Roger Miller Mood

Roger Miller - Leavin's Not the Only Way to Go.

I've been on a country music kick for the past couple of days. It happens a couple times a year that I dig in and listen to some particular artists/albums. Tom T. Hall, Johnny Paycheck, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and the great Roger Miller, just to name a few. I was introduced to Miller's music when I heard R.E.M. (of all bands) cover "King of the Road" on their covers/rarities album, Dead Letter Office. I had heard it as a kid of course, but that's the first time I really "listened" to it. I had also heard "Dang Me", "Chug-a-Lug", etc... for years, but always just thought of them as, you know, the "funny" songs. Well, when I was in my first years of college my roommates and I re-listened to Roger Miller from a new place ... that place you go when you're 18 and your heart gets broken, your dreams get smashed up a bit, and you sink into the couch listening to the "sad-stuff".

Well, Roger Miller was a multi-talented player, singer, and one of the best tellers of the human heart, taking sometimes biting pain and making it accessible, be it with humor or straight-ahead sad-sack country music. The above song was included on the "Big River" soundtrack, which I never really listened to much. But when I saw this video I had to share it. It's great, and gives a little light into an informal Roger Miller. Nice.

Also, for you download pleasure, here is a collection of Miller's more heartbreaking stuff, "Country Tunesmith". Thanks to MyTapeUpInHere.

Roger Miller - Country Tunesmith - DL