40-Hour Week is the ninth studio album from American country music band Alabama. Released in 1985, the album included three songs that topped the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart and continued the band's dominance during the 1980s. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard Country Albums chart and number 28 on the Billboard 200.

40-Hour Week
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 1985
October 25, 1990 (re-released)
RecordedSeptember 1984 at The Music Mill, Nashville, TN[1]
GenreCountry
Length39:48
LabelRCA Nashville
ProducerAlabama
Harold Shedd
Alabama chronology
Roll On
(1984)
40-Hour Week
(1985)
Christmas
(1985)
Singles from 40-Hour Week
  1. "There's No Way"
    Released: January 20, 1985
  2. "40 Hour Week (For a Livin')"
    Released: April 17, 1985
  3. "Can't Keep a Good Man Down"
    Released: August 9, 1985

Two of the No. 1 tracks — "There's No Way" and the title track — became milestones in Alabama's recording career during 1985. When it reached the top of the chart on May 4, "There's No Way" became Alabama's 16th consecutive No. 1 single (excepting for the 1982 Christmas single "Christmas in Dixie"). The feat allowed Alabama to tie Sonny James' 14-year-old record for most No. 1 songs in as many consecutive single releases. Then, on August 3, "40 Hour Week (For a Livin')" topped the chart, becoming Alabama's 17th-straight chart topper and allowing them to surpass James' record.

Among the album tracks, several of them praising the South, 40 Hour Week also features the ballad "I Want To Know You Before We Make Love", which became a major hit for Conway Twitty in 1987.

This was Alabama's only album from which all the singles had accompanying music videos.

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [2]

Track listing edit

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."40 Hour Week (For a Livin')"Dave Loggins, Lisa Silver, Don Schlitz3:18
2."Can't Keep A Good Man Down"Bob Corbin3:45
3."There's No Way"Lisa Palas, Will Robinson, John Jarrard4:11
4."Down On Longboat Key"Dennis Morgan, Stephen Allen Davis4:05
5."Louisiana Moon"Larry Shell, Dan Mitchell3:04
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Want to Know You Before We Make Love"Becky Hobbs, Candy Parton3:58
2."Fireworks"Ronny Scaife, Phil Thomas, Kenny Durham3:52
3."(She Won't Have A Thing To Do With) Nobody But Me"Dean Dillon, Buzz Rabin, "Flash Gordon"3:16
4."As Right Now"Teddy Gentry, Greg Fowler2:45
5."If It Ain't Dixie (It Won't Do)"Jarrard, Kent Robbins7:34

Charts edit

Singles edit

Year Single Peak positions
US Country CAN Country
1985 "There's No Way" 1 2
"40 Hour Week (For a Livin')" 1 1
"Can't Keep a Good Man Down" 1 1

Certifications edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[8] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Personnel edit

as listed in liner notes[1]

Alabama edit

  • Jeff Cook – electric guitar, background vocals, lead vocals on "(She Won't Have a Thing to Do With) Nobody But Me"
  • Teddy Gentry – bass guitar, background vocals, lead vocals on "As Right Now"
  • Mark Herndon – drums
  • Randy Owen – lead vocals, electric guitar

Additional musicians edit

Strings by the "A" Strings, arranged by Kristin Wilkinson.

References edit

  1. ^ a b 40-Hour Week (LP). Alabama. RCA Records. 1985. 5339.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ Allmusic Review
  3. ^ "Alabama Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  4. ^ "Alabama Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  5. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  6. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  7. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1986". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  8. ^ "American album certifications – Alabama – 40-Hour Week". Recording Industry Association of America.