The Secret of Life (album)

Last updated

The Secret of Life
TheSecretofLife.jpg
Studio album by
Released1996
Recorded1995–1996
Genre Country, folk
Length42:12
Label Imprint
Producer Green Daniel
Gretchen Peters chronology
The Secret of Life
(1996)
Gretchen Peters
(2001)

The Secret of Life is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters. It was released in 1996, and featured a minor hit single in the track, "When You Are Old". The song reached number 68 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The album was the first release for Imprint Records. [1]

Contents

Faith Hill covered the title track and took it to number 4 on the country chart in the States (while also scraping into the top 50 on the Billboard Hot 100). Trisha Yearwood recorded her own version of "On a Bus to St. Cloud" for her full-length Thinkin' About You (two years prior to the release of this album), while Martina McBride has recorded 3 songs: "This Uncivil War", "When You Are Old" and "Independence Day" which she took to number 12 on the U.S. country chart.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]

AllMusic gave the album three stars (out of a possible five), comparing her to fellow singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, calling the songs "highly introspective, thoughtful and intelligent". [2] An uncredited review in Billboard said that Peters "proves to be as satisfying a singer as she is a writer." [1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Gretchen Peters except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Waiting For the Light to Turn Green"Peters, Suzy Bogguss 3:42
2."Border Town" 4:07
3."I Ain't Ever Satisfied" Steve Earle 3:50
4."I Was Looking For You" 3:58
5."On a Bus to St. Cloud" 3:55
6."Over Africa" 4:10
7."This Uncivil War" 4:08
8."The Secret of Life" 4:16
9."A Room With a View" 3:39
10."Circus Girl" 3:34
11."When You Are Old" 2:53
12."Independence Day" 3:44

Personnel

Production

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References

  1. 1 2 "Reviews". Billboard. June 22, 1996. p. 85.
  2. 1 2 "The Secret of Life". Allmusic . Retrieved February 23, 2012.