1. Don't Touch My Hat
2. Her First Mistake
3. Fiona
4. That's Right (You're Not from Texas) - Lyle Lovett, Ramsey, Willis Alan
5. Who Loves You Better
6. Private Conversation
7. Promises
8. It Ought to Be Easier
9. I Can't Love You Anymore
10. Long Tall Texan - Lyle Lovett, Strzelecki, Henry
11. Christmas Morning
12. The Road to Ensenada
Amazon.com essential recording
After the more experimental themes and misanthropic bit players populating his prior album, I Love Everybody, the songs on this superb 1996 set return to the more affable, earnest, but still knotty balance established by Lyle Lovett on his first four albums. He spins amiable yarns about his preferred headgear ("Don't Touch My Hat") and larger-than-life love objects (the one-eyed "Fiona"), sways hilariously through the backfired seductions of the samba-paced "Her First Mistake," and swings buoyantly through "That's Right (You're Not from Texas)," then ropes the equally droll Randy Newman into a tongue-in-cheek duet on "Long Tall Texan." In between, he sneaks a fresh string of dark love songs ("Private Conversation," "I Can't Love You Anymore") that sustain his formidable standards. Forget the forced issue of his putative ties to "new country": Lovett is simply one of the best American singer-songwriters extant, whether playing raconteur, philosopher king, or wounded romantic. --Sam Sutherland
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The Road to Ensenada
- Audio CD: 0 pages (1996-06-18)
- Publisher: Mca
- Label: Mca
- Studio: Mca
- Average Customer Review:
 based on 52 reviews
- Sales Rank in Music: #11603
Avg. Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Pure genius, creative, catchy, a fantastic album 2008-11-20
Comment: To say that Lyle Lovett is a musical genius is a bit of an understatement. This stunning album, "The Road to Ensenada," is high art...an addictive, catchy, sensitive, quirky, and complex album that puts 99% of all of today's formulaic country artists to shame. In this album he experiments with jazz, country-rock, sweet ballads, and humor. He employs a large band of outstanding artists to back him up. I was shaking my head in amazement at the background music. As you sit and listen, try to pick out each individual instrument, and appreciate the genius and complexity of the arrangements.
I dare you to listen to "Private Conversation" and try to stand still! You'll be singing it in your head for the next three days. Or just close your eyes and listen to the complex melodies and musicianship in the background of "It Ought to be Easier," then listen to it again for the words. Amazing. A true artist. In my opinion, this is his best ever.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Oh Lawd is this Good 2008-06-25
Comment: When I lived in Couer d'Alene, my uncle and I would play this album all the time. In fact he had almost all of Lyle's music and I instantly became a fan and once again Amazon came through as I bought two of his CDs for a total of $10 but it's this album with its cool sarcastic wit and little guitar twang that gets me.
I put it on for a pal of mine and she thought I had lost my mind but by the end she was loving it - a duet with Randy Newman on "Long Tall Texan" ("ooh lordy is you the law?") and the hilarious yet serious "Don't Touch My Hat" ("you can have my girl but don't touch my hat); this album proves why he has had a revered career beyond just the average country performer. Plus I just read that Liz Phair includes this as one of her favorite albums.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Interesting but nothing to write home about. 2007-09-29
Comment: I am a fan of Lyle Lovett but was not impressed with this album. I have found that some albums do grow on you over time but have not experienced that with this album.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: The man with the ten gallon hat 2007-06-27
Comment: It doesn't get any better than this, all the irony and wit one has come to expect from Lyle Lovett wrapped around 12 swinging songs that captures the border spirit of Texas. The ensembles vary from song to song, bringing in horns on That's Right (You're Not from Texas). But for the most part, there is a lean simplicity to the arrangements, capturing different feelings on each of the songs. The Road to Ensenada may just be his best album, but of course Lovett fans have their personal favorites.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: His own thing 2007-06-01
Comment: I like Lyle Lovett. I don't know that this is my favorite of his albums but it doesn't matter; it's still a good album. It's more "pop" sounding and less weird than some of the others, but that's probably OK, too.
I'm a bit mystified by those who insist on complaining that Lyle has no roots and is just exploiting earlier musical traditions. I think there are very few country musicians (country to any degree at all) who are more honest about their music. He's not trying to sound like Lefty Frizzell! I don't believe he ever said he was. I love Lefty, too (and Hank, and Robert Johnson, and Son House, and Mississippi John Hurt, and a lot of other "authentic" musicians), but Lefty and Lyle are, in many respects, apples and oranges. You don't have to choose; you're allowed to enjoy them all, so why pigeonhole?
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The Road to Ensenada
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