Garth Brooks (album)

Background

Brooks commented on the album, saying:

This album was released in April 1989, in the States. Definitely scared to death. I thought the album was very very innocent. And I gotta be truthful with you, every time I hear those songs off the radio or off the album itself, or even when we play them live. I really get that same kind of scared feeling, that I had, way back in 1988, and 1989. Whether you get the album or not, or whether you have the album or not. Thanks, for just, the interest. That first album is always a big one for any artist and I, without trying to sound egotistical, I'm very proud of my first one.

Singles

This album contains Brooks' earliest hits, for instance his first ever single, "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)", which peaked at #8 on the Country Billboard Charts in 1989. It put the name of an independent cowboy singer, Chris LeDoux, into the mainstream due to the lyric "A worn out tape of Chris LeDoux" Two other strong starts include his first #1, "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and the Academy of Country Music's 1990 Song of the Year and Video of the Year, "The Dance" (another #1). It also features his first hit he wrote entirely in "Not Counting You", another top 10 success.

Notable covers

Punk rock cover artists Me First and the Gimme Gimmes released a version of 'Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)' as the first track on their October 2006 album Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Love Their Country.

If 'Tomorrow Never Comes' has been covered by Ronan Keating (former lead singer of Irish group Boyzone)

Commercial performance

Garth Brooks peaked at #13 on the US Billboard 200, and peaked at #2 on the Top Country Albums. In November 2006, it was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over ten million copies in the United States. To date, the album has sold ten million copies in the US and thirteen million copies worldwide.

Track listing

Original Release

1. "Not Counting You" (Garth Brooks) – 2:30
2. "I've Got a Good Thing Going" (Larry Bastian, Sandy Mahl, Brooks) – 2:50
3. "If Tomorrow Never Comes" (Kent Blazy, Brooks) – 3:42
4. "Everytime That It Rains" (Charlie Stefl, Ty England, Brooks) – 4:07
5. "Alabama Clay" (Larry Cordle, Ronny Scaife) – 3:35
6. "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" (Randy Taylor, Brooks) – 2:53
7. "Cowboy Bill" (Bastian, Ed Berghoff) – 4:28
8. "Nobody Gets Off in This Town" (Bastian, DeWayne Blackwell) – 2:17
9. "I Know One" (Jack Clement) – 2:49
10. "The Dance" (Tony Arata) – 3:40

Limited Series Release

1. "Not Counting You"
2. "I've Got a Good Thing Going"
3. "Uptown Down Home Good Ol' Boy"
4. "If Tomorrow Never Comes"
5. "Everytime That It Rains"
6. "Alabama Clay"
7. "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)"
8. "Cowboy Bill"
9. "Nobody Gets Off in This Town"
10. "I Know One"
11. "The Dance"

Personnel