Lead Me On is the second collaborative studio album by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn. It was released on January 17, 1972, by Decca Records.[1]
| Lead Me On | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpeg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 17, 1972 | |||
| Recorded | November 11, 1970–November 23, 1971 | |||
| Studio | Bradley's Barn, Mount Juliet, Tennessee | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 27:31 | |||
| Label | Decca | |||
| Producer | Owen Bradley | |||
| Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Conway Twitty chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Loretta Lynn chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Lead Me On | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
In the issue dated February 5, 1972, Billboard magazine published a review of the album, saying that "For their second package of duets, Twitty and Loretta Lynn come up with another dynamite selection of material certain to prove another hot chart item. Their hit single, "Lead Me On", is spotlighted and featured are standouts such as "Never Ending Song of Love", "Easy Loving", and the clever rhythm item, "You Blow My Mind", penned by Billy Edd Wheeler.[3]
Cashbox published a review in the January 29, 1972 issue, which said, "Visually, Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty are a stately and dignified couple. Their finely-cut features are emphasized by their subtle but modern and tasty choice of clothes. Although they look different and usually wear different color and style outfits, they are always coordinated – they are two different halves that combine as a whole which is more than either half. And so it is with their music; their finely-cut voices are adorned by subtle but modern arrangements and instrumentation. They both have different styles that merge into a new style that is both of them and something more. Listen to "Lead Me On", "You Blow My Mind", and "You're the Reason"."[4]
The review published in the January 29, 1972 issue of Record World praised the music but criticized the album's artwork, saying it is a "Great bunch of tunes, but they sure ruined the cover photos with the blue border and the 100 white stars. The graphic people surely can't put a damper on the album's contents. The hot country duo hit hard with tunes like "Lead Me On", "Back Street Affair", and absolutely the most sexy version of "Easy Lovin'" ever recorded. A natural pick."[5]
Commercial performance
editThe album peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot Country LP's chart and No. 106 on the US Billboard Top LP's chart. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of more than 500,000 copies.[6]
The album's only single, "Lead Me On", was released in September 1971[7] and peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, becoming the duo's second song to top the chart. In Canada, the single peaked at No. 1 on the RPM Country Singles chart.
Recording
editRecording sessions for the album took place at Bradley's Barn in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, on November 21–23, 1971. "Lead Me On" was recorded on November 11, 1970, during the sessions for 1971's We Only Make Believe.[8]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lead Me On" | Leon Copeland | November 11, 1970 | 2:24 |
| 2. | "When I Turn Off My Lights (Your Memory Turns On)" |
| November 22, 1971 | 2:14 |
| 3. | "Never Ending Song of Love" | Delaney Bramlett | November 21, 1971 | 2:20 |
| 4. | "Playing House Away from Home" | Bill Rhodes | November 22, 1971 | 2:34 |
| 5. | "You're the Reason" |
| November 22, 1971 | 2:47 |
| 6. | "How Far Can We Go?" |
| November 22, 1971 | 2:15 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "You Blow My Mind" | Billy Ed Wheeler | November 23, 1971 | 2:35 |
| 2. | "Easy Loving" | Freddie Hart | November 21, 1971 | 2:40 |
| 3. | "Back Street Affair" |
| November 21, 1971 | 3:05 |
| 4. | "I Wonder If You Told Her About Me" | Conway Twitty | November 23, 1971 | 2:30 |
| 5. | "Get Some Loving Done" | Jimmy Peppers | November 23, 1971 | 2:07 |
Personnel
editAdapted from the album liner notes and Decca recording session records.[8]
- Harold Bradley – bass guitar
- Owen Bradley – producer
- Ray Edenton – acoustic guitar
- John Hughey – steel guitar
- Darrell Johnson - mastering
- The Jordanaires – background vocals
- Loretta Lynn – lead vocals
- Tommy Markham – drums
- Bob Moore – bass
- Hargus Robbins – piano
- Jerry Smith – piano
- Conway Twitty – lead vocals
- Herman Wade – electric guitar
Charts
editAlbum
| Chart (1972) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country LP's (Billboard)[9] | 2 |
| US Top LP's (Billboard)[10] | 106 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country [11] |
CAN Country [12] | ||
| "Lead Me On" | 1972 | 1 | 1 |
References
edit- ^ "Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn – Lead Me On". Discogs. 1972.
- ^ Lead Me On at AllMusic
- ^ "Billboard Magazine - February 5, 1972" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ^ "Cashbox - January 29, 1972" (PDF). American Radio History. Cashbox. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- ^ "Record World - January 29, 1972" (PDF). American Radio History. Record World. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
- ^ "Billboard - September 18, 1971" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
- ^ a b "Loretta's Recording Sess". LORETTA LYNN FAN WEBSITE.
- ^ "Loretta Lynn Chart History - Hot Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ "Loretta Lynn Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ "Loretta Lynn Chart History - Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ Canada, Library and Archives (17 July 2013). "Results: RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 20 April 2019.