"Blue" | ||||
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Single by Bill Mack | ||||
B-side | "Faded Rose" [1] [2] [3] | |||
Released | May 1958 [1] [2] [4] | |||
Recorded | 1956 [5] Nesman Recording Studios in Wichita Falls, Texas [5] | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 2:28 | |||
Label | Starday | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bill Mack | |||
Bill Mack singles chronology | ||||
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"Blue" is a song released in 1958 by Bill Mack, an American songwriter-country artist and country radio disc jockey. It has since been covered by several artists, in particular by country singer LeAnn Rimes, whose 1996 version became a hit. The song won Mack the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Country Song, [6] a 1996 Academy of Country Music Award for Song of the Year, [7] a 1997 Country Music Association Awards nomination for Song of the Year, [8] a 1997 Country Radio Music Awards nomination for Song of the Year, [9] and is included on the CMT list of the top 100 country songs of all time. [10] Rimes' rendition won the 1996 Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
"Blue" is a heartache ballad about a lonely man who is wondering why his lover can't be blue or lonely over him. However, he later realizes that words his lover had whispered were only lies:
Contrary to popular opinion, Mack has often denied that Patsy Cline was his inspiration for writing the song, stating "I didn't write it for Patsy. I never wrote one for anybody." [11] In his autobiography Bill Mack's Memories from the Trenches of Broadcasting, Mack again debunks the publicity claim that he had written the song specifically for Cline, when in fact he did not have Cline in mind when he wrote it. [12] [13] According to his self-penned article for Truckers Connection, Mack reveals that his "most noteworthy inspirations [for creating compositions] have been a billboard and attempting to create note changes on a new guitar" in which he also states,
Inevitably, I would be approached with the question, "What inspired you to write the song?" I wrote "Blue" while picking my new guitar in my home in Wichita Falls, Texas. I was creating some note changes on the guitar when the song entered my mind. Although I wasn't watching the clock, the melody and lyrics came to me in a completed form within 15 minutes. My wife at the time said, "That's the best song I've ever heard! You need to record it as soon as you can! [14]
Mack composed "Blue" within 15 minutes and recorded it in two takes at Nesman Recording Studios in Wichita Falls, Texas. [5] [14] [15] He released it as a 45 rpm single backed by "Faded Rose" for Starday Records, catalog number 360. [1] [2] [3] [4] The Billboard newsweekly on June 2, 1958, described Mack's recording of "Blue" as "A slow-tempo, relaxed item, with Mack's vocal backed by instrumentation featuring a honkytonk type piano. A flavorsome side." [4]
His recording received a limited amount of radio airplay and sold fairly well regionally, but it did not become popular. [5] [14] Disc jockey Snuff Garrett strongly believed the song to be a "surefire hit for the future," so Mack hired a local female singer to make a demo tape recording of "Blue" in 1962 and placed it on a stack of many other songs he had written. [5] [16]
Mack's friend Roy Drusky suggested he pitch "Blue" to Patsy Cline in an effort to make the song a hit, so Mack gave a tape to Cline's husband Charlie Dick, but Cline died in a plane crash in 1963 before she could record it. [11] [17]
The song became a multi-platinum hit for LeAnn Rimes, in 1996. Although it was claimed that Mack had been waiting to find the right vocalist to record "Blue" for all that time, the song was recorded by at least five artists (Mack himself in 1958, Kenny Roberts in 1966, Roy Drusky circa 1960-70s, Polly Stephens Exley in the late 1980s, and Kathryn Pitt in 1993) prior to LeAnn Rimes. [18] [19]
Mack's album Bill Mack Sings His Songs (1998), released as a CD and audio cassette, includes his original recording of "Blue". [20] [21]
"Blue" | ||||
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Single by Kenny Roberts | ||||
B-side | "Sioux City Sue" | |||
Released | November 1966 [22] [23] [24] | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 2:12 [25] | |||
