Something Worth Leaving Behind
Something Worth Leaving Behind is a 2002 album from Lee Ann Womack. It peaked on the Billboard 200 at #16 and the Top Country Albums at #2. Two singles were released from the album; the title-track (a Top 20 hit) and "Forever Everyday". This was also the first album of Womack's career not to produce a Top Ten country hit.
Background
Womack told The Early Show "It's very much in line with my last three. This is my fourth project. You know, I have the real traditional country songs on there, and then I have some things that are a little more contemporary and up-tempo. And--and, but I--you know, I try to find songs from the best songwriters that I can." [1] Womack told Billboard, "Every album seems critical when you are making it. I have a lot of confidence in my team. You can't predict commercially what an album is going to do. I just have to make the best music I can and move on. I've never, ever felt like in my career that everything hinges on the next single. I don't worry about it."[2]
In 2005, Womack told The Dallas Morning News, "I didn't have that much fun making Something Worth Leaving Behind. Now that I look back on it, because of the success that I had prior, I was so worried that I was gonna not measure up to that, that I over-thought everything on that record. I tried...to please everybody with that record...myself, radio, the listeners, everybody who loved 'Never Again, Again' and everybody who loved 'I Hope You Dance.' And it just didn't work. It backfired."[3]
Track listing
- "Something Worth Leaving Behind" (Brett Beavers, Tom Douglas) – 3:50
- "I Saw Your Light" (Gretchen Peters) – 6:02
- "When You Gonna Run to Me" (Monty Powell, Jimmie Lee Sloas, Anna Wilson) – 3:58
- "Talk to Me" (David Grissom, Kevin Hunter) – 5:47
- "Forever Everyday" (Devon O'Day, Kim Patton-Johnston) – 3:51
- "Orphan Train" (Julie Miller) – 4:05
- "I Need You" (Miller) – 4:55
- "You Should've Lied" (Angelo Petraglia, Matraca Berg) – 4:44
- "He'll Be Back" (Hank Cochran, Red Lane, Dale Dodson) – 2:48
- "Surrender" (Sally Barris, Karyn Rochelle) – 4:24
- "Blame It on Me" (Bruce Robison) – 4:06
- "Closing This Memory Down" (Dave Loggins, John Bettis) – 4:08
- "Something Worth Leaving Behind (International Version)" (Beavers, Douglas) – 4:34
Personnel
- Lee Ann Womack: Vocals
- Maxi Anderson, Lisa Cochran, Dan Colehour, Kim Fleming, Vicki Hampton, Bobby Huff, Marcus Hummon, Marabeth Jordan, Fleming McWilliams, Gene & Julie Miller, Bruce Robison, Chris Rodriguez, John Wesley Ryles, Keith Sewell, Lisa Silver, Harry Stinson, Oren Waters, Maxine Willard Waters: Vocal Backing
- Kenny Greenburg, David Grissom, Colin Linden, B. James Lowry, Heitor Teixera Pereira, Tim Pierce, Randy Scruggs: Guitars
- Jay Joyce: Guitars, Programming
- Brent Rowan: Guitars, Tiple
- Paul Franklin: Steel
- Greg Leisz: Dobro, Steel & Pedal Steel Guitars
- Aubrey Haynie, Gabe Witcher: Fiddle
- Bryan Sutton: Banjo, Mandolin
- Mickey Raphael: Harmonica
- Jim Cox, John Gilutin, Jeffrey Roach: Keyboards
- Chuck Leavell: Piano
- Steve Nathan: Piano, Organ, Synthesizers
- Matt Rollings: Piano, Hammond Organ, Wurlitzer
- Spencer Campbell, Michael Rhodes, Leland Sklar: Bass
- Kenny Aronoff, Shannon Forrest, Chris McHugh: Drums
- Eric Darken, Brad Dutz: Percusison
- Jeff Coffin, Jim Horn, Denis Solee: Horns
- Strings Arranged By Kristin Wilkinson & D. Bergen White
-
- String Section (The Nashville String Section): David & Monisa Angell, Janet Askey, Carl Gorodetsky, Connie Heard, Anthony LaMarchina, Lee Larrison, Robert Mason, Cate Myer, Lynn Peithmann, Pamela Sixfin, Elisabeth K. Small, Christian Teal, Alan Catherine Olmstead, Mary Katheryn & Gary VanOsdale, Kristin Wilkinson
Reception
| Professional ratings |
| Review scores |
| Source |
Rating |
| Allmusic |
[4] |
Tim Perry of The Independent wrote, "Following such an album is a hard task, but someone of her newfound stature can avail herself of the best songwriters. This is solid, radio-friendly stuff.[5] Brian Mansfield of USA Today listed it as the tenth worst album of 2002 and wrote, "Womack's ill-advised crossover ploy and a makeover that made her look like Britney Spears' mother made one of Nashville's most respected singers the butt of jokes."[6] Michael Paoletta of Billboard wrote, "Womack is brilliant vocalist who is at a career crossroads; here's hoping she leans toward substance over style."[7] Ralph Novak of People Magazine gave the album a mixed review and wrote, " Womack's voice, which can trickle off and become a wan instrument, gains noticeably in vigor when she approaches more energetic material."[8]
Chart performance
| Chart (2002) |
Peak
position |
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 |
16 |
References
- ^ CBS News Transcripts The Saturday Early Show (September 28, 2002)
- ^ Price, Deborah Evans. Billboard Womack Shows Her 'Worth' On MCA (August 10, 2002)
- ^ Tarradel, Mario. The Dallas Morning News Country beckons her back (February 27, 2005)
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Perry, Tim. The Independent Pop Album Reviews (August 31, 2002)
- ^ Mansfield, Brian. USA Today Alan drives country; 'Country' goes in ditch (December 31, 2002)
- ^ Paoletta, Michael, and R.W. "Something Worth Leaving Behind (Music release)." Billboard 114.35 (2002): 23. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 6 June 2011.
- ^ Novak, Ralph. "Something Worth Leaving Behind (Music release)." People 58.12 (2002): 35. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 6 June 2011.