it is the only song in Gene’s
country music repertoire that actually mentions his first name, which is
Gary. This song cleverly lets us into the private life of Gene
Watson, at least for the track's duration.
The
'Reflections' album was produced by Russ Reeder.
The 'Reflections' album was recorded at Jack Clement Studios, Nashville
where the Recording Engineer was Jim Williamson.
The 'Reflections' album achieved a
chart position of Number 23 on the
Billboard Top Country Album Chart in
1978.
'Reflections'
Capitol Records SW11805 (1979)
Track Listing
1 'One
sided conversation'
Written by Joe Allen
Published by
Joe Allen Music Inc. / BMI
2
'Take off them shoes'
*
Written by Joe Dougherty & Tom Ghent
Published by
Treaty of Ghent Publishing / ASCAP
3 'Farewell party'
Written by
Lawton Williams
Published by
Western Hills Music Inc. / BMI
4
'Let's give it up or get it on'
Written by Joe Allen
Published by
Joe Allen Music Inc. / BMI
5
'For the memories'
Written by Joe Allen
Published by
Tree Publishing
Company Inc. / BMI
6
'I
wonder how it is in Colorado' * •
Written by Joe Allen
Published by
Tree Publishing
Company Inc. / BMI
7
'Pick the wildwood flower'
Written by Joe Allen
Published by
Tree Publishing
Company Inc. / BMI
8
'I know what it's like in her arms'
Written by
Lola Jean Dillon
Published by
Coal Miners Music Inc. / BMI
9 'Mama sold roses' *
Written by Dallas Harms
Published by
Double Play Music / BMI
10
'I
don't know how to tell her' **
Written by B.
Fischer and
Sonny Throckmorton
Published by
Starburst Music / Tree Publishing Company Inc. /
ASCAP / BMI
Musician Credits
Rhythm Guitar & Lead Guitar:
Harold
Bradley
Steel Guitar:
Lloyd
Green
Piano: Hargus 'Pig' Robbins
Drums: Kenneth Malone
Rhythm & Acoustic Guitar: David Kirby (RIP)
Bass:
Joe Allen
Electric Guitar: Dale Sellers
Fiddle:
Norman 'Buddy' Spicher &
Tommy Williams
Electric Guitar & Lead Guitar: Jimmy Colvard
Background Vocals: 'The Nashville Edition'
(Hurshel Wiginton, Wendellyn Suits, Joseph Babcock & Dolores
Edgin) & Janie Fricke
'Take
off them shoes', 'I wonder how it is in Colorado' & 'Mama sold roses' (tracks indicated thus
*)
feature The Jordanaires (Louis Nunley,
Gordon Stoker, Hoyt Hawkins &
Neal Matthews) on background vocals.
'I don't know how to tell her
(she don't love me anymore)' (track indicated thus
**)
features The Nashville Edition, with Janie
Fricke on background vocals.
A
re-recorded version of 'I wonder how it is in Colorado' (track indicated
thus •)
can be found on the 'Gene Watson: Then & Now' album, which was released on Koch Records
Nashville in June 2005.
Gene
Watson is held in such high esteem by his fellow peers that 'Farewell
party' was recorded by a fellow country music artist some twenty-seven years
after Gene originally recorded the song.
Joe
Nichols, a native of Rogers, Arkansas included 'Farewell party' on his 'Revelation' album for
Universal South Records in 2004.
Joe Nichols also recorded Gene Watson's
'Should I Come Home (or should I go crazy)' & included the track on his 'Joe
Nichols III'
album, which was recorded for Universal South Records in 2005.
'Reflections'