You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs

You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs, or simply You Light Up My Life, is the second studio album by the American country singer LeAnn Rimes. Released in the United States by Curb Records on September 9, 1997, when Rimes was 15 years old, it followed her debut album Blue. The album was hugely successful but many critics thought that much of the material did not do Rimes' talent justice. The album has been certified 4× Platinum by the RIAA. She was the first solo artist to chart on the Billboard 200 twice, and fourth overall under the age of 18.[4]

You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 9, 1997
Recorded1996−97
StudioRosewood Studio
(Tyler, Texas)
McClain Studios
(Dallas, Texas)
Starstruck Studios
(Nashville, Tennessee)
KD Studios
(Nashville, Tennessee)
Curb Studios
(Nashville, Tennessee)
Barking Dog Studios
(Mt. Kisco, New York)
Genre
Length43:33
LabelCurb
Producer
LeAnn Rimes chronology
Unchained Melody: The Early Years
(1997)
You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs
(1997)
Sittin' on Top of the World
(1998)
Singles from You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs
  1. "You Light Up My Life"
    Released: August 26, 1997
  2. "On the Side of Angels"
    Released: October 11, 1997
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Robert Christgau(dud)[3]
Entertainment WeeklyC−[2]

Singles edit

Two singles were released from the album. The first one, "You Light Up My Life", peaked at number 34 and was certified gold in the United States. The second and final single released from the album is "On the Side of Angels" which peaked at number 4 on the US Country Chart.

Track listing edit

All tracks produced by Wilbur C. Rimes, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."You Light Up My Life"Joe Brooks
3:37
2."The Rose"Amanda McBroom 3:33
3."Bridge Over Troubled Water"Paul Simon 4:40
4."I Believe"Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, Al Stillman 2:22
5."Ten Thousand Angels Cried"David Patillo 3:59
6."Clinging to a Saving Hand"Bill Mack 2:44
7."On the Side of Angels"Gary Burr, Gerry House 3:49
8."I Know Who Holds Tomorrow"Ira Stanphill 4:41
9."God Bless America"Irving Berlin 3:06
10."How Do I Live" (Extended Mix)Diane Warren
  • W. Rimes
  • Howard
  • Curb
4:57
11."Amazing Grace" (Traditional)John Newton 4:06
12."National Anthem" (Traditional)Francis Scott Key 1:59

Personnel edit

Credits adapted from You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs liner notes.[5]

Musicians
  • LeAnn Rimes – lead vocals
  • Kelly Glenn – keyboards
  • Jimmy Kelly – keyboards
  • Steve Nathan – keyboards
  • Jerry Matheny – electric guitars
  • John Willis – electric guitars
  • Milo Deering – acoustic guitars, steel guitar, fiddle
  • Michael Spriggs – acoustic guitars
  • Paul Franklin – steel guitar
  • Bob Gentry – bass
  • Curtis Randall – bass, backing vocals
  • Michael Rhodes – bass
  • Fred Gleber – drums
  • Greg Morrow – drums
  • Dan Wojciechowski — drums
  • Michael Black – backing vocals
  • Mary Ann Kennedy – backing vocals
  • Gary Leach – backing vocals
  • Pam Rose – backing vocals
  • Dennis Willson – backing vocals
Production
  • Wilbur C. Rimes – producer, management
  • Mike Curb – producer (1, 10)
  • Chuck Howard – producer (1, 10)
  • Greg Hunt – recording, mixing
  • Mike McClain – recording, mixing
  • Bob Campbell-Smith – additional recording, BGV recording, mixing (1, 10, 11)
  • Csaba Pectoz – overdub engineer
  • Mick Guzauski – mixing (10)
  • Scott Ahaus – additional recording, recording assistant, assistant overdub engineer, mix assistant (10)
  • David Boyer – additional recording, recording assistant
  • Daniel Kresco – additional recording, recording assistant, assistant overdub engineer
  • Gary Leach – recording assistant, mix assistant
  • Jim Rogers – additional recording, recording assistant
  • Jeff Watkins – additional recording, recording assistant, BGV recording assistant
  • David Hall – assistant overdub engineer
  • Glenn Meadows – mastering at Masterfonics (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Lesley Albert – project coordinator
  • Sue Austin – album design coordinator
  • Frank Lucero – art direction, design
  • Neuman, Walker & Associates, Inc. – art direction, design
  • John Chiasson – photography
  • Lyle Walker – management

Charts and certifications edit

You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs debuted at number one on Billboard 200 with 186,000 copies sold in its first week,[6] the album dropped to number two in its second week but with a 10% increase with sales of 204,500. It returned to number one in its sixth week with 131,500 copies sold. The album spent 13 weeks in the top 5, 17 weeks in the top 10 and a total of 55 weeks in Billboard 200. You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs was certified 4× Platinum by RIAA, denoting shipments of over 4 million copies. It is the only album in history to debut at number one on three separate charts at the same time, the three charts being the Billboard 200, the Billboard Top Country Albums, and the Billboard Contemporary Christian.

References edit

  1. ^ Owens, Thom. You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs at AllMusic
  2. ^ Browne, David (September 12, 1997). "You Light Up My Life Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 22, 2007. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  3. ^ Christgau, Robert. "CG: LeAnn Rimes". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  4. ^ Lynch, Joe. "Solo Artists Who Scored a No. 1 Album Before Turning 18". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  5. ^ You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs (CD). LeAnn Rimes. Curb Records. 1997. D2-77885.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ Billboard – Google 도서. February 17, 2001. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  7. ^ a b "australian-charts.com – LeAnn Rimes – You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs". australian-charts.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d Billboard - Music Charts, Music News, Artist Photo Gallery & Free Video. billboard.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  9. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  10. ^ "Chart Log UK: The Rabble Army – RZA". Zobbel.de. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  11. ^ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). "1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
  12. ^ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 1997". Aria.com.au. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  13. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  14. ^ a b [1]. google.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  15. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  16. ^ a b [2]. google.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  17. ^ [3]. google.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  18. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  19. ^ "Canadian album certifications – LeAnn Rimes – You Light Up My Life". Music Canada.
  20. ^ "American album certifications – LeAnn Rimes – You Light Up My Life". Recording Industry Association of America.