Love & Gravity
Encyclopedia
Love & Gravity is the third studio album released by the American country music
group Blackhawk
. It features the singles "Hole in My Heart" and "Postmarked Birmingham", which peaked at #31 and #37, respectively, on the Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
) charts in 1997.
All of the songs center around the theme of loneliness
and all but one track concern relationships. The first nine songs are written from a first person perspective
, but the last two, including the track "Lonely Boy
" a cover of the 1977 pop standard by Andrew Gold
, are written from the third person perspective. The track "Will You Be There (In the Morning)
" is a cover of a song originally recorded by the band Heart
.
All songs are sung with Henry Paul
in the lead with the exception of the track "If That Was a Lie", which features Van Stephenson
on lead vocals.
. The band recorded the album after receiving TNN
's "Star of Tomorrow" award at the network's Music City News Country Awards in 1995 and following a performance at Farm Aid
in front of 50,000 fans later that year.
Work on the album began in 1996 as the band toured with Wynonna and made their debut at the Grand Ole Opry
early in the year. While recording, the group was nominated as best band by the Academy of Country Music
and the Country Music Association
. Near the end of the year, BlackHawk learned that their debut album had reached double platinum status.
Love & Gravity would go on to be released on July 29, 1997 under the Arista Nashville
label. Upon release, lead singer Henry Paul described the album as a "risky" move for the band, alluding to its contemporary country
sound and increased band participation in the songwriting. Paul remarked that the risk of the album was made to "make the kind of progress in our careers that we hope to make." He stated that songs with more "sociological value" were seeping into the band's repertoire to mix with radio hits.
The band would go on to promote the album following its release. A performance in front of a crowd of 5,000 at the Mall of America
in Bloomington, Minnesota
in August 1997, was documented by the media. During the event, 1,000 signed copies of the album were distributed, free of charge. On October 18, the band made an appearance at Legion Field
prior to an Alabama University college football
contest against Tennessee University. BlackHawk performed the Star Spangled Banner at the forum.
Seven of the eleven tracks were written in part by a member of BlackHawk. The exceptions included: "Will You Be There (In the Morning)", a cover of the 1993 hit song by the rock band Heart; "Postmarked Birmingham", which featured the introduction of renowned songwriter Phil Vassar
; "Hold Me Harmless" composed by songwriter Roger Wojahn; and the cover of Andrew Gold's 1977 pop hit "Lonely Boy."
The next track, "Stepping Stones" written by band members Dave Robbins and Van Stephenson plus Jeff Silbar, is a first person plea from an individual asking for somebody's help "who lifts" him "up to higher ground" when he is down. The lyrics state that the protagonist needs help from the individual, just as he needed help from them previously. He begs for the listener to turn his "stumbling blocks" into "stepping stones." The chorus continues as follows: "And I need you now like I needed you then, to help me get back up on my feet again. Only you and you alone can turn my stumbling blocks into stepping stones."
"Postmarked Birmingham" is a ballad
written by Phil Vassar and Don Sampson. The song marked the beginning of a songwriter career for Vassar who went on to pen country hits including Little Red Rodeo
and My Next Thirty Years
; he would also go on to begin a successful recording career in the 2000s. "Birmingham" is the only track on the album to later be featured in the band's 2000 Greatest Hits
collection. The vocals of the song are written in first person and discuss the arrival of a letter from a woman who left to Birmingham
for unknown reasons. The letter pleads for the protagonist not to "hate" her for her actions. After receiving the letter, the man waits for the woman to write back, looking for the stamp "postmarked Birmingham." The track was the second single released from the album, peaking at #37 on United States country charts and #53 on the Canadian charts. A music video for the song was also created and released to television. It was produced by Robert Deaton and George J. Flanigen and was nominated as the Nashville Music Video of the Year. Later discussing the song, Henry Paul would recount: "People don't always find the answers they're looking for. We wanted a song to have a simplicity as it tells a memorable story to get the point across while begin as succinct and concise as possible."
