Blue (LeAnn Rimes album)

Blue
Studio album by LeAnn Rimes
Released July 9, 1996 (1996-07-09)
Genre Country
Length 34:52
Label Curb
Producer Wilbur C. Rimes, Chuck Howard, Johnny Mulhair
LeAnn Rimes chronology
All That
(1994)		 Blue
(1996)		 You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs
(1997)
Singles from Blue
  1. "Blue"
    Released: June 4, 1996
  2. "Hurt Me"
    Released: August 13, 1996
  3. "One Way Ticket (Because I Can)"
    Released: October 15, 1996
  4. "Unchained Melody"
    Released: December 24, 1996
  5. "The Light in Your Eyes"
    Released: April 1, 1997
"Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart"

Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart bonus CD-single
Single by LeAnn Rimes
B-side Unchained Melody
Released November 23, 1996 (1996-11-23)
Format Promotional CD single
Recorded 1996
Genre Country
Length 3:29
Label Curb
Writer(s) Greg Wojohn, Roger Wojohn, Scott Wojohn
Producer(s) Wilbur C. Rimes, Roger Wojohn

Blue is the debut album by American country singer LeAnn Rimes, released in the United States on July 9, 1996 by Curb Records.[1] It reached No. 3 on Billboard 200, and No. 1 on Top Country Albums.

Singles released from this album include, in order of release: "Blue", "Hurt Me", "One Way Ticket (Because I Can)", "Unchained Melody" and "The Light in Your Eyes". These songs all charted on Billboard Hot Country Songs charts between 1996 and 1997; "Blue" and "The Light in Your Eyes" both reached top 10, while "Hurt Me" fell short off top 40. "One Way Ticket" is Rimes's only No. 1 hit on the country music charts.[2]

When purchased at Target stores during the 1996 Christmas season, the album included a bonus single of "Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart", with "Unchained Melody" on the B-side.[2][3][4] "Unchained Melody" peaked at number three on the Country Songs chart[5] while "Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart" peaked at number fifty-one on the same chart in 1997.[6]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[7]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[8]
Los Angeles Times[9]
Robert Christgau[10]

The album was met with some positive reviews. Allmusic rated Blue four out of five stars. Shawn M. Haney, who reviewed the album, called it "a glorious free-for-all of sassy pick-me-up country", and stated that "perhaps people of any age or style of interest will feel youthful again after a good listen and a half."[7] Similarly, Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+ and stated that "such raw, old-fashioned country music, with such a big, twangy, sexy voice at the center, wouldn't be making such a stir in bland '90s Nashville if LeAnn Rimes weren't 13. In other words, the hype machine has inadvertently coughed up a gem."[8] Los Angeles Times gave the album two-and-a-half stars out of four and said that "Rimes displays the unbridled power and freshness you'd expect from a teenager. In an ideal world, she'd bring all that to bear on songs that tap her youthful zeal. Instead, too many on this major-label debut require a level of experience that's clearly beyond her years. There's no question Rimes has been blessed with a magnificent voice. Let's hope she'll be given a few years--say, at least until she's out of high school--to let her natural talent mature."[9] In his Consumer Guide, however, Robert Christgau gave the album a "neither" score,[10] and said it "may impress once or twice with consistent craft or an arresting track or two. Then it won't."[11]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)[12] Length
1. "Blue"  Bill MackWilbur C. Rimes 2:49
2. "Hurt Me"  Deborah Allen, Bobby Braddock, Rafe VanHoyW. Rimes 2:54
3. "One Way Ticket (Because I Can)"  Keith Hinton, Judy RodmanChuck Howard, W. Rimes, Bob Campbell-Smith (assistant) 3:44
4. "My Baby"  AllenW. Rimes 2:50
5. "Honestly"  Christi Dannemiller, Joe JohnstonHoward, W. Rimes, Campbell-Smith (assistant) 3:22
6. "The Light in Your Eyes"  Dan TylerHoward, W. Rimes, Johnny Mulhair (co.), Greg Walker (assistant), Campbell-Smith (assistant) 3:21
7. "Talk to Me"  Ron Grimes, LeAnn Rimes, Jon RutherfordHoward, W. Rimes, Campbell-Smith (assistant) 3:12
8. "I'll Get Even With You"  Coweta HouseW. Rimes, Mulhair (co.), Walker (assistant) 3:18
9. "Cattle Call" (duet with Eddy Arnold)Tex OwensHoward, W. Rimes, Mulhair (co.), Walker (assistant), Campbell-Smith (assistant) 3:09
10. "Good Lookin' Man"  Joyce HarrisonW. Rimes 3:11
11. "Fade to Blue"  Jim Allison, Anne Reeves, Lang ScottW. Rimes, Mulhair (co.), Walker (assistant) 3:02

Personnel

Compiled from liner notes.[12]

Musicians
  • Eddy Arnold – duet vocals on "Cattle Call"
  • Kevin Bailey – harmonica
  • Brad Billingsley – drums
  • Bruce Bouton – steel guitar
  • Crista Carnes – background vocals
  • Mike Chapman – bass guitar
  • Perry Coleman – background vocals
  • Lisa Criss – background vocals
  • Chad Cromwell – drums
  • Milo Deering – steel guitar
  • Larry Franklin – fiddle
  • Paul Franklin – steel guitar
  • Fred Gleber – drums
  • Kelly Glenn – keyboards
  • Paul Goad – piano, keyboards, bass guitar
  • John Hobbs – piano
  • Dann Huff – electric guitar
  • Ladonna Johnson – background vocals
  • John Jorgenson – electric guitar
  • Jimmy Kelly – piano, keyboards
  • Mary Ann Kennedy – background vocals
  • Joy McKay – background vocals
  • Mike McLain – piano
  • Terry McMillan – percussion
  • Jerry Matheny – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Greg Morrow – drums
  • Johnny Mulhair – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, steel guitar
  • Steve Nathan – keyboards
  • Kayla Powell – background vocals
  • Curtis Randall – bass guitar
  • LeAnn Rimes – lead vocals
  • Pam Rose – background vocals
  • Brent Rowan – electric guitar
  • Bob Smith – bass guitar
  • Michael Spriggs – acoustic guitar
  • Matthew Ward – background vocals
  • Dennis Wilson – background vocals
  • Glenn Worf – bass guitar
Technical

