Bad Seed (Jan Howard album) explained

Bad Seed
Type:studio
Artist:Jan Howard
Cover:Jan Howard--Bad Seed.jpg
Label:Decca
Producer:Owen Bradley
Prev Title:Jan Howard Sings Evil on Your Mind
Prev Year:1966
Next Title:This Is Jan Howard Country
Next Year:1967

Bad Seed is a studio album by American country music artist Jan Howard. It was released in November 1966 via Decca Records and featured 12 tracks. The third studio album of her recording career, Bad Seed was named for its title track, which reached the top ten of the country charts in 1966. The disc was met with a favorable review from Cashbox following its release.

Background, recording and content

Jan Howard was the wife of country songwriter Harlan Howard and with his help, she secured her own recording contract. Her first commercial success was the top 20 country song "The One You Slip Around With" (1960). Her career stalled for several years until 1966 when "Evil on Your Mind" reached the country top five and was followed by "Bad Seed".[1] Her second Decca studio album was named for the latter recording and was produced by Owen Bradley.[2] Bad Seed consisted of 12 tracks whose songs were handpicked by Bradley and Howard, according to the liner notes.[2] The album's tracks were mostly cover tunes of popular songs from the era.[3] Among the covers were "The Tip of My Fingers", "Born a Woman", "The Hurtin's All Over", "I Get the Fever" and "There Goes My Everything".[2] [3]

Release, critical reception, chart performance and singles

Bad Seed was released in November 1966 by Decca Records and was the third studio album in Howard's career. The label distributed it as a vinyl LP in both mono and stereo formats. Six tracks were featured on each side of the disc.[2] Cash Box positively wrote in their review of the album, "Still showing real well with her latest smash single, 'Bad Seed,' Jan Howard follows through with this album effort which should go the same hitsville route."[3] Bad Seed made its debut on the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart on December 17, 1966 and spent 14 weeks there. It eventually rose to the number 13 position, becoming Howard's second album to make the country chart and her third highest-charting solo album.[4] Its only single was the title track, which first released by Decca in September 1967.[5] It rose to number ten on the US Billboard country songs chart in late 1966.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Brennan . Sandra . Jan Howard Biography . . 30 August 2024.
  2. Howard . Jan . Bad Seed (Liner Notes) . . November 1966 . DL-4832 (LP Mono); DL-74832 (LP Stereo).
  3. Country LP Reviews . . November 26, 1966 . 67 . 31 August 2024.
  4. Jan Howard Chart History -- Country Albums . . 18 January 2020.
  5. Howard . Jan . "Bad Seed"/"You Go Your Way (I'll Go Crazy)" (7" vinyl single) . . September 1966 . 32016.
  6. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Joel Whitburn

    . Joel Whitburn Presents Across the Charts, the 1960s. Joel Whitburn . 2008 . Record Research . 978-0898201758 . 184.