Label | Starday | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bill Mack | |||
Producer(s) | Tommy Hill | |||
Kenny Roberts singles chronology | ||||
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Kenny Roberts released "Blue" in 1966 as a 45 rpm single backed with "Sioux City Sue" for Starday Records, catalog number 788. [22] [23] [24] [25] Roberts, who was a successful country singer since 1949 (with his hit single "I Never See Maggie Alone", and other recordings with Coral and Decca Records throughout the 1950s) signed to Starday in 1965. Don Pierce, Starday president and co-founder who had worked with Mack to record "Blue", gave Roberts the song to make the song a hit. Roberts revised the song by adding the yodel to it. Pierce believed the song had hit potential and promoted Robert's recording with his best effort, but the song did not become popular. [26]
Roberts' recording of "Blue" was reissued by Starday as the ninth track on his LP The Incredible Kenny Roberts (1967), [27] [28] by Bluebonnet catalog number 201 as the fifth track on his LP You're My Kind of People (1988), [29] [30] by Gusto Records as the ninth track on the 2-CD and digital download compilation Country Stars (2006) [31] [32] and as the first track on the digital download EP Gusto's Top Hits: Kenny Roberts (2008). [33]
In the late 1980s, Fort Worth singer-songwriter Polly Stephens Exley (also known as Polly Stephens, Polly Exley and Pauline Stephens) recorded "Blue" [19] [34] but released less than 500 tapes. [35] On February 13, 1997, Exley filed a trial by jury suit in a Tarrant County federal court, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, for copyright infringement against Bill Mack, Broadcast Music, Carlin America, Curb Records, Fort Knox Music, Hal Leonard Corporation and Trio Music. [36] Exley stated that she wrote the second verse of "Blue" in 1987 and should be compensated with 50 percent of the writer's royalties. [37] In September 1997, the parties said they had settled the dispute awarding royalties to Polly Stephens Exley, but was issued a gag order not to publicly talk about her role in the writing of the song. In January 1998, the case was dismissed. [36] Exley re-recorded the song on October 1, 1997, with a transfer of copyright, and had it copyrighted on January 20, 1998, for Fort Knox Music and Trio Music. [38]
"Blue" | ||||
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Single by LeAnn Rimes | ||||
from the album Blue | ||||
B-side |
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Released | June 4, 1996 [39] | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 2:49("Blue") 2:34 ("Lady & Gentlemen") | |||
Label | Curb | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bill Mack | |||
Producer(s) | Wilbur C. Rimes ("Blue") Darrell Brown, LeAnn Rimes ("Lady & Gentlemen") | |||
LeAnn Rimes singles chronology | ||||
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American singer LeAnn Rimes first recorded the song at Norman Petty Studio in Clovis, NM, when she was 11 years old for her 1994 independent album All That . [40] [41] Rimes' father Wilbur and Dallas-Fort Worth manager Marty Rendleman received the Polly Stephens Exley version sent by Bill Mack when putting together the All That album. [5] [12] [19] [34] [36] [42] Wilbur Rimes disliked the demo stating "The first time I heard 'Blue' I didn't like it, but it was a demo version that sounded old fashion." [43]
Rimes re-recorded the song for her debut album, Blue , in 1996 when she was 13. [44] [45] This recording was meant to be the B-side of Rimes' first single, "The Light in Your Eyes", but a ten-second tag of "Blue" on the promo record sent to radio stations drew the attention of DJs, so the A and B-sides were reversed and "Blue" became her first single. It debuted at #49 on the Billboard Country Chart for the week of 25 May 1996, becoming a major hit that summer, [18] peaking at #10 on the Billboard Country Chart and #26 on the Billboard Hot 100, while also reaching #1 on the Canadian Country RPM singles chart. Rimes won the 1996 Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for this version, drawing the attention that earned Mack, as songwriter, that year's Grammy Award for Best Country Song.
