On October 3, 1966, “Capitol” label released “Swinging Doors and the Bottle Let Me Down”, the second Merle Haggard and The Strangers studio album. It was recorded August – December 1965, June – August 1966, at “Capitol Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Ken Nelson and Fuzzy Owen.

• Personnel:
  
• Merle Haggard – vocals, guitar

The Strangers:

• Roy Nichols – guitar
• Ralph Mooney – steel guitar
• George French – piano
• Jerry Ward – bass
• Eddie Burris – drums

with

• Lewis Talley – guitar
• James Burton – guitar, dobro
• Glen Campbell – guitar
• Phil Baugh – guitar
• Jack Collier – guitar
• Glen D. Hardin – piano
• Bob Morris – bass
• Bert Dodson – bass
• Jim Gordon – drums
• Helen “Peaches” Price – drums
• Billy Mize – harmony vocals
• Bonnie Owens – harmony vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Merle Haggard,  except where noted.

1. Swinging Doors
2. If I Could Be Him
3. The Longer You Wait
4. I’ll Look Over You
5. I Can’t Stand Me
6. The Girl Turned Ripe
7. The Bottle Let Me Down
8. No More You and Me
9. Somebody Else You’ve Known
10. High on a Hilltop – Tommy Collins
11. This Town’s Not Big Enough – Liz Anderson, Donna Austin
12. Shade Tree (Fix-It-Man)