Almost Blue

Packaging and artwork

Album cover was designed by Barney Bubbles. The design is an homage to the 1963 Blue Note album Midnight Blue by Kenny Burrell. Many versions of the artwork were made, with slightly different base colours.

It originally appeared with a warning label that read "WARNING: This album contains country & western music and may cause offence to narrow minded listeners". An alternative label read "WARNING! This album contains country & western music and may produce radical reaction in narrow minded people".

Side one

1. "Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used to Do)?" (Hank Williams) – 1:40
2. "Sweet Dreams" (Don Gibson) – 3:00
3. "Success" (Johnny Mullins) – 2:41
4. "I'm Your Toy" (Gram Parsons, Chris Ethridge) – 3:23
5. "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down" (Merle Haggard) – 2:09
6. "Brown to Blue" (George Jones, Virginia Franks, Country Johnny Mathis) – 2:40

Side two

1. "Good Year for the Roses" (Jerry Chesnut) – 3:10
2. "Sittin' and Thinkin'" (Charlie Rich) – 3:02
3. "Colour of the Blues" (Lawton Williams, George Jones) – 2:21
4. "Too Far Gone" (Billy Sherrill) – 3:28
5. "Honey Hush" (Lou Willie Turner) – 2:15
6. "How Much I've Lied" (Gram Parsons, Pam Rifkin) – 2:55

Note: The Rykodisc version has the original tracks and bonus tracks on one CD. The Rhino version has two CDs with the original tracks on the first CD.

Bonus tracks (1994 Rykodisc)

1. "He's Got You" (Live) (Hank Cochran) – 4:07
2. "Cry! Cry! Cry!" (Live) (Johnny Cash) – 2:45
3. "There Won't Be Anymore" (Live) (Charlie Rich) – 2:23
4. "Sittin' and Thinkin'" (Live) (Charlie Rich) – 2:55
5. "Honey Hush" (Live) (Lou Willie Turner) – 2:31
6. "Psycho" (Live) (Leon Payne) – 3:36
7. "Your Angel Steps Out of Heaven" (Jack Ripley) – 1:58
8. "Darling, You Know I Wouldn't Lie" (Wayne Kemp, Red Lane) – 2:37
9. "My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You" (Lee Ross, Bob Wills) – 2:04
10. "Tears Before Bedtime" (Early Version) (Costello) – 2:27
11. "I'm Your Toy" (Live) (Gram Parsons, Chris Ethridge) – 3:49

Bonus disc (2004 Rhino)

All songs written by Costello unless noted.

1. "Stranger in the House" (duet with George Jones) – 3:39
2. "We Ought to Be Ashamed" (duet with Johnny Cash) (George James, Earl Montgomery) – 2:47
3. "Radio Sweetheart" (Live) – 3:15
4. "Stranger in the House" (Live) – 3:56
5. "Psycho" (Live) (Leon Payne) – 3:35
6. "If I Could Put Them All Together (I'd Have You)" (Live) (Even Stevens) – 2:28
7. "Motel Matches" (Live) – 2:21
8. "He'll Have to Go" (Live) (Joe Allison, Audrey Allison) – 2:51
9. "Girls Talk" (Live) – 1:46
10. "Too Far Gone" (Lost Session version) (Billy Sherrill) – 3:11
11. "He's Got You" (Lost Session version) (Hank Cochran) – 3:51
12. "Honky Tonk Girl" (Loretta Lynn) – 2:26
13. "That's Why I'm Walking" (Melvin Endsley, Stonewall Jackson) – 2:22
14. "Wondering" (Joe Werner) – 2:21
15. "Darling, You Know I Wouldn't Lie" (Wayne Kemp, Red Lane) – 2:37
16. "My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You" (Lee Ross, Bob Wills) – 2:04
17. "Blues Keep Calling" (Janis Martin) – 2.07
18. "Tears Before Bedtime" (Early Version) – 2:27
19. "Psycho" (Leon Payne) – 3:32
20. "Cry, Cry, Cry" (Johnny Cash) – 2:45
21. "I'll Take Care of You" (Brook Benton) – 3:11
22. "Your Angel Steps Out of Heaven" (Jack Ripley) – 1:59
23. "Brand New Heartache" (Live) (Felice Bryant, Boudleaux Bryant) – 2:29
24. "There Won't Be Anymore" (Live) (Charlie Rich) – 2:32
25. "Sittin' and Thinkin'" (Live) (Charlie Rich) – 2:51
26. "Honey Hush" (Live) (Lou Willie Turner) – 2:30
27. "I'm Your Toy" (Live) (Gram Parsons, Chris Ethridge) – 4:01

Personnel

Charts

Album