1975's Once Upon A Rhyme brought the Rhinestone Cowboy era of DAC to a spectacular close, so he returned less than a year later behind an even wilder persona, typified by the boisterous title track. Probably his best album in that it seamlessly melds traditional country with Southern Rock and all of the outlaw threads which previously weren't expressed all that clearly. Plus, "Dakota The Dancing Bear" is a great novelty song. Definitely one of the most essential albums from the Country genre.

From the album's Wikipedia page: "The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy sets the template for many of Coe’s albums throughout the seventies: an eclectic mix of original compositions and occasional cover songs steeped in Coe’s self-aggrandizing personae with lyrics that ranged from braggadocios to deeply sensitive." COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF...Incredibly, despite the beauty and raw emotion displayed here, DAC would one-up this many times over through the subsequent years.

Richard Kiley's death scene goes on for what seems like the last half of the episode, and it may not be near the weirdest characteristic. It's indescribable viewing on another level, and beyond me how people hired to make TV programming decisions would think this would appeal to anyone but two kinds of people: miscreants and hermits. Then again, Aaron Spelling did spawn 90210 to the world....

Coe moved on from the edgier Cash-derived prison poetry of Penitentiary Blues to what was essentially the twisted redneck version of The Last Poets. Somewhat comparable to Insane Clown Posse's outrageous take on hardcore rap. A neat curio.

An OK record but the Elkie Brooks vs. Robert Palmer dynamic which made their debut so attractive is fraying at the edges just two albums later. Naturally, it was the last Vinegar Joe studio record.