bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Aug 9, 2023 3:10:05 GMT -5
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow" Album: Shakin' Things Up
Year: 1997
{Lyrics} Tonight you’re mine completely. You give your love so sweetly. Tonight the light of love is in your eyes. But will you love me tomorrow?
Is this a lasting treasure, Or just a moment’s pleasure? Can I believe the magic in your sights? And will you love me tomorrow?
Tonight with words unspoken, You say that I’m the only one. But will my heart be broken When the night meets the morning sun?
I’d like to know if your love Is a love I can be sure of. So tell me now, and I won’t ask again, Will you still love me tomorrow?
Will you still love me tomorrow? Will you still love me tomorrow?
I'm sorry to be MIA from this series for awhile! I have had less time overall to spend on Pulse thanks to spending time with family this summer. Plus I have been trying to keep up with the pace of new releases for my Modern Country Radio Reviews series, which so far has been mostly successful...but I did fall behind for a few weeks, which meant I had to focus a bit harder on catching up with that one. However, I have been itching to dive back into Lorrie Morgan some more, so I say let's do it!!!
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow" is a cover of a famous pop song written and performed by Carole King, although I think The Shirelles have the most famous version? Either way, it is so classic that most people have probably heard it before, whether they realize it or not. Lorrie of course must be one of them, as she decided to try her hand at the song on her Shakin' Things Up album. And the results are good! Lorrie's version is very subdued and understated! Her vocal performance is both powerful and intimate, with every word cutting through and landing with their full emotional force, like stones on a clear pond. The timbre of her voice is just so warm and genuine, and really complements this melody well.
This is a vulnerable song, with our narrator sharing a passionate night of intimacy with someone that she is starting to really care about, but she is having doubts about his intentions and whether he feels the same. Whether he has given her legitimate reasons to worry or if she is just being insecure is left up to interpretation, but either way, it is a very relatable song for all, and made even more accessible thanks to Lorrie's down-home performance.
This is now yet ANOTHER A-list song for the Shakin' Things Up album, which has now gone 5 for 5 out of the songs I have reviewed so far!! What an incredible album
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Post by bboat11 on Aug 9, 2023 3:45:51 GMT -5
"Who Do You Know In California" Album: Classics Year: 1980s
{Lyrics} Livin’ with you isn’t always easy. Bless your heart, you try. You put me through some crazy times. I always let it slide. But early this mornin’, you must’ve heard me Bangin’ on the pots and pans. By now you should see it’s gotten to me. I’ve taken all that I can stand.
Tell me, who do you know in California? What’s she doin’ callin’ here? Some people got a lot of nerve. Some people just don’t care. I don’t understand what makes a man do Some of the things you do. Who do you know in California? What does she want with you?
You’re hidin’ behind the mornin’ paper, Hangin’ onto every word. Tryin’ to find a real good answer; One that isn’t too absurd. Then you look in my eyes and tell me a lie. How dumb do you think I am? Enough is enough. I’ve had too much, And it’s about to hit the fan.
Tell me, who do you know in California? What’s she doin’ callin’ here? Some people got a lot of nerve. Some people just don’t care. I don’t understand what makes a man do Some of the things you do. Who do you know in California? What does she want with you?
Tell me, who do you know in California? What’s she doin’ callin’ here? Some people got a lot of nerve. Some people just don’t care. I don’t understand what makes a man do Some of the things you do. Who do you know in California? What does she want with you?
Lorrie's early years have not fared the best in this review series, but this one's another winner! "Who Do You Know In California" is a simple song about a suspicious lover. The narrator has been storming through the house, banging pots and pans and generally being in a huff, because some lady from California has been calling around the house, and she is becoming suspicious that her lover might not be being completely faithful! The details are not fully clear in my mind (like did Caller ID exist in the '80s, and she saw a call come in that said "California" and got suspicious? Did Lorrie actually answer and specifically talk to a lady who said she was from California and asked for her husband? Did the husband take the call and Lorrie listened on the other line? Hahaha I cannot even fathom life in the '80s, obviously 😂😂😂) I mean, the song makes plenty of sense in a modern context, where cell phones and social media and the internet make it very easy to tell where certain calls are coming from. I'm just not sure if I understand how it would have played out in the '80s!
Either way, this is a fun song. The accusation is just campy enough for the listener to be curious what happens next, without it feeling like too much of a melodrama. But the key factor in why this is a fun listen is the insatiable melody!! This is one of those songs where the melody is just so definitive, it literally would not matter what Lorrie is singing about, it would sound fun. With the toe-tapping back-beat and the confident brassy vocals, this song gives off a feeling of empowerment for the narrator to take back control of her relationship, whether that means kicking her cheating man to the curb or her tracking down this interloper in California.