Following "Postmarked Birmingham" on the album, the track "Will You Be There (In the Morning)" had previously reached number fifteen on Adult Contemporary charts and number ten on United States Mainstream Rock
charts for the band Heart. It was written by Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who at the time was married and writing songs for country star Shania Twain
. The song centers around an individual in the first person, who wonders if their lover will remain with them through the night, hoping that they will "be there in the morning."
The next track, "It Ain't About Love Anymore" was written by band members Dave Robbins and Van Stephenson plus Songwriters Hall of Fame
songwriter Desmond Child
. The song features a first person speaker explaining to his partner that "it ain't about love anymore" and that he will "walk out the door" because a "cold wind blows." He expands this sentiment by stating that his "lonely heart" has become a "ghost town
." There is no mention of ill-will toward his intended listener but states that he is leaving so he doesn't "hurt" her anymore.
(a member of the group's backing band, who later made a career composing entrance music for wrestlers in TNA
) and former Survivor
band member Jim Peterik
. In the song, a man discusses his life in the first person, explaining how he is "nobody's fool", a position he does not cherish. The protagonist walks away from relationships "before the heartache starts" avoiding any "angry eyes" or "sad goodbyes." Although he states that he "was the envy of every man", he feels alone, and believes that it is better to be "somebody's fool than nobody's fool at all." Lead singer Paul starts the chorus by stating "I'm nobody's fool", and is answered by Robbins and Van Stephenson with "somebody who." Later in the chorus, similar harmonies are constructed as the lead sings "no angry eyes" and his band members answer with "no sad goodbyes."
The next track, "If That Was a Lie" was written by band members Dave Robbins and Van Stephenson as well as Jeff Silbar. The song is the only on the album to feature Van Stephenson on lead vocals instead of Henry Paul. It is written from a first person perspective and questions whether a confession of love "was a lie." Throughout the song, the protagonist states, "if that was a lie, that was the sweetest lie that I have ever heard." At certain points in the song, Stephenson repeats "if that was a lie" as his fellow band members sing "I'm gonna believe" in the background.
Written by band members Van Stephenson and Dave Robbins alongside Desmond Child, "Hole in My Heart" expresses a man's love for a woman in the first person, but states that the love is "gonna tear [him] apart" and that he needs it as much as he needs a "Hole in [his] Heart." The song was released as the lead-off single for the album and peaked at number 31 on U.S. country charts, it reached number 52 on Canadian charts and peaked at number 123 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the band's fifth highest position on the chart. A music video was released to television for the single.
Following the single "Hole in My Heart", "Hold Me Harmless" is a first person plea from a man to his lover to "Hold [him] harmless." In the opening, the situation is explained where the man states that his lover "needed a little time" but now "its been too long" as he is experiencing "agony." The protagonist states that he is "not that strong" to put up with his lover's absence. When the title of the track is sung, the word "hold" is drawn out into three notes to begin the chorus. In the chorus, the man admits his eternal love to whom he is speaking. Later in the track, the speaker confesses that his "crime of passion" is loving too much and that he is "guilty as charged."
The tenth track, "She Dances with Her Shadow" was written by all members of BlackHawk and Dale Oliver. The track is a ballad, which chronicles in third person, a woman who "dances with her Shadow" since the departure of her "fast" and "restless" lover, who said "goodbye" for reasons not mentioned. The chorus goes as follows: "And she dances with her shadow, staring out the window, a silver moon silhouette shining in her eyes. In her heart she knows that he will never come back she dances with her shadow alone again tonight."
The final track, "Lonely Boy" had previously charted number seven in the United States for Andrew Gold, whose version was included on his 1976 album What's Wrong with This Picture? and featured background vocals by country music artist Linda Ronstadt
. BlackHawk's version differed somewhat from Gold's: it begins (and ends) with a banjo
solo by musician Eric Silver and adds ten years to the date of birth of the song's protagonist, the birth year of his sister and his departure from home. The song follows the life of a boy in the third person, who feels neglected by his parents following his sister's birth, and is therefore stricken with loneliness.
