Playing to Win (Rick Nelson album)

Last updated
Playing to Win
Playing to Win (Ricky Nelson album).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 1981
Genre Rock and roll, country rock
Length54:16
Label Capitol
Producer Jack Nitzsche
Rick Nelson chronology
Intakes
(1977)
Playing to Win
(1981)
All My Best
(1985)
Singles from Playing to Win
  1. "It Hasn't Happened Yet b/w "Call It What You Want"
    Released: January 1981
  2. "Believe What You Say b/w "The Loser Babe Is You"
    Released: March 1981

Playing to Win is the twenty-fourth studio album by American singer Rick Nelson, released in January, 1981, on Capitol Records. [1] It was the last album of new material Nelson would release in his lifetime. His next studio effort, All My Best, featured re-recordings of old Nelson hits while The Memphis Sessions his final collection of all-new material, was released posthumously.

Contents

It featured several rockabilly songs, including "Back to School Days", a contemporary version of "Believe What You Say", and John Fogerty's "Almost Saturday Night", [2] The Tentalive title came from one of his two originals on the album, "Call It What You Want," a jaunty, Rolling Stones-style romp, His other original however, provided the LP's most pro-phetic song, "The Loser Babe is You." [3] according to Nelson, "The album was going to be called 'It's Rock and Roll to Me, "but the idea was shelved because Billy Joel brought out a thing with the same theme, I just want to make records that sound like me. I've been through so many people telling me 'Go this direction' and then changing their minds the next day." [3]

The album debuted on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart in the issue dated February 21 of that year and remained on the chart for six weeks, peaking at number 153. [4]

Bear Family included also the album in the 2010 The Last Time Around box set. [5]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]

William Ruhlmann of AllMusic said that "Nelson updated his rock & roll sound to take into consideration the heartland rock of artists like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger, and Tom Petty, as well as punk/new wave. As always, he had great taste, which allowed him to pick great material" [1]

Billboard called it "new wave - inflected rock" and "an energetic and fun collection". [8]

Track listing

Side one

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Almost Saturday Night" John Fogerty 2:35
2."Believe What You Say" Dorsey Burnette, Johnny Burnette 2:57
3."Little Miss American Dream" Peter McCannbeli 4:04
4."The Loser Babe Is You" 3:46
5."Back to Schooldays" Graham Parker 2:44

Side two

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."It Hasn't Happened Yet" John Hiatt 3:32
2."Call It What You Want" 3:06
3."I Can't Take It No More"John Davis, Mickey McGee 3:45
4."Don't Look at Me"Hans Wilhelm Steinberg2:57
5."Do the Best You Can" Ry Cooder, Titleman4:13

Charts

Chart (1981)Peak
position
US Top LPs & Tape (Billboard) [4] 153

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Rick Nelson – Playing to Win: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  2. Homer, Sheree (2012). Rick Nelson, rock 'n' roll pioneer. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 122. ISBN   978-0-7864-6060-1.
  3. 1 2 Selvin, Joel (1990). Ricky Nelson: Idol for a Generation. Chicago: Contemporary Books. p. 254. ISBN   978-0-8092-4187-3.
  4. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (1996). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums 1955-1996. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. pp. 10, 556. ISBN   0898201179 . Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  5. "The Last Time Around 1970-1982". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  6. DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly (1992). The Rolling stone album guide : completely new reviews : every essential album, every essential artist. Random House. p. 498. ISBN   9781846098567 . Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  7. Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1020. ISBN   9781846098567 . Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  8. "Recommended LPs: Rick Nelson – Playing to Win" (PDF). Billboard . January 24, 1981. p. 106.