Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs

Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in December 1965 via Capitol Records and contained 12 tracks. The album was Jackson's eighth studio record of her career and consisted of traditional country songs. Seven of these songs were released as singles between 1961 and 1965. Both "Slippin'" and "The Violet and the Rose" reached charting positions on the American country songs survey. The album received a positive review following its original release.

Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs
Studio album by
ReleasedDecember 1965 (1965-12)
Recorded1960 – 1965
Studio
GenreCountry[1]
LabelCapitol
ProducerKen Nelson
Wanda Jackson chronology
Blues in My Heart
(1965)
Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs
(1965)
Wanda Jackson Salutes the Country Music Hall of Fame
(1966)
Singles from Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs
  1. "Little Charm Bracelet"
    Released: February 1961
  2. "One Teardrop at a Time"
    Released: December 1962
  3. "Slippin'"
    Released: October 1963
  4. "The Violet and the Rose"
    Released: March 1964
  5. "Kickin' Our Hearts Around"
    Released: January 1965
  6. "Have I Grown Used to Missing You"
    Released: June 1965
  7. "My First Day Without You"
    Released: September 1965

Background and recording

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After becoming known with international audiences as a Rockabilly performer, Wanda Jackson returned to the country music market in 1961.[2] In 1959, a decision was made by Jackson's producer, Ken Nelson, to focus her career solely on the country field (since her original singles were more successful there).[3] In 1961, she had top ten country singles with "Right or Wrong" and "In the Middle of a Heartache".[2] Between 1960 and 1965, Jackson recorded sessions of traditional country material that would make up the studio album, Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs. The sessions were held at the Bradley Studios and Columbia Studios in Nashville Tennessee. The project also contained sessions held at Capitol Studios, located in Hollywood, California.[4]

Content

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The project contained a total of 12 tracks. Three songs were composed by Jackson herself: "Little Charm Bracelet", "Between the Window and the Phone" and "Kickin' Our Hearts Around".[1] The latter recording was first released as a single by fellow country performer Buck Owens. Also included on the album was "The Violet and the Rose", a song made the most commercially-successful by Little Jimmy Dickens.[5] Also included was a cover of Bill Anderson's "The Tip of My Fingers" and "Is This My Destiny", a song written by Helen Carter. The album was produced by Ken Nelson, who had recorded Jackson on the Capitol label since she signed a contract with them in 1956.[4]

Release and reception

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Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs was originally released in December 1965 on Capitol Records. It was the eighth studio album issued in Jackson's career. It was first distributed as a vinyl LP, containing six songs on either side of the record.[4] In later decades, it was re-issued to digital and streaming sites, including Apple Music.[6] The project received a positive review from Billboard magazine in their January 1966 issue. Reviewers praised the album's arrangement and highlighted the tracks "My First Day Without You" and "Send Me No Roses". Reviewers also said, "The country singer has a good package here, full of songs which are both poetic and tearful."[7]

A total of seven singles were included on the album, most of which were released prior to the album. The first single to be released was "Little Charm Bracelet" in February 1961.[8] It was followed by "One Teardrop at a Time", which was released in December 1962.[9] "Slippin'" was issued as a single in October 1963[10] and was the first to reach a charting position on any singles survey.[5] Spending one week on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, "Slippin'" peaked at number 46 in January 1964.[11]

Jackson's version of "The Violet and the Rose" followed as a single in March 1964.[12] The song spent 11 weeks on the Billboard country singles chart and reached a peak position of 36 in June 1964.[13] Jackson's version of "Kickin' Our Hearts Around" was then released as a single in January 1965.[14] It was followed by "Have I Grown Used to Missing You" in June 1965[15] and "My First Day Without You" in September 1965.[16] Despite having charting singles, the album itself did not reach any charting positions on the Billboard Top Country Albums list.[17]

