Catalog Number(s):
UA-LA864-H (Stereo LP)
Released: March, 3, 1978
Peaked: #1 Billboard country chart & #186 Billboard pop chart
Recorded December 17, 18, 1977 and January 6, 1978 at Jack Clement Recording Studio, Nashville, TN
Producer: Larry Butler
Engineer: Billy Sherrill
Strings arranged by: Bill Justis
Musicians:
Bob Moore — Bass
Buddy Harman, Jerry Carrigan, Fender Rhodes, Hargus “Pig” Robbins, Bobby Wood — Drums
Ray Edenton, Pete Wade, Billy Sanford, Jimmy Capps — Guitar
Pete Drake — Steel Guitar
Tommy Allsup — Bass Guitar
Sheldon Kurland, Byron Theodore Bach, George Binkley, Marvin Chantry, Roy Christensen, Carl Gorodetzky, Lennie Haight, Willred Lehmann, Steven Smith, Gary Vanosdale, Samuel Terranova, Marvin Katahn — Strings
Background Vocals:
The Jordanaires
Album Design: Jeff Lancaster
Art Direction : Bill Burks
Photographer: Gary Regester
Singles Released From Album:
UA-XW1137 Every Time Two Fools Collide / We Love Each Other – 25-01-78
UA-X1234-Y Anyone Who Isn’t Me Tonight / You And Me – 08-78
Side One
- Every Time Two Fools Collide (Janice Dyer – Jeffrey Tweel)
- You And Me (Larry Butler – Roger Bowling)
- What’s Wrong With Us Today (Dottie West – Kenny Rogers – Larry Butler)
- Beautiful Lies (Milton Brown – Marianne Gordon – Kenny Rogers)
- That’s The Way It Could Have Been (Tammy Wynette)
Side Two
- Why Don’t We Go Somewhere And Love (Kenny O‘Dell – Larry Henley)
- Baby I’m-A Want You (David Gates)
- Anyone Who Isn’t Me Tonight (Julie Didier – Casey Kelly)
- The Loving Gift (Kris Kristofferson)
- We Love Each Other (Buddy Killen)
Poster ADs
Reviews
The album, combines material by a variety of writers, including West, Rogers, Kris Kristofferson, Tammy Wynette, and others, with excellent work by the likes of Hargus “Pig” Robbins and Pete Drake for an almost flawless success.
The title cut is a superb love song, which, Dottie West was going to record by herself before someone got the idea of teaming her with Rogers. Her lustrous, throaty voice and Rogers’ seasoned strength mesh to make a perfect blend. There are other tracks with more fire than this; but the title song is a capsule comment on the album as a whole. The album, as is the song, is the meeting of two mature lovers, or former lovers trying to work out problems, walk band in hand, fantasize about the past, or hope for the future.
“Anyone Who Isn’t Me Tonight” is the most stunning cut, with classic Rogers timing rather like his smash hit, “Ruby”. He and West do a scorching, exultant portrayal of a couple boisterously drunk on love. It is a delight to hear, and often filled with tongue-in-cheek humor in performance.
“You And Me” is another enjoyable fun song, rather like the sort of things Sonny and, Cher did with “I Got You Babe.” It uses almost gospel metaphors and delivery and features the Jordanaires doing gospel harmonies in the background.
Kris Kristofferson’s moving “Loving Gift” is done with acoustic guitar and strings for lovely exploration of lovers carrying on intent conversation and learning about each other.
Tammy Wynette’s “That’s The Way It Could Have Been” is a casual, faded-jean, daisy-picking, fantasy which West and Rogers sing to perfection.
West and Rogers collaborated on writing “What’s Wrong With Us Today”. The silky strings on this and other cuts add to the end result, rather than detract, as they do on some recent country recordings.
But this is not purely country music. West is primarily a country star; but Rogers has always had a number of different strings to his guitar. He and West include a shimmering pop arrangement of David Gates, “Baby I’m A Want-You” on this album: it is a complete success. The delicate guitar, whispery bass, and keyboard work are excellent.
“Beautiful Lies” also includes exquisite keyboard work, rather reminiscent of some, Linda Ronstadt used recently for “When I Grow Too Old To Dream”. On the track, West’s low notes and Rogers’ high notes blend so well it’s often hard to tell who is singing.
This is the sort of mix that characterizes the entire album. The two voices blend, the arrangements are well-chosen and executerd with professional skill. The material ranges from traditional country to current pop to things like “We Love Each Other”, which sounds like some of Julie London’s music with the Four Freshmen for backup.
This album is unabashedly for romanties of all ages. What makes it so good is the intelligence of its romanticism. It could have turned out as sappy slush; it doesn’t. The maturity of the emotions, the quality of the vocal delivery, and the wise choice of material make it excellent from beginning to end. *(Johnson City Press Chronicle/ Ric La Rue)
