Closing In on the Fire

Closing In on the Fire is an album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released on the small Ark 21 Records label on June 16, 1998. It features contributions from several celebrities associated with both country and rock music. The selections include, among others, Sting's "She's Too Good for Me" and Tony Joe White's title track, creating a greater degree of musical eclecticism than in many previous Jennings releases. The singer incorporated elements of genres such as blues and rock, in addition to traditional country ballads. "Best Friends of Mine," an autobiographical song, is a tribute to Buddy Holly, Hank Williams Jr. and Jim Garchow (former DJ and longtime voice of the Idaho Falls Chukars) minor league baseball team who was one of Jennings' close friends from Waylon's days in Phoenix. Carl Smith, one of Jennings's idols, appears on "Untitled Waltz." In an interview[2] the singer mentioned that he wasn't fully satisfied with his take on The Rolling Stones' "No Expectations", calling it "a little more contrived than I would have liked." An interview featuring Jennings commenting on the record is included as a bonus track. Closing In on the Fire, Jennings' 72nd release, reached #71 on the country charts and was the last studio album by the singer to be released before his death in 2002.

Closing In on the Fire
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 16, 1998
Genre
Length53:09
LabelArk 21
ProducerGregg Brown
Waylon Jennings chronology
Right for the Time
(1996)
Closing In on the Fire
(1998)
The Millennium Collection: The Best of Waylon Jennings
(2000)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Track listing

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  1. "Closing In on the Fire" (Tony Joe White) – 4:41
  2. "I Know About Me Don't Know About You" – 3:02
  3. "Best Friends of Mine" (Jennings) – 3:57
  4. "Just Watch Your Mama and Me" (Jennings) – 4:45
  5. "She's Too Good for Me" (Sting) – 2:30
  6. "Back Home (Where I Come From)" (Jennings) – 4:37
  7. "Be Mine" (Kimmie Rhodes) – 4:41
  8. "Easy Money" – 4:51
  9. "The Blues Don't Care" – 6:08
  10. "Untitled Waltz" (Kevin Welch) – 3:52
  11. "No Expectations" (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) – 10:05
  12. Interview – 9:25

Personnel

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Chart performance

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Chart (1998) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums 71

References

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  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ "Cosmik Debris Magazine Presents: Waylon Jennings, December 1998". Archived from the original on 2006-10-26. Retrieved 2007-04-05.
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