Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Wreck Your Life

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Released
  
May 23, 1996

Producer
  
Chuck Uchida

Artist
  
Old 97's

Label
  
Bloodshot Records

Length
  
49:40

Wreck Your Life (1996)
  
Too Far To Care (1997)

Release date
  
23 May 1996

Recorded
  
Attica in Chicago, IL

Wreck Your Life httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaen667Old

Genres
  
Alternative country, Rock music, Country rock

Similar
  
Hitchhike to Rhome, Too Far to Care, Fight Songs, Satellite Rides, Drag It Up

Wreck Your Life is the second studio album by American country/rock band Old 97's, first released on May 23, 1996 (see 1996 in music). The album's title comes from a Texas Department of Transportation bumper sticker with the slogan, "Don't Wreck Your Life". Drummer Philip Peeples removed the first word and applied the sticker to the band's touring van.

Contents

Wreck Your Life was the band's first professionally released album, released by Chicago alt-country label, Bloodshot Records. The album contains many of the country and bar band elements absent from the later Elektra Records recordings. Four extra songs from these sessions, as well as two singles, were later combined by Bloodshot for the Early Tracks EP. Though the anticipation of the album was immense, the ratings were not very good.

"Doreen" is a re-recording from the band's first album, Hitchhike to Rhome, and an alternate take on "W-I-F-E" can be found on Early Tracks. "Big Brown Eyes" was featured in Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide and was re-recorded for the band's next album, Too Far to Care.

The lead song, "Victoria", is a country ballad to Miller's ex-girlfriend, while "Doreen" refers to a memorable fan of Killbilly, a predecessor band featuring Miller and Hammond. "You Belong To My Heart" was made famous by Elvis Presley, while "My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darlin'" is by Bill Monroe. The Robert mentioned in "Big Brown Eyes" (as well as "Drowning In The Days") is Miller's boyhood friend, Robert Jenkins.

Album of the day ep 22 old 97 s wreck your life


Track listing

All songs by Rhett Miller, Ken Bethea, Murry Hammond and Philip Peeples, except where noted.

  1. "Victoria" - 3:51
  2. "The Other Shoe" - 2:58
  3. "Doreen" - 3:43
  4. "You Belong To My Heart" (Dora Luz and Agustín Lara; English lyrics: Ray Gilbert) - 3:05
  5. "Big Brown Eyes" - 4:25
  6. "Dressing Room Walls" - 3:55
  7. "W-I-F-E" - 3:32
  8. "Bel Air" - 4:05
  9. "My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darlin'" (Bill Monroe; vocals by Murry Hammond) - 2:15
  10. "Old Familiar Steam" - 3:58
  11. "Over The Cliff" - 3:19 (Jon Langford)
  12. "Goin', Goin', Gone" - 3:54

Personnel

Old 97's are:

  • Ken Bethea - electric guitar
  • Murry Hammond - bass, vocals & banjo
  • Rhett Miller - vocals & acoustic guitar
  • Philip Peeples - trap kit
  • Additional performances

  • Jon Langford - guitar on Doreen outro
  • Chuck Uchida - power chords on Dressing Room Walls
  • Don Walser - yodeling on Old Familiar Steam outro
  • Songs

    1Victoria3:51
    2The Other Shoe2:58
    3Doreen3:43

    References

    Wreck Your Life Wikipedia