Charts

Blue debuted at No. 4 on Billboard 200 with 123,000 copies sold in the week ending of July 27, 1996,[14] it peaked at No. 3 in its second week with 129,500 copies sold.[15]

Weekly charts

Chart (1996) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[16] 5
Canadian RPM Top Albums[17] 20
Canadian RPM Country Albums[18] 1
New Zealand Albums Chart[16] 10
UK Albums Chart[19] 99
US Billboard 200[17] 3
US Billboard Top Country Albums[17] 1
US Billboard Contemporary Christian[17] 1

Decade-end chart

Chart (1990–1999) Position
US Billboard 200[20] 41

Year-end chart

Chart (1996) Position
Australian Albums Chart[21] 24
Canadian RPM Country Albums[22] 6
US Billboard 200[23] 33
US Billboard Top Country Albums[23] 4
Chart (1997) Position
Australian Albums Chart[24] 90
Canadian RPM Country Albums[25] 2
US Billboard 200[26] 6
US Billboard Top Country Albums[26] 1
Chart (1998) Position
US Billboard 200[27] 135
US Billboard Top Country Albums[27] 16

Sales

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Canada (Music Canada)[28] 3× Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[29] 6× Platinum 5,993,000[30]

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Preceded by
The Woman in Me by Shania Twain
Everything I Love by Alan Jackson
Everywhere by Tim McGraw		 Top Country Albums number-one album
July 27 – November 15, 1996
December 14, 1996 – February 28, 1997
September 6–12, 1997 		Succeeded by
Everything I Love by Alan Jackson
Unchained Melody: The Early Years by LeAnn Rimes
(Songbook) A Collection of Hits by Trisha Yearwood
Preceded by
The Woman in Me by Shania Twain
Ten Thousand Angels by Mindy McCready
Did I Shave My Legs for This? by Deana Carter
Did I Shave My Legs for This? by Deana Carter
Carrying Your Love with Me by George Strait		 RPM Country Albums number-one album
August 5–11, 1996
November 4–10, 1996
February 10–23, 1997
March 3–9, 1997
June 9–22, 1997 		Succeeded by
The Woman in Me by Shania Twain
The Woman in Me by Shania Twain
Did I Shave My Legs for This? by Deana Carter
Did I Shave My Legs for This? by Deana Carter
Everywhere by Tim McGraw
Preceded by
The Woman in Me
by Shania Twain		 Top Country Albums number-one album of the year
1997 		Succeeded by
Sevens
by Garth Brooks

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Blue: Leann Rimes: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-06-25.
  2. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. pp. 352–353. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
  3. 1 2 "Amazon.com: Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart: LeAnn Rimes: Music". amazon.com. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  4. ↑ Flippo, Chet (1996-11-23). "Movie Roles Abound For Country Artists; Mark Miller To Shoot Hoops". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  5. ↑ "Unchained Melody – LeAnn Rimes". Billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-05-06.
  6. ↑ "Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart – LeAnn Rimes". Billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-05-06.
  7. 1 2 Haney, Shawn M.. Blue at AllMusic
  8. 1 2 Nash, Alanna (August 2, 1996). "Blue Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
  9. 1 2 Lewis, Randy (July 27, 1996). "Rimes Needs Time to Grow". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  10. 1 2 Christgau, Robert. "CG: LeAnn Rimes". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
  11. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "CG 90s: Key to Icons". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 2012-10-05.
  12. 1 2 Blue (CD booklet). LeAnn Rimes. Curb Records. 1996. 77821.
  13. 1 2 Put a Little Holiday In Your Heart (CD single). LeAnn Rimes. Curb Records. 1996. Curb D-1308, PRCD-6945-2.
  14. ↑ "Billboard". Google Books. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
  15. ↑ "Billboard". Google Books. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
  16. 1 2 "australian-charts.com – LeAnn Rimes – Blue". australian-charts.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Blue - LeAnn Rimes | Billboard.com". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  19. ↑ "Chart Log UK: The Rabble Army – RZA". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  20. ↑ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
  21. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Albums 1996". Aria.com.au. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  22. ↑ "RPM Year End Country Albums ~Top 50". RPM. December 16, 1996. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  23. 1 2 . google.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  24. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 1997". Aria.com.au. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  25. ↑ "RPM '97 Year End...Top 50 Country Albums". RPM. December 15, 1997. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  26. 1 2 Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 108 (52): YE-36. December 28, 1996. ISSN 0006-2510 https://books.google.com/books?id=0g0EAAAAMBAJ. Retrieved August 4, 2011. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  27. 1 2 . google.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  28. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – LeAnn Rimes – Blue". Music Canada.
  29. ↑ "American album certifications – LeAnn Rimes – Blue". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  30. ↑ Paul Grein (November 7, 2008). "Chart Watch Extra: Ropin' The Biggest Country Hits – Chart Watch". new.music.yahoo.com. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
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