"Blanket on the Ground" is a song written by Roger Bowling and recorded by American country music singer Billie Jo Spears. It was released in February 1975 as the second single and title track from the album Blanket on the Ground. Irish born singer Philomena Begley covered the song as the lead single from her 1975 LP of the same name. The single was released on August 4, 1975, in Ireland and August 6, 1975, in the United Kingdom reaching number 1 and number 4 in Ireland and the UK respectively.

"Blanket on the Ground"
Single by Billie Jo Spears
from the album Blanket on the Ground
B-side"Come on Home"
ReleasedJanuary 1975
Recorded1974
GenreCountry
Length3:23
LabelUnited Artists
Songwriter(s)Roger Bowling
Producer(s)Larry Butler
Billie Jo Spears singles chronology
"See the Funny Little Clown"
(1974)
"Blanket on the Ground"
(1975)
"Stay Away from the Apple Tree"
(1975)

Content

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The song is sung from the point of view of a middle-aged woman who coaxes her hesitant husband outdoors to make love in the moonlight.[1]

Chart performance

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The song reached #1 on Billboard Magazine's Hot Country Singles chart,[2] and #78 on the Hot 100 pop charts. In the United Kingdom, the song reached #6 on the pop charts.

Philomena Begley version

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"Blanket On The Ground"
Single by Philomena Begley
from the album Blanket On The Ground
ReleasedAugust 4, 1975
GenreCountry
Length3:51
LabelSony Music Ireland
Songwriter(s)Roger Bowling
Producer(s)Nigel Wright

"Blanket On The Ground" was covered by Country music artist Philomena Begley as the lead single from her 1975 LP of the same name. The single was released on August 4, 1975, in Ireland and August 6, 1975, in the United Kingdom. The LP was re-released on CD in 1988.

Background

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Begley's cover took her to number five in the Irish chart.[20] Spears also released the song in the United Kingdom and in Ireland at the same time as Begley, but Begley's version received the highest sales, as Spears' version only went to number 11.[21] Begley occasionally performed the song with Spears and later recorded a tribute song to her after the American star's death in 2011. Begley's edition has been re-recorded a number of times since and is featured on her 'Greatest Hits' album.

Chart performance

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Chart (1975) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[22] 1
UK Chart[23] 4

References

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  1. ^ Roland, Tom (1991). The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits. Billboard Books, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York. p. 62.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 327.
  3. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 286. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. ^ "Billie Jo Spears – Blanket on the Ground" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  5. ^ "Billie Jo Spears – Blanket on the Ground" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  6. ^ "Billie Jo Spears – Blanket on the Ground" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  7. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Blanket on the Ground". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  8. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 38, 1975" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  9. ^ "Billie Jo Spears – Blanket on the Ground" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  10. ^ "Billie Jo Spears – Blanket on the Ground". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  11. ^ "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Songs (A-B)".
  12. ^ "Billie Jo Spears: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  13. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 790.
  14. ^ "Billie Jo Spears Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  15. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Billie Jo Spears – Blanket on the Ground" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  16. ^ "Top Selling Singles of 1975 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. December 31, 1975. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  17. ^ "Britain's best selling records of '75". Record Mirror. London: Billboard. January 10, 1976. p. 12. Archived from the original on September 21, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  18. ^ "1975 Year End". Bullfrogspond.com. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  19. ^ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 1975". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  20. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 209. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  21. ^ "Philomenabegley". Iangallagher.com. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  22. ^ "Chart Track: Week 23, 1985". Irish Singles Chart.
  23. ^ "2011-04-09 Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. April 9, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2012.