Old No. 1

Decent country LP that wasn't exactly groundbreaking for its time when it dropped in the '70s considering the historical context, though it's a solid enough listen. Waffled on this one a bit, but Texas features prominently and that's where I'm from so I will give it an additional star.

This country album is a good listen. It's not groundbreaking, but excellent musicians, nice lyrics and decent songs. Just a bit little middle of the road and never urgent or surprising.

A real forgotten classic of lyricism and country. A nicely crafted album that is concise and complex while also being something that is enjoyable and having a few songs that have endless replay value. LA Freeway is a fantastic song and this album is always a good listen. 8.0/10

I'm not a Country fan, but I appreciate the excellent lyricism on this album. I also think the original list would have benefit from a couple of extra Country albums, so this is a good suggestion.

Wow just a great fuckin album top to botton. Guy is my guy

I can get down with this good country

The user albums list rocks, because on one hand, I want to write this off as one of the most bland and generic Country albums I've ever heard in my life, but on the other hand, there's somebody out there who went through 3 years of a list with humongous Country over-representation, said "nah actually, you missed one", then submitted this. Anyways, this was one of the most bland and generic Country albums i've ever heard in my life.

Excellent… this list has plenty of room for some of the classic greats of country and Guy Clark seems to qualify. Seemed vaguely familiar at times and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn I’ve listened to this somewhere in my past. Terrific!

Superbly written album. Desperados is a brilliant song

Good stuff. Found myself tapping my toes and interested in the story telling.

Solid old timey country, with all the usual associated pluses and minuses that implies. More of the pluses and less of the minuses, actually. Love the cover art. Can't wrap my head around that voice coming from that ungrizzled person. Anyway, if you enjoy a good simile, this is the album for you!

This is some pretty good, pretty simple country. Not too heavy on the folk, but bearable when it does dip its toes in. 4/5.

Just solid outlaw Country here. Good writing, well performed and great, understated use of backing vocals. A lot of the lyrics are maybe a little on the nose - typical of this idiom there is not much subtlety. But I can be there for perfectly straightforward for an LP.

Good stuff. It’s funny, I absolutely hate modern country like Toby Keith and all that other bullshit, but stuff like this I love. Thanks for adding this to the list!

Oh, Guy Clark, very nice. Classic country of the outlaw variety. Earthy, easygoing, excellent songwriting. So much to enjoy here. Heck of a backing band there, by the way. When you've got Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earl and Sammi Smith singing backup for you, you're doing something right. Fave Songs: L.A. Freeway, Rita Ballou, Desperados Waiting for a Train, A Nickel for the Fiddler, Like a Coat from the Cold, Let Him Roll

I feel like I’m in an old Hill Country bbq joint. This one has as much right to be on the main list as anything by Gram.

Cool Texas country from a time long gone by.

Some of the best country artists started out as songwriters for bigger Nashville stars. Clark's credits can be found in the likes of Townes Van Zandt, David Allan Coe, and Everly Brothers records. While he never made the biggest splash as an artist himself, Guy Clark's contributions to other artists made him a cornerstone of the country music community. Comparable to the great Kristofferson (also not on the original list!), Clark is the epitome of great country with the soul of a genuine singer-songwriter. Songs like LA Freeway and Texas – 1947 whisk me away to a different place and time; a testament to Clark's penmanship and performance. The great thing about country music is that there's a whole hidden world of musicianship to be found, like bugs under a log. Dare to explore the finer things. CONTENDER FOR THE LIST: Yessiree add it!

One struggles to get too excited about this guy, who's such a songwriters' songwriter as to seem invisible to amateur appreciators. One hears only one transcendent line (the one about "getting killed or caught") , but many others seems willfully odd or just short or sideways of scanning properly. There's no doubting the old-school authenticity: he seems so DIY and rough around the edges, as well as given to somewhat silly jokes and puns, as to be John Prine-lite or a poor man's version of same. Great album cover. Guy Clark could definitely fill one of the spots wasted on say, Scott Walker, or even Bowie or Nick Cave, and the list would be slightly improved – though only very slightly. One's rounding up on one's own personal scorecard is meant as a gesture of recognition of the likelihood that he deserved better (but of course than can be said of so many artists).

good ole country

Hard to see what is special about this. Some generally up-tempo country storyteller vibe. Some fine songs, and maybe Let Him Roll was racy for the times, but nothing that makes this a really compelling gap from the original list.

Old macdonald had guy clark, he was number one

Rating: 6/10

Typical old school country music. Good singing voice, easy listening music

3 Got nothing to say about this album

Outlaw Country, Progressive country. Ni fu ni fa.

Ngl I barely remember this past thinking that it was some pretty good country music and that the Wikipedia page sounded self written.

Witty country

Old country is still a million times better than modern pop schlock country.

I like me a bit of country and I enjoyed hearing the originals of some songs done by more well known artists. But by the end I was countried out I’m afraid.

July 20, 2025 HL: "L.A. Freeway", "She Ain't Going Nowhere", "Desperadoes Waiting For a Train" Solid

It feels more "western" than "country," if such a distinction even exists. Old No. 1 feels like saloon stories told with quiet grit and a well-worn acoustic. Guy Clark has a knack for simple, well-crafted songwriting that doesn’t ask for attention. It’s not a favourite, but it’s far more listenable than most of the country that made the original list. Respectable, even if it won’t be on repeat.

Better than a lot of the country albums on the actual list. It’s very decent with a few songs being great even - e.g. “That Old Time Feeling” and “Desperados Waiting For A Train”.

Run of the mill country with great lyrics and an all around pleasant listen. Really enjoyed 'That Old Time Feeling'.

Country right? Country for REAL. It makes things a bit tough for me to enjoy, but I'll assume that it is some kind of classic that was missing in the original list and save my 1-star for worse things.

This was fine

Not bad but so samey in my mind to so many 70s American singers.

I'm not a country fan, but it was nice enough.

Uninteresting country.

Not a country fan so take it all with a grain of salt: it's deep 70s simple country with emphasis on the pedal steel guitar which always turns me off - i.e. it's just not my thing. BUT...I kinda feel like I might have actually liked this a bit more with a different singer - there's not that huge a difference between this and a lot of what was popular in the pop/rock/country blur back then. The voice is too ... idk, Texas? Just a preference, sorry Guy. 4/10 2 stars.

I was sick of all the country albums on the original list, sorry this one didn’t have a chance.