Don't Close Your Eyes (album)

Last updated

Don't Close Your Eyes
Don't Close Your Eyes.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 31, 1988
Recorded1987
Studio Music City Music Hall and Sound Emporium (Nashville, Tennessee)
Genre Country
Length39:31
Label RCA
Producer
Keith Whitley chronology
L.A. to Miami
(1985)
Don't Close Your Eyes
(1988)
I Wonder Do You Think of Me
(1989)
Singles from Don't Close Your Eyes
  1. "Would These Arms Be in Your Way"
    Released: June 1987
  2. "Some Old Side Road"
    Released: November 2, 1987
  3. "Don't Close Your Eyes"
    Released: March 1988
  4. "When You Say Nothing at All"
    Released: August 1988
  5. "I'm No Stranger to the Rain"
    Released: January 1989
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]

Don't Close Your Eyes is the second studio album by American country music artist Keith Whitley and the last to be released during his lifetime. The album was released on May 31, 1988, by RCA Records. After the success of his debut album, L.A. to Miami (1985), Whitley re-entered the studio and began recording a second album with producer Blake Mevis. After its completion, Whitley was unhappy with its production, and he convinced his label to shelve the recordings. Don't Close Your Eyes was subsequently recorded with producer Garth Fundis. [2] [3] The album's liner notes credit Fundis and Whitley with production on all tracks except "Some Old Side Road" and "Would These Arms Be in Your Way", which are credited to Mevis. [4]

Contents

The album became a commercial success, and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It contained three consecutive number one hits on the Hot Country Singles chart: "Don't Close Your Eyes", "When You Say Nothing at All", and "I'm No Stranger to the Rain".

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Flying Colors"
3:35
2."It's All Coming Back to Me Now"2:45
3."Lucky Dog"2:00A
4."Don't Close Your Eyes" Bob McDill 4:11
5."The Birmingham Turnaround"
2:49
6."Some Old Side Road" Roger D. Ferris 3:25
7."Would These Arms Be in Your Way"3:10A
8."I'm No Stranger to the Rain"
3:33
9."I Never Go Around Mirrors"4:24
10."When You Say Nothing at All"3:40
11."A Day in the Life of a Fool"
3:37A
12."Honky Tonk Heart"3:04

Personnel

Compiled from liner notes. [5]

All tracks except "Some Old Side Road" and "Would These Arms Be in Your Way"
"Some Old Side Road" and "Would These Arms Be in Your Way"

Chart performance

Singles

YearSinglePeak positions
US Country CAN Country
1987"Would These Arms Be in Your Way"36
"Some Old Side Road"1632
1988"Don't Close Your Eyes"12
"When You Say Nothing at All"11
1989"I'm No Stranger to the Rain"11
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [11] Platinum1,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Production

References

  1. Owens, Thom. "Don't Close Your Eyes review". Allmusic . Retrieved August 20, 2009.
  2. Jack Hurst (May 15, 1988). "Back In Focus". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  3. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Keith Whitley: Biography". Allmusic . Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  4. Don't Close Your Eyes (CD booklet). Keith Whitley. RCA Records. 1988. 6494-2-R.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. Don't Close Your Eyes (CD booklet). Keith Whitley. RCA Records. 1988. 6494.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. "Keith Whitley Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  7. "Keith Whitley Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  8. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1988". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  9. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  10. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  11. "American album certifications – Keith Whitley – Don't Close Your Eyes". Recording Industry Association of America.