Live (Barbara Mandrell album) explained

Live
Type:live
Artist:Barbara Mandrell
Cover:Barbara Mandrell-Live.jpg
Released:August 7, 1981
Genre:Country pop
Label:MCA Nashville
Producer:Tom Collins
Prev Title:Love Is Fair
Prev Year:1980
Next Title:...In Black & White
Next Year:1982

Live is a live album by the American country music singer Barbara Mandrell, released in August 1981.

This album spawned two hit singles, "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" and "Wish You Were Here". "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" became Mandrell's signature song, and a return to her roots, peaking at #1 on the Billboard Country Singles chart in 1981. The song features an uncredited appearance by George Jones. "Wish You Were Here" peaked at #2 on the Billboard country charts, and also appeared on the (Billboard) Adult Contemporary charts, reaching #40. The album includes cover versions of popular songs, including "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and the Hank Williams' hit "Hey Good Lookin'", and closes with a full-length vocal version of "Country Girl", the theme song to Mandrell's 1980-82 television show, Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters.

This album was one of Mandrell's biggest-selling albums in the United States, receiving a "Gold" certification by the RIAA, after the album moved 500,000 copies. It is only one of two albums by Mandrell that received a certification by the RIAA in the United States. The album peaked at #4 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart (her highest peak position on that chart), as well as #86 on the Billboard 200.

Track listing

  1. "Intro... / Sleeping Single in a Double Bed"
  2. "Unsung Heroes"
  3. "She's Out There Dancing Alone"
  4. "Doin' It Right"
  5. "Years / Love Is Fair"
  6. "Hey Good Lookin'"
  7. "Wish You Were Here"
  8. "Instrumental Medley: Mountain Dew / Fireball Mail / Old Joe Clark / Uncle Joe's Boogie"
  9. "In My Heart"
  10. "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" (featuring George Jones)
  11. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"
  12. "Country Girl"

Personnel

All tracks except 10

Track 10

Charts

Singles

YearSinglePeak chart positions
US CountryUS ACCAN Country
1981"I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool"114
"Wish You Were Here"24011

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Top Country Albums – Year-End 1982. Billboard. January 30, 2021.