Honky Tonk Masquerade

Critical acclaim

Ely's second album has been highly regarded by critics around the world. It was included in the 2005 book, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Writer Steve Pond places the album at number 40 on Rolling Stone's list of "50 Essential Albums of the 70s", calling it "the decade's most sure-footed country-rock collaboration". Pond places the album in the same class as such 1970s "country landmarks" as Guy Clark's Old No. 1, Willie Nelson's Red Headed Stranger, and Terry Allen's Lubbock (On Everything). In addition, New Zealand critic Fred Muller places the album on his list of the top ten "best albums of the rock era".

LP track listing

All songs by Joe Ely; except as indicated.

Side one

1. "Cornbread Moon" – 3:29
2. "Because of the Wind" – 4:02
3. "Boxcars" (Butch Hancock) – 4:03
4. "Jericho (Your Walls Must Come Tumbling Down)" (Butch Hancock) – 2:54
5. "Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown" (Jimmie Dale Gilmore, John Reed) – 2:12

Side two

1. "Honky Tonk Masquerade" – 3:46
2. "I'll Be Your Fool" – 2:52
3. "Fingernails" – 2:13
4. "West Texas Waltz" (Butch Hancock) – 5:03
5. "Honky Tonkin'" (Hank Williams) – 3:27

Personnel

Credits as listed in liner notes.

Musicians

Production

Artwork

Releases

In 2000, a remastered edition of Ely's first two albums (Joe Ely and Honky Tonk Masquerade) were released together on a single disk. Dirty Linen reported that this disk was especially worth seeking out since it was (at least at the time), "the only place on two continents you can get Ely's debut". The reviewer described Ely's first two albums together: "Ely's self-titled effort and HTM are a bit leaner than most of his other honky-tonk rockers, with a bit more piano than electric guitar backing his lonesome warble -- dry and forceful as the wind whistling through Waco."