The review of The Plain Dealer was mostly critical. Three tracks were singled out; the title track was criticized for being "lighthearted" and leaving the listener "feeling totally empty", "Postmarked Birmingham" was cited for starting "strong but" losing "its momentum" and was criticized as a "take no chances effort", "If That Was a Lie" was described as the "most interesting" track on the album for its change in lead vocals to Van Stephenson from Henry Paul, whose vocals were criticized for being "raspy." Overall, the album was given a "C."
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution gave the album an "A" stating that the band's "choice to record music and meaningful lyrics combined with vocal and musicial talent [made] the album a winner." Two of the tracks were expressively lauded: "Postmarked Birmingham" and "She Dances with her shadow."
According to reflections on the album, the singles released were ignored by "the powers that decide what the public should hear...as did radio stations." But the Virginian Pilot declared that "fans and critics loved the album" and that it "was an excellent album with...outstanding songs and exciting lead vocals by Henry Paul."
BlackHawk was honored as the "CMT Showcase Artist" for August 1997, shortly following the release of the album.
Strings
performed by the Nashville String Machine
and conducted by Carl Marsh.
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...
group Blackhawk
Blackhawk (band)
Blackhawk is an American country music group founded in 1992 by Henry Paul , Van Stephenson , and Dave Robbins...
. It features the singles "Hole in My Heart" and "Postmarked Birmingham", which peaked at #31 and #37, respectively, on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
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...
) charts in 1997.
All of the songs center around the theme of loneliness
Loneliness
Loneliness is an unpleasant feeling in which a person feels a strong sense of emptiness and solitude resulting from inadequate levels of social relationships. However, it is a subjective experience...
and all but one track concern relationships. The first nine songs are written from a first person perspective
First-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
, but the last two, including the track "Lonely Boy
Lonely Boy (Andrew Gold song)
"Lonely Boy" is a song written and recorded by Andrew Gold in 1976 for his album What's Wrong with This Picture? The song features backing vocals provided by Linda Ronstadt . When released as a single in 1977, the song became a top-twenty hit in both the United States and the United Kingdom...
" a cover of the 1977 pop standard by Andrew Gold
Andrew Gold
Andrew Maurice Gold was an American singer, musician and songwriter. His works include the Top 10 single "Lonely Boy" , as well as the singles "Thank You for Being a Friend" , and "Never Let Her Slip Away" ....
, are written from the third person perspective. The track "Will You Be There (In the Morning)
Will You Be There (In the Morning)
"Will You Be There " is a song first recorded by American rock band Heart. It was released as the first single from the band's eleventh studio album Desire Walks On and was the only Top 40 single from the album....
" is a cover of a song originally recorded by the band Heart
Heart (band)
Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...
.
All songs are sung with Henry Paul
Henry Paul (musician)
Henry Paul is an American southern rock and country singer/songwriter who was a founding member of the Southern rock band Outlaws, the front man and founder of the Henry Paul Band and the lead singer for the country band BlackHawk.-Early life:Henry was born in Kingston, New York and lived on a...
in the lead with the exception of the track "If That Was a Lie", which features Van Stephenson
Van Stephenson
Van Wesley Stephenson was an American singer-songwriter. He scored two US Billboard Hot 100 hits in the 1980s as a solo artist, and later became tenor vocalist in the country music band BlackHawk in the 1990s. In addition, Van co-wrote several singles for other artists, such as Restless Heart...
on lead vocals.
Context
Love & Gravity was released following the 1995 hit album Strong Enough, which continued the success of the debut album BlackHawkBlackhawk (album)
Blackhawk is the first studio album by the American country music group Blackhawk. Released in 1994 on Arista Nashville, it was certified 2× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA for shipping two million copies. The album produced the singles "Goodbye Says It All", "Every Once in a While", "I Sure Can...
. The band recorded the album after receiving TNN
TNN
TNN may refer to:* One of the former names of the U.S. TV channel Spike:** The Nashville Network** The National Network** TNN Motor Sports/TNN Sports, aired motorsports events from 1983–2003* Times News Network, Indian news agency...