Rimes recorded a third version with The Time Jumpers for her 2011 album Lady & Gentlemen , co-producing it with Darrell Brown. [46]
Shawn Haney of AllMusic stated the song was a "sleeper hit," a "radio-friendly airplay single" and that it should "affect listeners in a charismatic and lighthearted way." [47] When re-released on Lady & Gentlemen, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine said the new recording "illustrates just how far she’s come -- how she’s become a stronger, more nuanced singer over the years." [48] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "What a set of pipes'... and this girl is only 13 years old. Her voice and the song's unique history are rapidly gaining attention at country radio. [...] One listen to this single, and it is obvious that "Blue" has found the appropriate home. Rimes has a clear and strong voice, and she delivers the tune with a delightful yodel and lots of power. This could easily be the hottest new thing on country radio this summer." [49]
The accompanying music video for "Blue" features Rimes sitting by Barton Springs Pool in the summer with sunglasses on while young men pass her by. [50] [51] Filmed in Austin, Texas, the music video was directed by Chris Rogers and produced by Hunter Hodge for Pecos Films. [52] The video won two 1996 Billboard Music Awards for Best Country Music Video of the Year and Best New Artist Video of the Year. Country Music Television ranked "Blue" the number four video of the year and named Rimes the Female Rising Video Star of the Year in 1996. [51] The Houston Press and the Austin American-Statesman described that the video alluded to a Lolita theme. [53] [54]
The music video is included on the bonus DVD for Rimes' Greatest Hits - Limited Edition album (2003) [55] and on the Region 2 music DVD releases, The Best of LeAnn Rimes (2004) [56] and LeAnn Rimes: The Complete DVD Collection (2006). [57]
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Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She originally rose to success as a country music artist at the age of 13 and has since crossed over into pop, contemporary Christian, and other musical genres. Rimes has placed more than 40 singles on international charts since 1996. She has sold more than 48 million records worldwide, with 20.8 million album sales in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan. Billboard ranked her at number 17 in terms of sales success in the 1990–1999 decade.
"Crazy" is a song written by Willie Nelson and popularized by country singer Patsy Cline in 1961. Nelson wrote the song while living in Houston, working for Pappy Daily's label D Records. He was also a radio DJ and performed in clubs. Nelson then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, working as a writer for Pamper Music. Through Hank Cochran, the song reached Patsy Cline. After her original recording and release, Cline's version reached number two on Billboard's Hot Country Singles, also crossing to the pop chart as a top 10 single.
"Blue Moon of Kentucky" is a waltz written in 1945 by bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and recorded by his band, the Blue Grass Boys. Some think the origins may trace back to "Roll Along, Kentucky Moon", a similar waltz recorded 20 years prior by Jimmie Rodgers. The song has since been recorded by many artists, including Elvis Presley and Paul McCartney. The song is the official bluegrass song of Kentucky.
"How Do I Live" is a song written by Diane Warren. It was originally performed by American singer and actress LeAnn Rimes and was the first single from her second studio album, You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs (1997). It also appeared on international editions of her follow-up album Sittin' on Top of the World (1998). A second version was performed by American singer Trisha Yearwood, which was featured in the film Con Air. Both versions were released to radio on May 23, 1997.
"Can't Fight the Moonlight" is a song written by Diane Warren and performed by American singer LeAnn Rimes. It is the theme song of the film Coyote Ugly. Released as a single on August 22, 2000, the song reached the top 10 in 19 European countries, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, topping the charts in 12 of these territories, including the United Kingdom; it became Australia's best-selling single of 2001. In the United States, the song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2002.
Blue is the debut major-label album and third studio album by American country music singer LeAnn Rimes, released in the United States on July 9, 1996, by Curb Records. It peaked at number three on the US Billboard 200, and number one on the Top Country Albums chart.
Unchained Melody: The Early Years or simply The Early Years is the major label reissue of All That (1994) by American country singer LeAnn Rimes. The album was released in the United States on February 11, 1997 by Curb Records. The album contains seven tracks from All That alongside three new tracks. All That was originally released independently, and Unchained Melody: The Early Years was issued due to the sales success of her debut major label album, Blue (1996). "Unchained Melody" was released as the sole single from the album.
I Need You is a compilation album by American recording artist LeAnn Rimes. The album was first released on January 30, 2001, through Curb Records to help satisfy Rimes's recording contract obligations following her issuance of a lawsuit against the label. The original release of the album consists of four previously released soundtrack appearances alongside six new tracks. Rimes publicly disowned the album just days after its release, but despite her comments, Curb continued to promote the record and released three singles in support of the album. The album was re-released on March 26, 2002, with four additional remixes and the new recording "Light the Fire Within".
Twisted Angel is the seventh studio album by American country pop artist LeAnn Rimes, released in the United States on October 1, 2002 by Curb Records. After a legal battle with the label and her father, she re-signed with the label. Rimes began recording of the album in 1999. It is her first album that her father, Wilbur C. Rimes, has no production or writing credits on. Unlike the country albums that made her famous, Twisted Angel is a pop album with influences of hip hop, techno, and rock; it was Rimes' attempt at a pop crossover album in the vain of Faith Hill's Cry (2002). Rimes co-produced the record with Desmond Child, Peter Amato, and Gregg Pagani. She described the album as an exploration of more adult sounds and themes. Rimes co-wrote four of the album's 13 tracks.
