Description
George Strait – Ocean Front Property – 180 Gram Blue Vinyl Record
Vinyl Me, Please
VMP Country Record of the Month for December 2022.
35th Anniversary edition of Strait\’s multi-platinum smash featuring \”All my ex\’s live in Texas\”
Lacquers cut by Ryan Smith, Sterling Sound. Plated at Welcome to 1979
Pressed on 180G \”Am I Blue\” vinyl
Listening notes booklet by John Lingan
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic
George Strait’s Ocean Front Property (1987) is a landmark album in the career of one of country music’s most iconic artists. This album, his seventh studio release, solidified Strait\’s position as the \”King of Country\”, continuing his success with a traditional country sound at a time when many artists were moving towards more polished, pop-oriented styles. With its blend of honky-tonk, western swing, and ballads, Ocean Front Property exemplifies Strait\’s ability to deliver heartfelt lyrics and classic country music with timeless appeal.
Ocean Front Property is firmly rooted in traditional country music, with a focus on fiddle, steel guitar, and Strait\’s smooth baritone voice. The album features a mix of up-tempo honky-tonk songs and slower ballads, showcasing Strait’s ability to transition between upbeat, fun tracks and emotional, tender love songs.
Strait’s sound is characterized by its simplicity and authenticity—unlike some of his contemporaries who were incorporating pop elements, Strait remained true to the neo-traditional country movement, which was bringing country music back to its roots during the 1980s.
Key Tracks
\”Ocean Front Property\”: The title track and one of the album’s biggest hits, this song is a classic tongue-in-cheek heartbreak ballad. It features clever wordplay, with the narrator sarcastically offering to sell his ex \”ocean front property in Arizona,\” using this impossible offer to highlight the depth of his untruths about being over the relationship. The song’s catchy melody, clever lyrics, and Strait’s delivery made it a chart-topping success.
\”All My Ex\’s Live in Texas\”: One of Strait’s signature songs, this up-tempo, honky-tonk hit combines humor with a catchy, sing-along chorus. The song\’s playful take on the challenges of past relationships, with the narrator listing all his ex-girlfriends living in Texas, made it an instant classic. The western swing-influenced arrangement, complete with fiddle and steel guitar, adds to its appeal.
\”Am I Blue\”: A slower, emotional ballad, \”Am I Blue\” explores themes of loneliness and heartache. Strait’s soulful, understated delivery gives the song an air of authenticity, making it a standout among the album’s more reflective tracks.
\”Someone\’s Walkin\’ Around Upstairs\”: This song is a traditional country ballad with a haunting melody, telling the story of a man who feels the presence of his lost love in his home. It’s a poignant example of Strait’s ability to deliver emotional material with subtlety and grace.
The central theme of Ocean Front Property is heartbreak and nostalgia, with many songs reflecting on past relationships and love lost. Strait approaches these themes with a mixture of humor, sarcasm, and genuine emotion. The album balances lighthearted tracks, like “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” and “Ocean Front Property,” with more introspective ballads, such as “Am I Blue.” The clever lyrics in the title track and “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” highlight Strait’s ability to infuse wit into his music, while songs like “Am I Blue” showcase his more sensitive side.
Produced by Jimmy Bowen, who worked extensively with Strait throughout the 1980s, Ocean Front Property is marked by clean, traditional production that emphasizes the natural instruments common to country music—fiddle, steel guitar, acoustic guitar, and bass. The production style lets the arrangements breathe, allowing Strait’s vocals and the intricate interplay of the band to take center stage. The result is a classic country sound that has aged gracefully and continues to resonate with fans of traditional country music.
Ocean Front Property was met with widespread acclaim from country music critics and fans alike. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and became the first album in country music history to debut at the top of the chart.
The title track, “Ocean Front Property,” also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, making it one of Strait’s biggest hits. “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” also became one of his most well-known songs, further cementing his legacy as a hitmaker. The album\’s success helped define George Strait\’s 1980s career and played a significant role in establishing his dominance in the genre throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Ocean Front Property is widely regarded as one of George Strait’s greatest albums and an essential part of his discography. Its combination of witty, memorable songs and emotional ballads showcases the diversity and depth of Strait’s music.
The title track and “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” have become staples of Strait’s live performances and continue to be beloved by fans of traditional country music. The album also represents a key moment in the neo-traditionalist movement of the 1980s, where artists like George Strait, Randy Travis, and Reba McEntire helped bring country music back to its roots, eschewing the pop crossover trends of the previous decade in favor of more traditional instrumentation and songwriting.
Ocean Front Property is a defining album in George Strait’s legendary career, offering a perfect blend of traditional country music, heartfelt lyrics, and a dose of humor. Its mixture of honky-tonk, ballads, and clever storytelling helped solidify Strait’s place as one of the genre’s all-time greats. The album’s timeless appeal and iconic tracks, especially “Ocean Front Property” and “All My Ex’s Live in Texas,” continue to make it a favorite for country music fans, highlighting Strait’s role as a key figure in the neo-traditional country movement of the 1980s.
Track Listing
All My Ex\’s Live In Texas
Someone\’s Walkin\’ Around Upstairs
Am I Blue
Ocean Front Property
Hot Burning Flames
Without You Here
My Heart Won\’t Wander Very Far From You
Second Chances
You Can\’t Buy Your Way Out Of The Blues
I\’m All Behind You Now
