Despite his intention of issuing an album that would be very friendly to radio programmers and label promo men, I've Got Something to Say is the most disappointing and unfocused record Coe had made since Family Album.

Despite his proven production team's best efforts and a host of guests that includes Guy Clark, Bill Anderson, Dickey Betts, Kris Kristofferson, Larry Jon Wilson, and George Jones, the outing falls totally flat.

The songs -- especially the sequel to "Take This Job and Shove It" and "Hank Williams Junior-Junior" (co-written with Bonnie Bramlett) -- are poorly chosen, badly arranged, and the sequence couldn't be worse.

"I Could Never Give You up for Someone Else," with Coe impersonating Leon Russell's singing voice and trying to make it a Southern rocker in the tradition of the Allmans, comes out sounding a hell of a lot more like Wet Willie.

Only "Take It Easy Rider," with Clark and Larry Jon Wilson on vocals, comes off as honest.

In other words, for the first time in his career, Coe didn't tell the truth -- he had almost nothing to say here.