At the time
Double Trouble was recorded,
George Jones was enjoying the attention of hip rock & rollers, thanks to a glowing article in Rolling Stone.
Jones and
Billy Sherrill decided to make the most of his new rock audience, as evidenced by the presence of
James Taylor on the previous year's
Bartender's Blues. But their attempts to court the rock audience came to fruition with
Double Trouble, recorded as a duet album with
Johnny Paycheck. Primarily consisting of '50s rock & roll covers -- "Maybellene," "Along Came Jones," "Roll Over Beethoven," etc. -- the arrangements are flat, lifeless, and over-produced, featuring an overbearing chorus of female supporting vocalists. That's not to say that
Jones and
Paycheck are mellow. The pair sound as if they were on one of their notorious drinking and drugging binges, making jokes with each other throughout every song (except the closing "You Better Move On") and singing without regard for key. There is a bizarre fascination in hearing them so completely out of their heads, but it is an embarrassing record, particularly since it illustrates that
Jones and
Sherrill had no idea why a rock audience would be attracted to
Jones' music. It's easily the worst album
George Jones ever recorded.