Track listings

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Vinyl version

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Side one[4]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."My First Day Without You"
2:00
2."Send Me No Roses"Hank Mills2:21
3."The Tip of My Fingers"Bill Anderson2:48
4."Between the Window and the Phone"
  • L.D. Allen
  • Wanda Jackson
2:17
5."My Destiny"Helen Carter2:23
6."Kickin' Our Hearts Around"Wanda Jackson2:15
Side two[4]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Have I Grown Used to Missing You"Ned Miller2:00
2."Slippin'"Charles "Fuzzy" Owen2:45
3."Little Charm Bracelet"Jackson2:28
4."The Violet and the Rose"
2:50
5."Take Me Home"Vaughn Horton2:27
6."One Teardrop at a Time"
2:23

Digital version

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Side one[4]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."My First Day Without You"
  • Turner
  • Williams
2:04
2."Send Me No Roses"Mills2:24
3."The Tip of My Fingers"Anderson2:55
4."Between the Window and the Phone"
  • Allen
  • Jackson
2:19
5."My Destiny"Carter2:25
6."Kickin' Our Hearts Around"Jackson2:21
7."Have I Grown Used to Missing You"Miller2:02
8."Slippin'"Owen2:47
9."Little Charm Bracelet"Jackson2:28
10."The Violet and the Rose"
  • Auge
  • Dickens
  • Reinfield
  • Tillis
2:51
11."Take Me Home"Vaughn Horton2:29
12."One Teardrop at a Time"
  • Miller
  • West
2:23

Release history

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Region Date Format Label Ref.
Japan December 1965 Vinyl Capitol Records [18]
  • Canada
  • United States
[4]
United Kingdom 1966 [19]
Taiwan 1968 [20]
Australia 1971 World Record Club [21]
United States 2010s
  • Digital
  • Streaming
Capitol Records Nashville [6]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs: Wanda Jackson: Songs, reviews, credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b Wolff, Kurt. "Wanda Jackson: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  3. ^ Bomar, Scott; Jackson, Wanda (2017). Every night is Saturday night : a country girl's journey to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. United States: BMG. ISBN 9781947026070.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Jackson, Wanda (December 1965). "Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs (LP Liner Notes and Album Information)". Capitol Records. T-2438.
  5. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  6. ^ a b "Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs by Wanda Jackson". Apple Music. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Album Reviews: Country Spotlight". Billboard. Vol. 78, no. 4. January 1966. p. 37. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  8. ^ Jackson, Wanda (February 1961). ""Little Charm Bracelet"/"Riot in Cell Block Number Nine" (7" vinyl single)". Capitol Records. 4520.
  9. ^ Jackson, Wanda (December 1962). ""One Teardrop at a Time"/"Whirlpool" (7" vinyl single)". Capitol Records. 4884.
  10. ^ Jackson, Wanda (October 1963). ""Slippin'"/"Just for You" (7" vinyl single)". Capitol Records. 5072.
  11. ^ ""Slippin'" chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  12. ^ Jackson, Wanda (March 1964). ""The Violet and the Rose"/"To Tell You the Truth" (7" vinyl single)". Capitol Records. 5142.
  13. ^ ""The Violet and the Rose" chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  14. ^ Jackson, Wanda (January 1965). ""Kickin' Our Hearts Around"/"My Baby's Gone" (7" vinyl single)". Capitol Records. 5364.
  15. ^ Jackson, Wanda (June 1965). ""Have I Grown Used to Missing You"/"Take Me Home" (7" vinyl single)". Capitol Records. 6433.
  16. ^ Jackson, Wanda (September 1965). ""My First Day Without You"/"Send Me No Roses" (7" vinyl single)". Capitol Records. 5491.
  17. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1997). Joel Whitburn's Top Country Albums: 1967-1997. Record Research Inc. ISBN 0898201241.
  18. ^ Jackson, Wanda (December 1965). "Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs (LP Liner Notes and Album Information)". Capitol Records. CP-7494.
  19. ^ Jackson, Wanda (1966). "Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs (LP Liner Notes and Album Information)". Capitol Records. ST-2438.
  20. ^ Jackson, Wanda (1968). "Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs (LP Liner Notes and Album Information)". Capitol Records. CSJ-173.
  21. ^ Jackson, Wanda (1971). "Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs (LP Liner Notes and Album Information)". Capitol Records. S-4991.