Number 1 with a Bullet

Last updated
  1. 1 With a Bullet
Raybullet.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 18, 1991
Genre Country, novelty
Length32:31
Label Capitol/Curb
Producer Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens chronology
Greatest Hits
(1991)
#1 With a Bullet
(1991)
Ahab the Arab
(1992)

#1 with a Bullet is the twenty-eighth studio album of American country and comedy singer Ray Stevens. It was released in June 1991. The album includes the singles "Working for the Japanese" and "Power Tools", which respectively reached numbers 62 and 72 on the Hot Country Songs charts. [1] The album also includes a re-recording of "The Pirate Song," which was originally recorded for his 1986 album I Have Returned. [2]

Contents

Critical reception

Dennis Miller of the Elmira, New York Star-Gazette gave the album a mostly positive review, writing that "Stevens is at his madcap best when he aims his satirical bullets at the contemporary." He considered "Teenage Mutant Kung Fu Chickens", "Workin' for the Japanese", and "You Gotta Have a Hat" among the best in this regard. He also thought that "The Pirate Song" was the best due to Stevens' portrayal of the two characters in the song. [3] Giving it 3 out of 4 stars, Jack Hurst of Tribune Media called the album "just another Stevens album, meaning that its varied and imaginative music backs the occasional lame line along with lots of others that are howlingly funny." [4]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Power Tools" C.W. Kalb, Jr. 3:29
2."Teenage Mutant Kung Fu Chickens"C.W. Kalb, Jr.3:20
3."You Gotta Have a Hat"C.W. Kalb, Jr.2:46
4."Tabloid News"C.W. Kalb, Jr.2:40
5."The Pirate Song (I Want to Sing & Dance)"C.W. Kalb, Jr., Carlene Kalb3:59
6."The Sheik of R&B"C.W. Kalb, Jr., Russell Piburn, Bill Piburn2:49
7."Juanita and the Kids"C.W. Kalb, Jr., Lonnie Carneal4:39
8."Back in the Doghouse Again"C.W. Kalb, Jr., Glen Fortner3:06
9."A Little Blue-Haired Lady"C.W. Kalb, Jr.2:43
10."Working for the Japanese"Ron DeLacy2:56

Personnel

Compiled from liner notes. [5]

Chart performance

Album

Chart (1991)Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Top Comedy Albums14
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums60

Singles

YearSinglePeak positions
US Country
1991"Working for the Japanese"62
1991"Power Tools"72

Related Research Articles

<i>Killin Time</i> (Clint Black album) 1989 studio album by Clint Black

Killin' Time is the 1989 debut album by American swing-country singer-songwriter Clint Black. The album, buoyed by the chart-topping success of its first four singles, was a huge hit upon its release, and established Black as one of the biggest new stars in country music. The album is currently certified triple platinum by the RIAA.

<i>Right or Wrong</i> (George Strait album) 1983 studio album by George Strait

Right or Wrong is the third studio album by American country music artist George Strait, released on October 6, 1983 by MCA Records.

<i>I Have Returned</i> 1985 studio album by Ray Stevens

I Have Returned was Ray Stevens' twenty-second studio album and his second for MCA Records, released in 1985. The pictures on both the front and the back of the album were taken in the Mississippi Sound near Biloxi, Mississippi according to the album credits. The cover depicts Stevens dressed as General Douglas MacArthur from World War II. "The Haircut Song" and "The Ballad of the Blue Cyclone" were released as singles from the album. "Santa Claus Is Watching You" is a re-recording of Stevens' 1960s pop single and was re-issued as a country single around the time of the album's release and was made into a popular music video.

Shenandoah (band)

Shenandoah is an American country music band founded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in 1984 by Marty Raybon, Ralph Ezell, Stan Thorn, Jim Seales, and Mike McGuire. Thorn and Ezell left the band in the mid-1990s, with Rocky Thacker taking over on bass guitar; Keyboardist Stan Munsey joined the line up in 1995, until his departure in 2018. The band split up in 1997 after Raybon left. Seales and McGuire reformed the band in 2000 with lead singer Brent Lamb, who was in turn replaced by Curtis Wright and then by Jimmy Yeary. Ezell rejoined in the early 2000s, and after his 2007 death, he was replaced by Mike Folsom. Raybon returned to the band in 2014. That same year, Jamie Michael replaced the retiring Jim Seales on lead guitar.

