Written In Song is the sixteenth studio album by American country artist Jeannie Seely. It was released on January 13, 2017 on Cheyenne Records and was produced by Seely. It is her first studio release in six years and the second to be issued on her own label. The album consisted of songs Seely composed for other artists. There are also several songs included that had not been released before.
| Written In Song | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 13, 2017 | |||
| Studio | Hilltop Studios | |||
| Genre | Country[1] | |||
| Length | 40:18 | |||
| Label | Cheyenne | |||
| Producer | Jeannie Seely | |||
| Jeannie Seely chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background and recording
Jeannie Seely rose to country music success in the 1960s with the Grammy award-winning single "Don't Touch Me". Until the end of the 1970s, she found commercial success both as a solo artist and with Jack Greene. Although she turned her attention to other projects, Seely continued recording music sporadically since her peak years. Among them was 2017's Written in Song.[2] The concept behind Written in Song came from disc jockey Eddie Stubbs and musician Kenny Sears. Seely was in search of new songs to record, which prompted Stubbs and Sears to have her look in her own catalog of songs she wrote for other people.[3] Seely produced album by herself in the Nashville, Tennessee area, specifically at Hilltop Studios.[4] She chose to record the album with a full band altogether in a live format. "I still like the atmosphere, I like the incentive, I like the excitement and the emotion of all of us doing it together. I am a team player, always have been," she said in 2017.[3]
Content
The album consisted of 14 tracks, all of which were written or co-written by Seely.[4] A majority of the tracks had previously been cut by other recording artists. The second track, "He's All I Need", was first recorded by Dottie West (whom Seely composed the track with). The fourth track, "Senses", was first recorded by Willie Nelson.[5] "Life of a Rodeo Cowboy" was about the day-to-day life of Seely's nephew, who was a working the rodeo circuit in the 1970s. Merle Haggard then went on to record it.[6] "He's All I Need" was recorded first by Dottie West for her 1983 album New Horizons. In an interview with The Boot, Seely stated the song was inspired from a guitar player in West's band.[7] The album also features collaborations with other artists. On "Senses", Seely is backed by Connie Smith and Marty Stuart, who harmony vocals. On the fourteenth track, "We're Still Hangin' in There Ain't We Jessi", Jessi Colter and Jan Howard are featured duet partners.[8]
Release and critical reception
Written in Song was officially released on January 13, 2017 via Cheyenne Records (Seely's own label). It was distributed in both a compact disc[4] and in a digital format.[9] On its release day, Seely and her management hosted a "CD release party" in Nashville to celebrate it.[5] Written in Song was positively reviewed by music critics and journalists. Markos Papadatos of the Digital Journal praised the album's diverse array of tracks. He called the fourth track a "classic ballad" and the song "My Love for You" something "reminiscent of Bette Midler". Papadatos concluded by saying, "Overall, Jeannie Seely soars on her new album, Written in Song. "Miss Country Soul" is back stronger than ever. There is a variety on her latest musical effort. It garners an A rating."[8] The album was also reviewed positively by the Nashville Country Club's Margaret Rogers. In the review, Rogers commented that Seely's "sultry" voice was "not lost" in the album. "Jeannie Seeley’s newest album Written in Song perfectly captures a traditional yet modern sound. She makes songs written in the 70s sound timeless and shows tribute to her roots while recording songs that are relatable today," Rogers concluded.[10]
Track listing
All tracks are composed by Jeannie Seely, except where noted.[4]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sometimes I Do" | 2:20 | |
| 2. | "He's All I Need" |
| 3:06 |
| 3. | "I'm Never Gonna See You" | 3:25 | |
| 4. | "Senses" (featuring Connie Smith and Marty Stuart) |
| 3:04 |
| 5. | "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)" |
| 3:38 |
| 6. | "You Don't Need Me" | 2:53 | |
| 7. | "My Love For You" | 2:47 | |
| 8. | "Leavin' And Sayin' Goodbye" (featuring Kenny and Tessa Sears) | 2:18 | |
| 9. | "The Pain Once You're Gone" | 2:35 | |
| 10. | "He Got What He Always Wanted" | 3:19 | |
| 11. | "Life Of A Rodeo Cowboy" | 2:40 | |
| 12. | "Enough To Lie" | 2:44 | |
| 13. | "Who Needs You" | 4:00 | |
| 14. | "We're Still Hangin' In There Ain't We Jessi" (featuring Jessi Colter and Jan Howard) | 3:29 | |
| Total length: | 40:18 | ||
Personnel
All credits are adapted from Allmusic and the liner notes of Written in Song.[4][11]
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Musical personnel
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Technical personnel
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Release history
References
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