This is now the second song from the early years to receive a spot on the A-list, after "Ain't Got Time To Rock No Baby".
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Post by bboat11 on Aug 9, 2023 18:09:29 GMT -5
"'Til I Get It Right" Album: A Moment In Time
Year: 2009
{Lyrics} I’ll just keep on fallin’ in love ’Til I get it right. Right now I’m like a wounded bird, Hungry for the sky. But if I try my wings, and try long enough, I’m bound to learn to fly. So I’ll just keep on fallin’ in love ’Til I get it right.
My door to love has opened out More times than in. And I’m either fool or wise enough To open it again. ‘Cause I’ll never know what’s beyond the mountain ’Til I reach the other side. So I’ll just keep on fallin’ in love ’Til I get it right.
If practice makes perfect, Then I’m near ‘bout as perfect as I’ll ever be In my life. So I’ll just keep on fallin’ in love ’Til I get it right.
If practice makes perfect, Then I’m near ‘bout as perfect as I’ll ever be In my life. So I’ll just keep on fallin’ in love ’Til I get it right.
"'Til I Get It Right" is a Tammy Wynette cover, although it is one of those songs that is iconic enough that you may have heard it from any number of people through the years. Unfortunately, this is a song that I find to be dreadfully dreary regardless of who sings it...
This is a song that speaks to the hope and perseverance of finding love. In it, you see a narrator who is struggling to find strong romantic connections, with people leaving her more often than they stay. But despite all that, there is an underlying sense of determination in the fact that she is going to keep on trying! And yet, for a song that is supposed to be so hopeful, this has such a saaaaad melody... Seriously, I already called it "dreary", and there is honestly no other way to describe this one. I am genuinely surprised that it is as fast as 67 BPM, as it truly feels like one of the slowest songs I have ever heard... Lol
Lorrie's cover of this can be found on A Moment In Time, which is a later album in her career, so of course her vocals are slightly weaker than expected. That being said, in this particular song it is only slight. She still sounds quite technically good actually, especially when you factor in that this album was completely recorded live in-studio, so there isn't any overdubbing done to spruce up any vocals! Unfortunately, while she sounds technically stronger than expected here, the thing that is lacking is the engaging warmth that is typically a highlight of her performances. I have no doubt that she is a vocalist who could have elevated this song into the C range in her prime, similar to "Crying Time". But this recording unfortunately clocks into the D range for me.
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Aug 9, 2023 18:29:29 GMT -5
"I Can't Think Of Anything But You" Album: I Finally Found Someone
Year: 2001
{Lyrics} Now that I’ve looked in your eyes, Felt your heart beat next to mine, I can’t think of anything but you.
It was only moments that we shared, And now you’re with me everywhere. I can’t think of anything but you.
And when I close my eyes, Your face is all that I see in my mind. I never knew a touch or a kiss Could make me feel like this.
I get in bed and close the light, And hold you in my dreams all night. I can’t think of anything but you.
And when I close my eyes, Your face is all that I see in my mind. I never knew a touch or a kiss Could make me feel like this.
I can’t wait to see you again. I don’t know how I’m gonna hold out ’til then, ‘Cause I can’t think of anything but How much you make my heart sing. And I can’t think of anything but, Now that I’ve looked in your eyes, I can’t think of anything but, Felt your heartbeat next to mine, I can’t think of anything. It was only moments that we shared…
Next up we have another duet from I Finally Found Someone, with Sammy Kershaw. "I Can't Think Of Anything But You" is just like the title sounds, with the two narrators talking about how they love each other so much that they can't think of anything else. It is a romantic song celebrating the intimacy between two people, and that's just about it. The whole thing is pretty straightforward, although I do kinda like the twist at the end where they keep saying "I can't think of anything but" and then rather than finishing with "you" they quote a line from earlier in the song, turning it into a run-on sentence of all the things about each other that they can't stop thinking about.
Ultimately this is not a missed hit opportunity or really a song that adds much of anything to their respective careers. Their vocals both sound really great here, and the melody is at least engaging enough to keep me invested even if it's not particularly memorable. It's a nice solid middle-of-the-road song. But where it draws a LOT of strength, enough to bump an average song up to a B-, is in its fantastic arrangement!! The steel, mandolin, and piano work together to make this quite a treat to listen to instrumentally, and the production is top notch.
I can't remember if I've said this before or not, but I really wish that Lorrie had given us a solo album in like 2000/2001 instead of a hits album followed by a duets album, because with the production quality of her releases at the time and how incredible her voice was at the time, we could have had a truly iconic entry in her career!
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Post by bboat11 on Aug 9, 2023 19:05:36 GMT -5
"Mirror, Mirror" Album: I Walk Alone
Year: 2010
{Lyrics} Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who’s the saddest of us all? I didn’t recognize the face as mine, Stained with tears and Father Time.