's "Star of Tomorrow" award at the network's Music City News Country Awards in 1995 and following a performance at Farm Aid
Farm Aid
Farm Aid started as a benefit concert on September 22, 1985, in Champaign, Illinois, held to raise money for family farmers in the United States...
in front of 50,000 fans later that year.
Work on the album began in 1996 as the band toured with Wynonna and made their debut at the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
early in the year. While recording, the group was nominated as best band by the Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
and the Country Music Association
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
. Near the end of the year, BlackHawk learned that their debut album had reached double platinum status.
Love & Gravity would go on to be released on July 29, 1997 under the Arista Nashville
Arista Nashville
Arista Nashville is an American record label that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment, operated under the Sony Music Nashville division. Founded in 1989, the label specializes in country music artists, including Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood...
label. Upon release, lead singer Henry Paul described the album as a "risky" move for the band, alluding to its contemporary country
Nashville sound
The Nashville sound originated during the late 1950s as a sub-genre of American country music, replacing the chart dominance of honky tonk music which was most popular in the 1940s and 1950s...
sound and increased band participation in the songwriting. Paul remarked that the risk of the album was made to "make the kind of progress in our careers that we hope to make." He stated that songs with more "sociological value" were seeping into the band's repertoire to mix with radio hits.
The band would go on to promote the album following its release. A performance in front of a crowd of 5,000 at the Mall of America
Mall of America
The Mall of America, also called MOA and the Megamall, is a shopping mall located in Bloomington, Minnesota, a suburb of the Twin Cities, in the United States. It is located southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, north of the Minnesota River and is across the...
in Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
in August 1997, was documented by the media. During the event, 1,000 signed copies of the album were distributed, free of charge. On October 18, the band made an appearance at Legion Field
Legion Field
Legion Field is a large stadium in Birmingham, Alabama, United States, primarily designed to be used as a venue for American football, but is occasionally used for other large outdoor events. The stadium is named in honor of the American Legion, a U.S. organization of military veterans. At its peak...
prior to an Alabama University college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
contest against Tennessee University. BlackHawk performed the Star Spangled Banner at the forum.
Content
The album produced two singles, "Hole in My Heart" and "Postmarked Birmingham". Both reached the top 40 on the Billboard charts, but neither peaked as high as the band's singles from its previous two albums.Seven of the eleven tracks were written in part by a member of BlackHawk. The exceptions included: "Will You Be There (In the Morning)", a cover of the 1993 hit song by the rock band Heart; "Postmarked Birmingham", which featured the introduction of renowned songwriter Phil Vassar
Phil Vassar
Phil Vassar is an American country music artist. Vassar made his debut on the country music scene in the late 1990s, co-writing singles for several country artists, including Tim McGraw , Jo Dee Messina , Collin Raye , and Alan Jackson Phil Vassar (born May 28, 1964 in Lynchburg, Virginia) is an...
; "Hold Me Harmless" composed by songwriter Roger Wojahn; and the cover of Andrew Gold's 1977 pop hit "Lonely Boy."
Side one
The first track is titled after the album. Its lyrics tell a story of a man from the first person perspective who has fallen from the "good graces" of a woman after "stay[ing] out late" and not calling her. The lead singer describes his situation by repeating the track's title, stating that "Love and Gravity are having their way with" him.The next track, "Stepping Stones" written by band members Dave Robbins and Van Stephenson plus Jeff Silbar, is a first person plea from an individual asking for somebody's help "who lifts" him "up to higher ground" when he is down. The lyrics state that the protagonist needs help from the individual, just as he needed help from them previously. He begs for the listener to turn his "stumbling blocks" into "stepping stones." The chorus continues as follows: "And I need you now like I needed you then, to help me get back up on my feet again. Only you and you alone can turn my stumbling blocks into stepping stones."
"Postmarked Birmingham" is a ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
written by Phil Vassar and Don Sampson. The song marked the beginning of a songwriter career for Vassar who went on to pen country hits including Little Red Rodeo
Little Red Rodeo
"Little Red Rodeo" is a single by American country music artist Collin Raye. It was released in December 1997 as the third and final single from his CD, The Best of Collin Raye: Direct Hits, it was a Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart....
and My Next Thirty Years
My Next Thirty Years
"My Next Thirty Years" is the title of a song written by Phil Vassar and recorded by Tim McGraw. It was released in July 2000 as the fifth single from McGraw's A Place in the Sun album. The song reached Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and peaked at number 27 on the U.S...
