Down and Out (song)
Encyclopedia
"Down and Out" is the title of a song written by Dean Dillon
and Frank Dycus. It was recorded by American country music
artist George Strait
, and was released in August 1981 as the second single from his 1981 album Strait Country
. It peaked at number 16 on the United States Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and reached number 14 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.
magazine reviewed the song favorably, saying that the "unmistakable Texas honkytonk flavor of this record puts it in the "Unwound" mold with heavy fiddle and string guitar and ripples of piano." Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe gave the song a B- grade, comparing the fiddle section to his previous single "Unwound" and says that it is "easy to imagine this filling the honky-tonk floors just as quickly." He states that even though Strait sings it well, the lyric is weak and generic.
Dean Dillon
Dean Dillon is an American country music artist. Between 1982 and 1993, Dillon recorded six studio albums on various labels, and charted several singles on the Billboard country charts. Although he has not charted since 1993, Dillon has continued to write several hit songs for other artists, most...
and Frank Dycus. It was recorded by American country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist George Strait
George Strait
George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
, and was released in August 1981 as the second single from his 1981 album Strait Country
Strait Country
Strait Country is the debut album of American country music artist George Strait. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA and it includes the singles "Unwound", "Down and Out", and "If You're Thinking You Want a Stranger "...
. It peaked at number 16 on the United States Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and reached number 14 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.
Critical reception
Kip Kirby of BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine reviewed the song favorably, saying that the "unmistakable Texas honkytonk flavor of this record puts it in the "Unwound" mold with heavy fiddle and string guitar and ripples of piano." Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe gave the song a B- grade, comparing the fiddle section to his previous single "Unwound" and says that it is "easy to imagine this filling the honky-tonk floors just as quickly." He states that even though Strait sings it well, the lyric is weak and generic.
Chart positions
"Down and Out" debuted at number 78 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles for the week of September 12, 1981.| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 16 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 14 |