All That is the second studio album by LeAnn Rimes, released independently under the label Nor Va Jak. It was released on July 22, 1994. The album did not sell well on the market, but a copy was given to Curb Records owner, Mike Curb, who later signed Rimes to his label and recorded her debut major label album, Blue (1996). All That contains the original recording of "Blue". The album was later reissued as Unchained Melody: The Early Years (1997). The album contains covers of Dolly Parton’s “Why Can't We” and “I Will Always Love You”, though the latter is done in the style of Whitney Houston’s R&B cover. The album also has a cover of The Beatles’ “Yesterday” and Patsy Montana’s “I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart”.
"You Light Up My Life" is a ballad written by Joseph Brooks, and originally recorded by Kasey Cisyk for the soundtrack album to the 1977 film of the same title. The song was lip synced in the film by its lead actress, Didi Conn. The best-known cover version of the song is a cover by Debby Boone, the daughter of singer Pat Boone. It held the No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for ten consecutive weeks in 1977 and topped Record World magazine's Top 100 Singles Chart for a record 13 weeks.
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by American country music singer LeAnn Rimes, released in the United States on November 18, 2003, by Curb Records.
"One Way Ticket (Because I Can)" or simply "One Way Ticket" is a song written by Judy Rodman and Keith Hinton, and recorded by American country music artist LeAnn Rimes. It was released in September 1996 as the third single from the album Blue. The single made her the fourth teen-aged country music act to score a number one single on the U.S. Billboard country music charts. It is also her only number one country hit to date.
"I Need You" is a song written by Dennis Matkosky and Ty Lacy and recorded by American country pop artist LeAnn Rimes. It was released on March 20, 2000, as a single from Jesus: Music from and Inspired by the Epic Mini-Series. The following year, it was released internationally on March 19, 2001 as a single from the compilation of the same name. The song spent 25 weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 11, and it was also successful outside the US, reaching the top 20 in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. A music video was released in 2000.
American recording artist LeAnn Rimes has released 17 studio albums, eight compilation albums, one live album, one soundtrack album, three extended plays, 60 singles, nine Christmas singles, and 16 promotional singles. Rimes has sold over 37 million records worldwide to date, with 16.5 million albums and 5.5 million singles certified by RIAA. Rimes was ranked the number 17 Best Selling Artist of the 1990-99 decade by Billboard. She was also ranked at number 184 on Billboard 200 Artists and number 31 on Country Artists of the 2000–09 decade.
"Nothin' Better to Do" is a song recorded by American country music artist LeAnn Rimes. The song was written by Darrell Brown, Rimes, and her then-husband Dean Sheremet. It was released on May 29, 2007, as the lead single to her ninth studio album Family (2007) by Curb Records.
"We Can" is the twenty-fourth single recorded by American country pop singer LeAnn Rimes, released on June 16, 2003, by Asylum-Curb Records from the Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde – Motion Picture Soundtrack (2003). It was penned by Diane Warren and produced by Dann Huff. It would also be included on both 2003's Greatest Hits and 2004's The Best of LeAnn Rimes. It is an empowerment song about how people can do the impossible.
"Carried Away" is a song written by Steve Bogard and Jeff Stevens and recorded by American country music artist George Strait. It was released in June 1996 as the second single from Strait's 1996 album Blue Clear Sky. In August of that year, it became Strait's 30th number one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart. The song was one of two George Strait songs to be nominated for Single of the Year at the 1997 Country Music Association awards.
"Swingin'" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer John Anderson. It was released in January 1983 as the second single from his album Wild & Blue. The song was the second of five number one singles in Anderson's career, spending one week at the top of the Hot Country Songs charts. It also received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America, and received a Single of the Year award from the Country Music Association. Anderson re-recorded the song for his 1994 album Country 'til I Die on BNA Records. This re-recording served as the b-side to the album's title track, which was also the first single from it. In addition to LeAnn Rimes, Chris Young performed an acoustic cover of "Swingin'" for his 2010 EP Voices.
"Give" is a song by American country recording artist LeAnn Rimes, that was released as the third and final single from her album Lady & Gentlemen. The song is written by Connie Harrington, Sonya Isaacs and Jimmy Yeary.
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