; he would also go on to begin a successful recording career in the 2000s. "Birmingham" is the only track on the album to later be featured in the band's 2000 Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (BlackHawk album)
Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits package released by the country music band Blackhawk. It features hits from their first four studio albums, as well as the newly recorded "It Takes a Woman", "I Need You All the Time", and "Ships of Heaven". "I Need You All the Time" was released as a single...
collection. The vocals of the song are written in first person and discuss the arrival of a letter from a woman who left to Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
for unknown reasons. The letter pleads for the protagonist not to "hate" her for her actions. After receiving the letter, the man waits for the woman to write back, looking for the stamp "postmarked Birmingham." The track was the second single released from the album, peaking at #37 on United States country charts and #53 on the Canadian charts. A music video for the song was also created and released to television. It was produced by Robert Deaton and George J. Flanigen and was nominated as the Nashville Music Video of the Year. Later discussing the song, Henry Paul would recount: "People don't always find the answers they're looking for. We wanted a song to have a simplicity as it tells a memorable story to get the point across while begin as succinct and concise as possible."
Following "Postmarked Birmingham" on the album, the track "Will You Be There (In the Morning)" had previously reached number fifteen on Adult Contemporary charts and number ten on United States Mainstream Rock
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
charts for the band Heart. It was written by Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who at the time was married and writing songs for country star Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
. The song centers around an individual in the first person, who wonders if their lover will remain with them through the night, hoping that they will "be there in the morning."
The next track, "It Ain't About Love Anymore" was written by band members Dave Robbins and Van Stephenson plus Songwriters Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online...
songwriter Desmond Child
Desmond Child
Desmond Child is an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Career:...
. The song features a first person speaker explaining to his partner that "it ain't about love anymore" and that he will "walk out the door" because a "cold wind blows." He expands this sentiment by stating that his "lonely heart" has become a "ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
." There is no mention of ill-will toward his intended listener but states that he is leaving so he doesn't "hurt" her anymore.
Side two
"Nobody's Fool", the album's sixth track, was written by lead singer Henry Paul along with Dale OliverDale Oliver
Dale Byron Oliver is an American music composer who works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Formerly a guitarist in BackHawk , Oliver serves mainly as a composer of theme music used in professional wrestling.-Music composer for TNA:Since 2003, Oliver writes, records, and produces music under...
(a member of the group's backing band, who later made a career composing entrance music for wrestlers in TNA
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
) and former Survivor
Survivor (band)
Survivor is an American rock band formed in Chicago in 1978. The band achieved its greatest success in the 1980s with its AOR sound, which garnered many charting singles, especially in the United States. The band is best known for its double platinum-certified 1982 hit "Eye of the Tiger", the theme...
band member Jim Peterik
Jim Peterik
Jim Peterik is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the band Survivor and as vocalist and songwriter of the hit song "Vehicle" by The Ides of March...
. In the song, a man discusses his life in the first person, explaining how he is "nobody's fool", a position he does not cherish. The protagonist walks away from relationships "before the heartache starts" avoiding any "angry eyes" or "sad goodbyes." Although he states that he "was the envy of every man", he feels alone, and believes that it is better to be "somebody's fool than nobody's fool at all." Lead singer Paul starts the chorus by stating "I'm nobody's fool", and is answered by Robbins and Van Stephenson with "somebody who." Later in the chorus, similar harmonies are constructed as the lead sings "no angry eyes" and his band members answer with "no sad goodbyes."
The next track, "If That Was a Lie" was written by band members Dave Robbins and Van Stephenson as well as Jeff Silbar. The song is the only on the album to feature Van Stephenson on lead vocals instead of Henry Paul. It is written from a first person perspective and questions whether a confession of love "was a lie." Throughout the song, the protagonist states, "if that was a lie, that was the sweetest lie that I have ever heard." At certain points in the song, Stephenson repeats "if that was a lie" as his fellow band members sing "I'm gonna believe" in the background.
