In Others' Words is a compilation album, and the second covers album by American country music artist Dwight Yoakam. It was released on September 23, 2003 on Reprise Records and peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
Yoakam enjoyed a successful commercial run with Reprise from 1986 to 1993, but by 2000 the hits dried up and he left for Warner Bros. To fulfill his contract, Reprise gathered recordings from various soundtracks and tribute albums from the 1990s to piece together In Othersâ Words, a sequel of sorts to YoakamâÂÂs 1997 Under the Covers LP. âÂÂHolding Things Together,â for example, is from the Merle Haggard tribute album Tulare Dust, while âÂÂTruckinâÂÂ,â appears on the Grateful Dead project Deadicated. âÂÂCattle Callâ can be found on the soundtrack to The Horse Whisperer, while "T For Texas (Blue Yodel No. 1)" previously appeared as a hidden track at the end of Under the Covers.
Despite the mixed bag of sources, In Othersâ Words sounds remarkably cohesive as a collection of Americana. Yoakam composed the album opener âÂÂBorrowed Loveâ with Randy Scruggs and his father, banjo legend Earl Scruggs, who appear on the track. Western swing legend Bob Wills is also faithfully represented with âÂÂNew San Antonio Rose, and Bill MonroeâÂÂs âÂÂRocky Road Bluesâ was a number Yoakam and The Babylonian Cowboys rocked up as part their live set in the early days, as can be heard on the 2006 Rhino deluxe edition of Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc., but this version remains faithful to MonroeâÂÂs musical template. Yoakam once said the song was an early example of what could have been a rockabilly cut, or rock and roll. âÂÂRapid City, South Dakotaâ and "Louisville," the lone new cut, are honky-tonk songs with more acoustic instruments than electricâÂÂparticularly the ringing dobro and shimmering mandolins on the latter. The album closes with Junior ParkerâÂÂs âÂÂMystery Train,â but Yoakam and producer Pete Anderson rev it up rockabilly style as they did on earlier hits like âÂÂLittle Sisterâ and âÂÂPlease, Please Baby.âÂÂ
AllMusic: âÂÂFor those fans of Yoakam's who buy his studio records and get frustrated at the sheer number of compilation and soundtrack cuts he has, this might do the trick to satisfy in lieu of a new album.âÂÂ