Someday We'll Look Back

Recording and Composition

The album is best remembered for the #1 hit "Carolyn," which had been written by Haggard's friend and mentor Tommy Collins. Haggard had his doubts that the pop-tinged ballad was right for him, as Collins explains in the liner notes to the 1994 Haggard retrospective Down Every Road, "He said, 'It's just not for me. It's not country enough or something.' And the only time I ever said this to Merle was at this time. I said, 'Would you give it a try?' And (co-producer) Lewis Talley said, 'Hey, you oughta cut that song. That's a hit.'" Haggard also returns to the theme of the plight of the working poor on "One Row at a Time," "California Cotton Fields," and the self-penned "Tulare Dust," a song that led music journalist Daniel Cooper to observe in 1994, "Merle has often driven home the point that life is hard, but he's never driven it with quite so few words as he does in 'Tulare Dust.'" The LP's title track was another Top 5 hit, peaking at number 2.

Reception

AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the album "a terrific early-'70s LP from Merle Haggard, one that showcases not only his exceptional songwriting skills, but also his rich, subtle eclectism... one of the finest albums he ever recorded." Music critic Robert Christgau wrote "An honest two days' work, but don't let the keynote tune fool you into expecting a lot of class-conscious reminiscences."

Track listing

All songs by Merle Haggard unless otherwise noted.

1. "Someday We'll Look Back" – 2:31
2. "Train of Life" (Roger Miller) – 2:42
3. "One Sweet Hello" – 2:47
4. "One Row at a Time" (Red Lane, Dottie West) – 3:06
5. "Big Time Annie's Square" – 2:34
6. "I'd Rather be Gone" – 2:35
7. "California Cottonfield" (Dallas Frazier, Earl Montgomery) – 2:46
8. "Carolyn" (Tommy Collins) – 2:33
9. "Tulare Dust" – 1:47
10. "Huntsville" (Haggard, Red Simpson) – 3:06
11. "The Only Trouble With Me" – 3:11

Personnel