Despite the title, which implies that this is going to be another one of
Eddy Arnold
's many MOR
pop
albums,
The Easy Way
is actually one of the most invigorating and enjoyable of his mid-'60s LPs.
"Bad News"
is a funny, boastful tune that had been a minor hit for its writer,
John D. Loudermilk
.
"Tell 'Em Where You Got Your Blues"
and
"Baby I've Got It"
are
blues
-based with some ace guitar, probably played by producer
Chet Atkins
"What-Cha Gonna Do"
is the kind of up-tempo
country
song that became a rarity on
Arnold
's later albums, and the melody of
"Understand Your Man"
is very close to
Bob Dylan
's
"Don't Think Twice, It's Alright."
Most of the other tracks take a laid-back approach and are more in alignment with the expectations of the mainstream listeners who made giant hits out of songs like
"Make the World Go Away"
"What's He Doing in My World"
around this time.
Bill Walker
's arrangements seem to favor the electric guitar a little more than usual, which lends a slight edge that is often lacking on
ballads
. ~ Greg Adams