<i>He Thinks Hes Ray Stevens</i> 1984 studio album by Ray Stevens

He Thinks He's Ray Stevens was Ray Stevens' twenty-first studio album and his first for MCA Records, released in 1984. The front of the album cover shows Stevens spoofing French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. It was recorded in an effort to reestablish Stevens as a comic singer after a period in the early 1980s when he had focused mainly on serious material.

<i>Interiors</i> (Rosanne Cash album) 1990 studio album by Rosanne Cash

Interiors is the seventh studio album by American country music singer Rosanne Cash. The album was released in October 5, 1990, as her next-to-last for Columbia Records. The album accounted for her last appearances on the Hot Country Songs charts: "What We Really Want" reached number 39, and "On the Surface" reached number 69.

<i>Some Gave All</i> 1992 studio album by Billy Ray Cyrus

Some Gave All is the debut album by American singer Billy Ray Cyrus. It was his first album for Mercury Records in 1992 and became the best selling album of that year in the United States, selling over 9 million copies in the first 12 months of release. It produced four hit singles on the Billboard country charts. The first of these was Cyrus's breakthrough song "Achy Breaky Heart", which topped the charts in several countries. In the US it was a five-week number one on the Hot Country Songs chart, as well as a top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It became the first single ever to achieve triple Platinum status in Australia and was the best-selling single of 1992 in the same country. Thanks to the video of the song, there was an explosion of line dancing into the mainstream, becoming a craze. The song earned Grammy Award nominations for Cyrus in the categories Record of the Year and Best Country Vocal Performance, Male. That same year, Cyrus also received a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist. "Achy Breaky Heart" was originally recorded as "Don't Tell My Heart" by The Marcy Brothers on their 1991 self-titled album.

<i>Love or Something Like It</i> 1978 studio album by Kenny Rogers

Love or Something Like It is the fifth studio album by country music superstar Kenny Rogers, released in 1978. It was Rogers' fourth #1 hit album.

<i>Storm in the Heartland</i> 1994 studio album by Billy Ray Cyrus

Storm in the Heartland is the third album from country music artist Billy Ray Cyrus. Released in 1994 on Mercury Records, it produced the singles "Storm in the Heartland", "Deja Blue", and "One Last Thrill", the first two of which entered the Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. The album itself was certified gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies.

<i>Borderline</i> (Brooks & Dunn album) 1996 studio album by Brooks & Dunn

Borderline is the fourth studio album by country music duo Brooks & Dunn. Released in 1996 on Arista Records, the album produced five singles on the Hot Country Songs charts for the duo: the Number One hit "My Maria", the #2 "I Am That Man", the #13 "Mama Don't Get Dressed Up for Nothing", another #1 in "A Man This Lonely", and finally "Why Would I Say Goodbye" at #8. Borderline was certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA.

<i>Big Hopes</i> 1998 studio album by Ty Herndon

Big Hopes is the third studio album recorded by country music artist Ty Herndon. It features the singles "A Man Holding On ", "It Must Be Love", and "Hands of a Working Man". These songs peaked at #5, #1, and #5, respectively, on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. "It Must Be Love" was his third and final Number One on the country charts, while "Hands of a Working Man" was his last Top Ten.

<i>Southern Rain</i> 2000 studio album by Billy Ray Cyrus

Southern Rain is the sixth studio album by country music artist Billy Ray Cyrus. The album sold 14,000 copies in its first week of release and would go on to sell over 160,000 copies. It produced five singles on the Hot Country Songs charts, including the number 17 "You Won't Be Lonely Now". This was his first album for Monument Records after leaving Mercury Records in 1999.

Tell Me Something Good 1974 single by Rufus

"Tell Me Something Good" is a song by Rufus and Chaka Khan, written by Stevie Wonder and released in 1974. The single was a hit in the United States, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent one week at number one on the Cash Box Top 100. It was among the earliest hits to use the guitar talk box, by Tony Maiden.

