Words and Music (Roger Miller album)
Encyclopedia
Words and Music is the fourth studio album by American country music
singer Roger Miller
. It was released under the Smash Records
label in 1966 (see 1966 in country music
). The record reached #32 on the country album charts and #108 on the Billboard 200
, marking a significant drop in the charts following his first three albums.
Four singles were released from the album including "Husbands and Wives
," Miller's final top five country hit. The song was later covered by Brooks & Dunn
on their 1998 album If You See Her
, and was a #1 country hit for the duo. The top 20 hit, "I've Been a Long Time Leavin'," and the track, "My Uncle Used to Love Me But She Died" were also released as singles, along with a cover of Elvis Presley
's "Heartbreak Hotel
."
Words also featured "Billy Bayou" and "Home," two songs which Miller had written earlier in his career for country singer Jim Reeves
, who released the songs as singles in the late 1950s, charting at #1 and #2 respectively with "Billy Bayou" being the first #1 written by Miller in his career. Reeves later included the songs on his 1960 album He'll Have to Go.
, some of the tracks from The Return of Roger Miller
and The 3rd Time Around
, Miller's recordings from the session as well as others between 1964 and 1965 were included on this album. Miller wrote all of the songs on the album with the exception of "Heartbreak Hotel." Curly Putman
received songwriting credit along with Miller on track "Dad Blame Anything a Man Can't Quit."
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer Roger Miller
Roger Miller
Roger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs...
. It was released under the Smash Records
Smash Records
Smash Records is an American record label. It was founded in 1961 as a subsidiary of Mercury Records by Mercury executive Shelby Singleton and run by Singleton with Charlie Fach. Fach took over after Singleton left Mercury in 1966...
label in 1966 (see 1966 in country music
1966 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1966.-Events:* March 15 — Roger Miller wins six Grammy Awards, five of them related to his hit "King of the Road". The Statler Brothers take two awards for "Flowers on the Wall"....
). The record reached #32 on the country album charts and #108 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, marking a significant drop in the charts following his first three albums.
Four singles were released from the album including "Husbands and Wives
Husbands and Wives (song)
Country music duo Brooks & Dunn covered the song on their 1998 album If You See Her. Featuring lead vocals from Ronnie Dunn, their version was the album's third single, reaching the top of the country singles charts in December 1998. It was also a Top 40 pop hit, peaking at #36 on the Billboard Hot...
," Miller's final top five country hit. The song was later covered by Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
on their 1998 album If You See Her
If You See Her
If You See Her is the fifth studio album by country music duo Brooks & Dunn, released in 1998 on Arista Nashville. The album featured five chart singles: "If You See Him/If You See Her" , "How Long Gone" , "Husbands and Wives" , "I Can't Get Over You" , and "South of Santa Fe"...
, and was a #1 country hit for the duo. The top 20 hit, "I've Been a Long Time Leavin'," and the track, "My Uncle Used to Love Me But She Died" were also released as singles, along with a cover of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's "Heartbreak Hotel
Heartbreak Hotel
"Heartbreak Hotel" is a song recorded by American rock and roll musician Elvis Presley. It was released as a single on January 27, 1956, Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor. His first number-one pop record, "Heartbreak Hotel" topped Billboards Top 100 chart, became his first...
."
Words also featured "Billy Bayou" and "Home," two songs which Miller had written earlier in his career for country singer Jim Reeves
Jim Reeves
James Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound...
, who released the songs as singles in the late 1950s, charting at #1 and #2 respectively with "Billy Bayou" being the first #1 written by Miller in his career. Reeves later included the songs on his 1960 album He'll Have to Go.
Background
After releasing material during the two day session that brought forth his debut albumRoger and Out
Roger and Out was the debut album of country music singer-songwriter Roger Miller. It was released under the Smash Records label in 1964, and later re-released in 2005 under Vertigo Records, adding the track "Smile of Me." The second release did not chart but the first reached #3 on country album...
, some of the tracks from The Return of Roger Miller
The Return of Roger Miller
The Return of Roger Miller was the second studio album of country music singer-songwriter Roger Miller. It was released under the Smash Records label in 1965...
and The 3rd Time Around
The 3rd Time Around
-Chart:-Singles:-Personnel:*Ray Edenton – Guitar*Buddy Harman – Drums*Roger Miller – Guitar, Vocals*Bob Moore – Bass...
, Miller's recordings from the session as well as others between 1964 and 1965 were included on this album. Miller wrote all of the songs on the album with the exception of "Heartbreak Hotel." Curly Putman
Curly Putman
Claude "Curly" Putman, Jr. is an American songwriter, based in Nashville. His biggest success was "Green, Green Grass of Home" , which was covered by Elvis Presley, Johnny Darrell, Gram Parsons, Joan Baez, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roberto Leal, Merle Haggard, Bobby Bare, Joe Tex, Nana...
received songwriting credit along with Miller on track "Dad Blame Anything a Man Can't Quit."
Reception
Allmusic gave the album four stars. It labeled the first track, "My Uncle Used to Love Me But She Died," as one of the Miller's "weirdest song[s]," calling it "an attack of pure dementia." But the second track, "Husbands and Wives" was lauded for being "clever" and "saying so much with so few words." The song was also noted in the publication for setting the tone of the album. The necessity of the seventh track, "Heartbreak Hotel" was questioned by the reviewer, and cited as a precursor to Miller's "laziness" in his later recordings. However, allmusic stated that Miller still built "the album to a strong climax purely through emotion and sentimentality."Track listing
Chart
| Chart (1966) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Top Country Albums | 32 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
108 |
Singles
| Year | Song | US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US AC Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
CAN | CAN AC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | "Husbands and Wives Husbands and Wives (song) Country music duo Brooks & Dunn covered the song on their 1998 album If You See Her. Featuring lead vocals from Ronnie Dunn, their version was the album's third single, reaching the top of the country singles charts in December 1998. It was also a Top 40 pop hit, peaking at #36 on the Billboard Hot... " |
5 | 26 | 2 | 14 | 10 |
| 1966 | "I've Been a Long Time Leavin'" (But I'll Be a Long Time Gone)" |
13 | 39 | - | - | - |
| 1966 | "My Uncle Used to Love Me But She Died" | 39 | 58 | - | 26 | - |
| 1966 | "Heartbreak Hotel Heartbreak Hotel "Heartbreak Hotel" is a song recorded by American rock and roll musician Elvis Presley. It was released as a single on January 27, 1956, Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor. His first number-one pop record, "Heartbreak Hotel" topped Billboards Top 100 chart, became his first... " |
55 | 84 | - | - | - |
Personnel
- Ray Edenton – GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Buddy HarmanBuddy HarmanBuddy Harman was an American session musician.-Career:Born in Nashville, Tennessee, he played drums on over 18,000 sessions for artists such as Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Brenda Lee, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Roy Orbison, Connie Francis, Chet Atkins, Marty Robbins, Roger Miller,...
– DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Roger MillerRoger MillerRoger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs...
– Guitar, Vocals - Bob MooreBob MooreBob Loyce Moore is an American session musician, orchestra leader, and bassist who was a member of the legendary Nashville A-Team during the 1950s and 60s.-Biography:...
– BassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...