I’ve tasted wine upon my tongue. I’ve danced with kings and debutantes. Mirror, mirror, can’t you see Reflections of what used to be?
Oh, if only knew I’d end up lonely. Oh, if only knew I’d end up sad. Maybe I’d have found my one and only In all the loves I’ve had. There’s no such thing as happy endings, Make believe and fairy tales. I’ve been a fool for pretending, But mirror, don’t you tell.
Mirror, mirror, you don’t lie. We have these talks most every night. You know my secrets all so well, Why I’m here all by myself.
Oh, if only knew I’d end up lonely. Oh, if only knew I’d end up sad. Maybe I’d have found my one and only In all the loves I’ve had. There’s no such thing as happy endings, Make believe and fairy tales. I’ve been a fool for pretending, But mirror, don’t you tell.
Mirror, don’t you tell. Mirror, mirror on the wall. Mirror, mirror on the wall.
Wow, what a wide range of ranks I am getting for Lorrie today! Haha. "Mirror, Mirror" is not only another A+ song, but it earns the exclusive honor of being an A+ with more than 100%! Man, based on what I know of Lorrie's career, this must be THE gem of her late-career albums. While she has had plenty of great songs in recent years, like "Slow", "Last Night's Makeup", "Wherever You Are Tonight", etc., THIS is the only one that really feels like it had potential to redefine her entire career. Or at least join the ranks of her most definitive songs. IF it had been released under the right circumstances. Which it obviously wasn't, seeing as nobody even knows that the I Walk Alone album exists
"Mirror, Mirror" is a haunting song, in every sense of the word. The way the lyrics, vocals, instruments, and production all come together to flawlessly enhance each other is incredible. It leaves the listener with a feeling that they have just witnessed some kind of innovative artistry, in a way that is uniquely powerful with music.
The overall point of this song is that you have a narrator who is looking at herself in the mirror, and reflecting on her sadness and loneliness. It leads to great lyrics, such as the entire opening verse: "Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the saddest of us all? I didn't recognize the face as mine, stained with tears and Father Time." Seriously, all the descriptions of sadness in this song hit hard, cut deep, and leave the listener feeling multiple layers of emotions.
You mourn for this woman's lost youth, lost loves, and lost time right alongside her. And such a perspective is absolutely perfect coming from Lorrie at this point in her career, where she is no longer on top of the world and has dealt with her fair share of problems, from death and divorce all the way to bankruptcy, not to mention the general wisdom that comes from age. This is a wise, mature performance, and also her voice is absolutely PERFECT here! Not a hint of weakness due to age, unlike her other music from this time period! She NAILS this vocal! Every note is so resonant, and every vibrato so perfect and strong...
It is such a shame this song is so obscure If it had come out on ANY of her earlier albums, it could have been a fan favorite at the very least. I'm pretty sure it's STILL a live favorite, based on the results I got on YouTube.
(Another one from the Lip Synch Lady 😂 So you can hear kinda what the studio version sounds like.)
A live version!! Even though this particular live album came out in 2017, I think it must have been recorded more like 2010/2011, as she introduces this song as a song on her "new" album.
She re-recorded it on her 2016 re-recorded Greatest Hits album, although it is not really advertised as a re-recording the way that all the hits are. I guess because the original is so obscure now? But this one is not nearly as good, imo.
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kluen
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Post by kluen on Aug 24, 2023 0:03:55 GMT -5
For me,Lorrie Morgan is not the artist that I loved instantly. When I first listened to her songs I didn't care much except for Something in Red. Then it was What Part of No that really got my attention. And the shot the director gave her when Garth Brooks performs Don't Close Your Eyes on 2016 CMA Award really made me interested in her and her relationship with Keith Whitley. I have revisited her music a while ago and enjoyed. After reading some of your thoughtful and exquisite reviews,I'm definitely gonna revisit her music soon. Seems like there are some great songs that I missed.
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Sept 10, 2023 0:32:45 GMT -5
"Let It Be Yesterday" Album: Classics Year: 1970s/80s
{Lyrics} If I could turn back the pages, I’d rewrite the story’s end And have you here with me again. I’d never let you go.
‘Cause I don’t know how to live without you. Love ain’t the same without you lyin’ next to me. Tried pretending, but it’s easy to see, There’s just no getting over you.
Let it be yesterday, Just the two of us. Let me feel again the love a heart only feels once. Let it be yesterday. Moonlight and roses. Get back the love that up and walked away. Let it be yesterday.
Goodbyes don’t make love gone. Memories keep on hangin’ on. Since you’ve left, all my right’s been wrong. How I long for yesterday.
Let it be yesterday, Just the two of us. Let me feel again the love a heart only feels once. Let it be yesterday. Moonlight and roses. Get back the love that up and walked away. Let it be yesterday.