<i>No Holdin Back</i> 1989 studio album by Randy Travis

No Holdin' Back is the fourth studio album by American country music singer Randy Travis. It was released on September 26, 1989, by Warner Bros. Records Nashville. Three singles were released from it, all of which charted on the Hot Country Songs charts: the Number One hits "It's Just a Matter of Time" and "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart", as well as the #2 hit "He Walked on Water". "It's Just a Matter of Time" was previously a Number One hit for Brook Benton in 1959 on the R&B charts, and for Sonny James in 1970 on the country charts. Glen Campbell also had a #7-peaking rendition of the song in 1986.

<i>Heroes & Friends</i> 1990 studio album by Randy Travis

Heroes & Friends is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Randy Travis, released in 1990. Except for the title track, every song on this album is a duet with another recording artist. "A Few Ole Country Boys" and the title track were both released as singles from this album, peaking at numbers 8 and 3, respectively, on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts in 1990.

<i>Willow in the Wind</i> 1989 studio album by Kathy Mattea

Willow in the Wind is the fifth studio album by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in 1989 on Mercury Records. The album is her highest-peaking entry on the Top Country Albums charts, where it reached number 6. It was also certified gold by the RIAA. Four singles were released from it, and all four reached Top Ten on the Billboard country singles charts. First were the back-to-back number 1 hits "Come from the Heart" and "Burnin' Old Memories", followed by the number 10 "Where've You Been" and number 2 "She Came from Fort Worth". "Where've You Been" also charted on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts, peaking at number 25 there. This song also earned her the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

<i>Loveline</i> (Eddie Rabbitt album) 1979 studio album by Eddie Rabbitt

Loveline is the fifth studio album by country artist Eddie Rabbitt. It was released in 1979 under the Elektra Records label. The album produced three singles including "Suspicions", which reached number one on country charts, 13 on the Billboard 100 and 9 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The other singles included "Pour Me Another Tequila" and "Gone Too Far", which peaked at 5 and 1, respectively, on Country Charts. The song "I Don't Wanna Make Love " previously appeared on Rabbitt's album Rocky Mountain Music and was re-recorded on this album.

<i>Tempted</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Marty Stuart

Tempted is the fifth studio album by American country music artist, Marty Stuart. It was released in January 1991 by MCA Nashville. It peaked at #20 on the Top Country Albums chart. It was certified Gold in the United States and Canada. The songs, "Little Things", "'Til I Found You", "Tempted" and "Burn Me Down" were released as singles and all of them reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. "Tempted" at #5 is the highest charting solo single of his career in the United States, although he would reach #2 in 1992 as a duet partner on Travis Tritt's "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'."

<i>Life Is Messy</i> 1992 studio album by Rodney Crowell

Life Is Messy is the seventh studio album released by American country music artist Rodney Crowell, released in 1992 by Columbia Records. It peaked at number 30 on the Top Country Albums chart. The songs, "Lovin' All Night", "What Kind of Love", "It's Not for Me to Judge", and "Let's Make Trouble" were released as singles.

<i>Take a Back Road</i> 2011 studio album by Rodney Atkins

Take a Back Road is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Rodney Atkins. It was released on October 4, 2011 via Curb Records. The album's first single, its title track", is the fastest-rising and sixth number one hit of Atkins' career. The second single, "He's Mine," was previously recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus on his 2009 album Back to Tennessee. "Just Wanna Rock N' Roll" was released as the album's third single in June 2012.

References

  1. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. pp. 402–403. ISBN   0-89820-177-2.
  2. "I Have Returned". Allmusic. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  3. Dennis Miller (July 18, 1991). "Stevens gives us much-needed lightness". Star-Gazette. p. 4. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  4. Jack Hurst (June 30, 1991). "Country". The Spokesman Review. p. 9. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  5. #1 with a Bullet (CD booklet). Ray Stevens. Curb Records. 1991. 95914.CS1 maint: others (link)