Hot Dog!

This article is about album. For the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song, see Hot Dog! (song).
Hot Dog!
Studio album by
Buck Owens
ReleasedNovember 16, 1988[1]
StudioMaximus
GenreCountry, rockabilly
LabelCapitol[2]
ProducerJim Shaw
Buck Owens chronology
Our Old Mansion
(1977) 		Hot Dog!
(1988) 		Act Naturally
(1989)

Hot Dog! is an album by the American musician Buck Owens, released in 1988.[3] It was Owens's first studio album since deciding in 1979 to quit the music business.[4] The first single was the title track, which Owens had originally recorded under the name Corky Jones.[5] Owens shot a video for the single.[6]

The album peaked at No. 37 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.[7] Owens supported it with a 1989 North American tour.[8]

Production

Partly recorded in Fresno, the album was produced by Jim Shaw.[9][1] "Under Your Spell Again" is performed as a duet with Dwight Yoakam.[9] Hot Dog! contains covers of "Summertime Blues" and "Memphis".[10] "A-11" is a cover of the Hank Cochran song; "The Key's in the Mailbox" was written by Harlan Howard.[11][12] "Second Fiddle" is a version of Owens's first charting single.[13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Robert ChristgauB+[15]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[16]
Houston Chronicle[17]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[18]
Windsor StarA[11]

Robert Christgau admired the "emotion and commitment" of some of the songs.[15] USA Today praised the "group of rejuvenated rockabilly classics like 'Summertime Blues', 'Put a Quarter in the Jukebox' and 'Keys in the Mailbox'."[19] The Houston Chronicle wrote that the album "is not without its charms ... Owens is still in fine voice."[17]

The Advocate concluded that Hot Dog! "sounds a bit tentative, but that might be expected after many years of semi-retirement... He can still write good songs, and that voice is unmistakable."[20] The Kingston Whig-Standard noted that Owens "attacks each song with zest but at the same time stays within the parameters of traditional country music."[21] The Los Angeles Times stated that Owens's "off-center phrasing always keeps his structurally simple songs of heartbreak and loss musically fresh."[22]

AllMusic wrote that "this isn't one of Owens' best albums by a long shot, but it is a fun session."[14]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Don't Let Her Know" 
2."A-11" 
3."Summertime Blues" 
4."Memphis" 
5."Hot Dog" 
6."Put a Quarter in the Jukebox" 
7."Under Your Spell Again" 
8."Second Fiddle" 
9."Sweethearts in Heaven" 
10."The Key's in the Mailbox" 

References

  1. ^ a b Sisk, Eileen (September 8, 2010). Buck Owens: The Biography. Chicago Review Press.
  2. ^ Thompson, Dave (April 2, 2019). Goldmine Record Album Price Guide. Penguin.
  3. ^ McCall, Michael; Rumble, John; Kingsbury, Paul (December 16, 2004). The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press.
  4. ^ Beck, Marilyn (January 24, 1989). "On the Road Again". Orange County Register. p. F4.
  5. ^ Hughes, Will (October 9, 1988). "Buck Owens Returns to Top of the Country". Times Union. Albany. p. H1.
  6. ^ Morris, Edward (Oct 8, 1988). "'Hot Dog'!: Buck Owens Is Back". Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 41. p. 36.
  7. ^ "Buck Owens". Billboard.
  8. ^ Hurst, Hawkeye (November 20, 1988). "Buck Owens, Dwight Yoakam Struck Up a Red-Hot Match". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 12.
  9. ^ a b Robison, Ken (September 30, 1988). "Ol' Buck Joins Country's Young Bucks". The Fresno Bee. p. D1.
  10. ^ Rowe, Norman (January 15, 1989). "Buck Owens Returns with Album of Country Classics". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. K13.
  11. ^ a b Whitaker, David (14 Jan 1989). "Hot Dog!: Buck Owens". Windsor Star. p. C2.
  12. ^ Mackie, John (21 Jan 1989). "Buck Owens, Hot Dog". Vancouver Sun. p. E2.
  13. ^ Dudley, Wendy (12 Jan 1989). "Buck Owens: Hot Dog!". Calgary Herald. p. E4.
  14. ^ a b "Buck Owens Hot Dog!". AllMusic.
  15. ^ a b "Buck Owens". Robert Christgau.
  16. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 364.
  17. ^ a b Claypool, Bob (January 1, 1989). "Records". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 9.
  18. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 525.
  19. ^ Zimmerman, Dave (December 28, 1988). "Country". USA Today. p. 2D.
  20. ^ Gilbert, Calvin (January 13, 1989). "First Owens album in a decade shows promise". Fun. The Advocate. p. 2.
  21. ^ Burliuk, Greg (January 14, 1989). "Hot Dog! Buck Owens". Magazine. The Kingston Whig-Standard.
  22. ^ Lewis, Randy (13 Dec 1988). "Buck Owens Makes Old Ballads Sound New". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 2.