Freddie Hart / Sammi Smith / Jerry Reed “Just Us Three”

The title of this 1972 three-artist compilation is somewhat misleading—you might think the three in question, stranded in a lifeboat, making music with a beat-up guitar, improvised percussion, and three voices blending as one—but actually, it’s three songs by each of the three—none of them in the same room. One wants to imagine they shared a stage together at some point, but I don’t know. Very different sounds here, artist to artist, song to song, but they do all have that old country and western feeling and Nashville flavor, so why not. I’m fine with the two guys, but I’ll admit that the reason I bought this record is my obsession with Sammi Smith—I’ll buy everything by her I see—and her three songs here were worth picking it up. But while I’m at it, it’s a good chance to hear some other music—and I do like it all. One wonders just where a lot of the popular radio country music of today has gone wrong. But no more complaining, or searching essays on popular culture, today. Happy Friday. Just this record.

My favorite of the Freddie Hart offerings is the oddball sad song “I’ll Hit It with a Stick”—in the chorus, background singers go: “Here comes that memory…” and then FH adds “I’ll hit it with a stick.” I mean, when you think about it, of all the ways you battle unwanted thoughts—pushing them aside, confronting them head-on, diluting them with good thoughts or good bourbon—hitting the memory with a stick is a new one for me. Maybe there’s a Biblical precedent I don’t know about. Jerry Reed was in a lot of movies—I kind of remember him—a convincing character actor. I like his voice a lot. The three numbers here are upbeat, jaunty, the kind of songs I’d imagine hearing in a honkytonk just before getting my ass kicked. “I’ve Got Everybody Fooled (But Me)” is my standout. We then get to the Sammi Smith songs—nothing against those guys—but she’s why I’m here—her voice in “Sand Covered Angels” is saying one thing, while the words (“a box full of kittens”) is saying another—sentimentally cut with sadness. Now, “He Went a Little Bit Farther” is a bit of a foreboding song title—and it is, especially if you’re the dude being addressed by SS here—you can’t really argue with her—you can’t help being in love with her—but you just got the shit-end of the stick. (“Don’t blame him for stealing me/you let him.”) You can probably guess what “Topless” is about, and it’s funny. And it sounded fun to record. There is some particularly hot guitar noodling on this one (as well as a compelling organ part)—I wonder if I can find out who played on it? No dice. I don’t recommend making a Google-search, unless you’re on the “safe” settings.

11.24.23