Studio Album · No. 1
Strait Country Songwriting Credits by George Strait
Produced by Blake Mevis · Engineered by Bill Harris, Mike Poston
Holds writing credit on 0 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 0 / 10 documented
Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether George Strait carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Strait Country is a pure interpreter's debut: George Strait wrote none of its ten tracks. The songs come from Nashville professionals, with Dean Dillon and Frank Dycus supplying the hit 'Unwound' and several others, so every lyricist and composer credit on the album belongs to someone other than the singer. It set the pattern he would follow for years, a voice built on other people's songs.
Strait Country is the debut studio album by George Strait, released in 1981 on MCA Records. Recorded in Nashville with producer Blake Mevis, it introduced the fiddle-and-steel honky-tonk sound that would define his career and pushed back against the pop-country of the era. The lead single 'Unwound,' written by Dean Dillon and Frank Dycus, became his first hit and announced him as a traditional country voice. Strait did not write any of the ten songs, relying instead on Nashville writers like Dillon, Dycus, and Dallas Frazier. The album was later certified platinum and set the template for a long run of song-driven records.
Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Unwound
#6
|
Dean DillonFrank Dycus | Dean DillonFrank Dycus | Blake Mevis | George Strait (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Honky Tonk Downstairs
|
Dallas Frazier | Dallas Frazier | Blake Mevis | George Strait (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
Blame It on Mexico
|
Darryl Staedtler | Darryl Staedtler | Blake Mevis | George Strait (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
If You're Thinking You Want a Stranger (There's One Coming Home)
|
Blake MevisDavid Wills | Blake MevisDavid Wills | Blake Mevis | George Strait (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
I Get Along with You
|
Dean DillonFrank DycusMurray F. CannonRaleigh SquiresJimmy Darrell | Dean DillonFrank DycusMurray F. CannonRaleigh SquiresJimmy Darrell | Blake Mevis | George Strait (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
Down and Out
|
Dean DillonFrank Dycus | Dean DillonFrank Dycus | Blake Mevis | George Strait (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
Friday Night Fever
|
Dean DillonFrank DycusBlake Mevis | Dean DillonFrank DycusBlake Mevis | Blake Mevis | George Strait (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Every Time You Throw Dirt on Her (You Lose a Little Ground)
|
Michael GarvinTom Shapiro | Michael GarvinTom Shapiro | Blake Mevis | George Strait (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
She's Playing Hell Trying to Get Me to Heaven
|
Dean DillonDavid WillsCharles Quillen | Dean DillonDavid WillsCharles Quillen | Blake Mevis | George Strait (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
Her Goodbye Hit Me in the Heart
|
Dean DillonFrank Dycus | Dean DillonFrank Dycus | Blake Mevis | George Strait (Lead Vocals) |