Introduction:
The collaborative magic of country legends George Jones and Merle Haggard is perhaps best exemplified by their 1982 album, A Taste of Yesterday’s Wine. While the user’s request singles out “The Way I Am,” “Yesterday’s Wine,” and “I Must Have Done Something,” it’s important to clarify the context of these songs in relation to their joint work.
“Yesterday’s Wine” is the title track and a pivotal song from their duet album A Taste of Yesterday’s Wine, released in August 1982. This album is firmly rooted in the Country genre, showcasing the traditional sounds and storytelling that both artists were masters of. The song itself, originally written by Willie Nelson, became a monumental achievement for the duo, hitting number 1 on the US Hot Country Songs chart and number 5 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart. Its success highlighted the perfect vocal blend and shared honky-tonk sensibilities of Jones and Haggard, two of country music’s most revered and often troubled figures. The album A Taste of Yesterday’s Wine itself was also a success, reaching number 4 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
Regarding the other two songs mentioned:
“The Way I Am” was a significant hit for Merle Haggard as a solo artist, released as a single in March 1980. It was the title track from his album The Way I Am, also released in 1980. This song, also country, reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada. While George Jones later covered this song on his 2006 album Kickin’ Out the Footlights Again (another collaboration with Merle Haggard), it was initially a solo success for Haggard.
“I Must Have Done Something” is a lesser-known track, and while both artists have extensive discographies, there isn’t a prominent collaboration between them with this exact title that charted significantly as a duet. It’s possible this refers to a deep cut or a track that appears on live recordings or compilations of their individual or joint works rather than a standalone, widely released collaborative single.
Therefore, the primary focus of a joint achievement lies with the album A Taste of Yesterday’s Wine and its title track “Yesterday’s Wine,” which truly showcased the unparalleled synergy between these two country music titans. Their collaborations are celebrated for bringing together two of country music’s most distinctive voices and honky-tonk styles, creating timeless recordings that resonated deeply with fans of traditional country music.