Let it be yesterday.
"Let It Be Yesterday" is the next song to come from Lorrie's early years. This song definitely has potential! The song is simply about a love that has failed, and in the aftermath of the breakup Lorrie wishes she could turn back the pages and fix everything. But since her lover left, there is really not much else she can do about it except feel sad. She feels that this was the kind of love that someone only gets to experience once, so she longs for the way it used to be.
It is a completely unremarkable song lyrically, but at least the melody is pretty good. This is a song that could have probably snuck up to the B-range with her '90s production and a more confident vocal! But as it exists, she sounds quite inexperienced and unseasoned here, and the late '70s/early '80s production job reeeaaaaally dates this. It sounds like it would have potentially sounded like background music even back then, which is not something I'm used to saying about Lorrie! Overall a C- feels appropriate.
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Post by bboat11 on Sept 10, 2023 0:41:31 GMT -5
"In For Rain" Album: Classics Year: 1970s/80s
{Lyrics}Once again, here I stand, Left out in the cold. Dreams of love are all that’s left, But dreams are hard to hold. My memories can’t shelter me From all these clouds of pain. It’s a crying shame, But I’m in for rain again.
Looks like I’m in for rain again. I feel the same old clouds I felt before start movin’ in. Lost a love before, but swore this time that I would win. It’s a crying shame, But I’m in for rain again.
When my storm is through and I’m over you, I’ll reach for love again, And try to just forget my past And pray one day I’ll win. But for today, skies are gray, And all the clouds remain. It’s a crying shame, But I’m in for rain again.
Looks like I’m in for rain again. I feel the same old clouds I felt before start movin’ in. Lost a love before, but swore this time that I would win. It’s a crying shame, But I’m in for rain again.
It’s a crying shame, But I’m in for rain.
I figured since we are down to the last couple songs from Classics, I may as well go ahead and finish off that album! "In For Rain" is low-key one of the most boring things Lorrie has ever given us... First of all, this song is soooooo incredibly dated! I'm going to guess it is one of the first few things she ever recorded, and not only does she sound young, but the production sounds even cheaper and more dated than the average late '70s release should. Like, Reba's debut album probably sounds a solid 10 years newer than this! And for anyone who's ever heard that album, that's QUITE a statement lmao
Conceptually, this song talks about the overall cycle between love and heartbreak. It is well-written in the sense that the narrator conveys both a sense of recurring disappointment and hopeful resilience. But melodically, this is super forgettable. D+ is about as generous as I can be.
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Post by bboat11 on Sept 10, 2023 0:50:38 GMT -5
"Don't Go Changing" Album: Classics Year: 1984
{Lyrics} Don’t go changin’. Don’t go changin’. It’s been so good so far. I love you just the way you are. Don’t go changin’. Don’t go changin’. Shine on through the night, My guiding star.
Time has a way of changing everything around you. All for the better, so they claim. You’re still as perfect as the first day that I found you. I’m glad that some things stay the same.
Don’t go changin’ (Don’t go changin’). Don’t go changin’. (Changin’) It’s been so good so far. I love you just the way you are. Don’t go changin’. (Don’t go changin’) Don’t go changin’. (Changin’) Shine on through the night, My guiding star.
Sure as the stars shine down each night in all their glory, I need to know that you’ll be mine. I want our love to be an everlasting story, Forever ’til the end of time.
So, don’t go changin’ (Don’t go changin’). Don’t go changin’. (Changin’) It’s been so good so far. I love you just the way you are. Don’t go changin’. (Don’t go changin’) Don’t go changin’. (Changin’) Shine on through the night, My guiding star.
Shine on through the night, My guiding star.
Don’t go changin’ (Don’t go changin’). Don’t go changin’. (Changin’) Don’t go changin’. (Don’t go changin’) Don’t go changin’. (Changin’) Don’t go changin’ (Don’t go changin’). Don’t go changin’. (Changin’) Don’t go changin’. (Don’t go changin’) Don’t go changin’. (Changin’) Don’t go changin’ (Don’t go changin’). Don’t go changin’.
Well, "Don't Go Changing" was my last place when we did Lorrie's singles rankdown, so... I guess a D shouldn't be a surprise! I don't know if I've ever heard a song that plods more than this one upon first listen. As you get used to it, it becomes a bit more catchy due to the repetitive chorus. But frankly, it just doesn't make a great first impression...
The production is just as dated as "In For Rain" was, to the extent that this sounds probably 10 years older than it actually is. I can't believe this is a couple years newer than George Strait's "Amarillo By Morning"!!!
This was Lorrie's third song to ever chart, according to Wikipedia. It landed at #69 in 1984.
I'm super glad that the Classics album is done now, tbh hahaha. Although there are still a few early-years songs left from various EPs throughout her career, having a whole album done feels pretty good!
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