Good News! Explained

Good News!
Type:studio
Artist:Jody Miller
Cover:Jody Miller--Good News!.jpg
Recorded:January–April 1973
Studio:Columbia, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre:Country[1]
Label:Epic
Producer:Billy Sherrill
Prev Title:There's a Party Goin' On
Prev Year:1972
Next Title:House of the Rising Sun
Next Year:1974

Good News! is a studio album by American singer Jody Miller. It was released in July 1973 on Epic Records and featured 11 tracks. The ninth studio album of her career, Good News! was a country-themed album mixing cover tunes with original material. Among its original songs were the singles "Good News" and "Darling, You Can Always Come Back Home". Both singles reached the top ten of the North American country charts in 1973. The album itself reached the top 20 on the American country chart in 1973. It was followed by a positive review from Billboard the same year.

Background, recording and content

Jody Miller had a commercial comeback in the early 1970s after focusing her career on country music. Singles like "He's So Fine" and "Baby I'm Yours" became top ten country songs and her commercial success continued through the early part of the decade. Among her most successful songs were the top ten recordings "Good News" and "Darling You Can Always Come Back Home".[2] Both were featured on Miller's 1973 studio album, also titled Good News!. The project was recorded at the Columbia Studio, located in Nashville, Tennessee. Sessions were held between January and April 1973. Billy Sherrill served as the album's producer.[3]

Good News! consisted of 11 tracks.[1] Along with its two singles tracks such as "In the Name of Love", "The Woman in Me" and "One More Chance" were also original material.[3] Remaining tracks were covers, many of which were country covers. This included Brenda Lee's top ten song "Nobody Wins", Joe Stampley's number one song "Soul Song" and Kris Kristofferson's number one song "Why Me".[4] Of all the songs on the project, Miller later stated that her cover of "Why Me" was her favorite.[5] Miller also covered the top ten pop singles "Hallelujah I Love Him So" and "The House of the Rising Sun".[6]

Release and critical reception

Good News! was originally released in July 1973 by Epic Records. It was Miller's ninth studio recording in her career. The label originally distributed it as a vinyl LP. Five songs were featured on "side A" and six songs were featured on "side B".[3] It was later released for digital markets via Sony Music Entertainment.[7] Good News! reached the number 18 position on the American Billboard Top Country Albums chart in 1973. It was Miller's fourth and final album to reached the country albums top 20.[8] After its original release, the project was reviewed positively by Billboard magazine. The publication praised it as being "perhaps, one of the finest country albums ever cut". They further noted that "at least five" of its songs could be potential singles.[9]

Singles

Two singles were issued from Good News!. The first was its title track, which was originally released as a single in February 1973.[10] It became her fifth top ten single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs, peaking at number nine.[4] It also reached number nine on Canada's RPM Country Tracks chart in 1973.[11] "Darling, You Can Always Come Back Home" was then issued as a single in June 1973.[12] It became her sixth (and final) top ten single on the Billboard country chart, reaching number five in 1973.[4] It reached number three on the RPM Country Songs chart.[11]

Technical personnel

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Good News![3]

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
North AmericaJuly 1973Vinyl LPEpic Records
circa 2020Sony Music Entertainment

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Good News!: Jody Miller: Songs, reviews, credits . . 28 May 2023.
  2. Web site: Brennan . Sandra . Jody Miller Biography . . 28 May 2023.
  3. Miller . Jody . Good News! (Liner Notes) . . July 1973 . KE-32386 (LP).
  4. Book: Whitburn, Joel . The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Joel Whitburn . 2004 . Record Research . various.
  5. Web site: Discography (click on 'Good News') . Jody Miller Music.com . 17 April 2023.
  6. Book: Whitburn . Joel . Joel Whitburn, Top Pop Singles 1955-1999 . 2000 . Record Research . Menomonee Falls, WI . various.
  7. Web site: Good News! by Jody Miller . . 28 May 2023.
  8. Book: Whitburn . Joel . Joel Whitburn Presents Hot Country Albums, 1964-2007 . 2008 . Record Research, Inc. . 978-0898201734 . 301.
  9. Billboard's Top Album Picks: Country Picks . . July 7, 1973 . 56 . 28 May 2023.
  10. Miller . Jody . "Good News"/"Soul Song" (7 inch vinyl single) . . February 1973 . 5-10960.
  11. Web site: Search results for "Jody Miller" under Country Singles . . 17 July 2013 . 15 April 2023.
  12. Miller . Jody . "Darling, You Can Always Come Back Home"/"We'll Sing Our Song Together" (7 inch vinyl single) . . June 1973 . 5-11016.