Written by band members Van Stephenson and Dave Robbins alongside Desmond Child, "Hole in My Heart" expresses a man's love for a woman in the first person, but states that the love is "gonna tear [him] apart" and that he needs it as much as he needs a "Hole in [his] Heart." The song was released as the lead-off single for the album and peaked at number 31 on U.S. country charts, it reached number 52 on Canadian charts and peaked at number 123 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the band's fifth highest position on the chart. A music video was released to television for the single.
Following the single "Hole in My Heart", "Hold Me Harmless" is a first person plea from a man to his lover to "Hold [him] harmless." In the opening, the situation is explained where the man states that his lover "needed a little time" but now "its been too long" as he is experiencing "agony." The protagonist states that he is "not that strong" to put up with his lover's absence. When the title of the track is sung, the word "hold" is drawn out into three notes to begin the chorus. In the chorus, the man admits his eternal love to whom he is speaking. Later in the track, the speaker confesses that his "crime of passion" is loving too much and that he is "guilty as charged."
The tenth track, "She Dances with Her Shadow" was written by all members of BlackHawk and Dale Oliver. The track is a ballad, which chronicles in third person, a woman who "dances with her Shadow" since the departure of her "fast" and "restless" lover, who said "goodbye" for reasons not mentioned. The chorus goes as follows: "And she dances with her shadow, staring out the window, a silver moon silhouette shining in her eyes. In her heart she knows that he will never come back she dances with her shadow alone again tonight."
The final track, "Lonely Boy" had previously charted number seven in the United States for Andrew Gold, whose version was included on his 1976 album What's Wrong with This Picture? and featured background vocals by country music artist Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
. BlackHawk's version differed somewhat from Gold's: it begins (and ends) with a banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
solo by musician Eric Silver and adds ten years to the date of birth of the song's protagonist, the birth year of his sister and his departure from home. The song follows the life of a boy in the third person, who feels neglected by his parents following his sister's birth, and is therefore stricken with loneliness.
Reception
Reviews of the album were mixed. Allmusic gave the band a generally favorable review, remarking that the album's "best moments demonstrate that BlackHawk is more talented and diverse than their previous two albums would suggest", however the review also labeled, without specifying, that certain songs were "simply unmemorable." Overall, the website gave the album three stars out of a possible five.The review of The Plain Dealer was mostly critical. Three tracks were singled out; the title track was criticized for being "lighthearted" and leaving the listener "feeling totally empty", "Postmarked Birmingham" was cited for starting "strong but" losing "its momentum" and was criticized as a "take no chances effort", "If That Was a Lie" was described as the "most interesting" track on the album for its change in lead vocals to Van Stephenson from Henry Paul, whose vocals were criticized for being "raspy." Overall, the album was given a "C."
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution gave the album an "A" stating that the band's "choice to record music and meaningful lyrics combined with vocal and musicial talent [made] the album a winner." Two of the tracks were expressively lauded: "Postmarked Birmingham" and "She Dances with her shadow."
According to reflections on the album, the singles released were ignored by "the powers that decide what the public should hear...as did radio stations." But the Virginian Pilot declared that "fans and critics loved the album" and that it "was an excellent album with...outstanding songs and exciting lead vocals by Henry Paul."
BlackHawk was honored as the "CMT Showcase Artist" for August 1997, shortly following the release of the album.
Track listing
- "Love and Gravity (Was Fallin' from Her Good Graces)" (Henry PaulHenry Paul (musician)Henry Paul is an American southern rock and country singer/songwriter who was a founding member of the Southern rock band Outlaws, the front man and founder of the Henry Paul Band and the lead singer for the country band BlackHawk.-Early life:Henry was born in Kingston, New York and lived on a...
, Dave Robbins, Mark D. SandersMark D. SandersMark Daniel Sanders is an American Country Music songwriter. He has written 14 No. 1 hits, 50 singles, and over 200 cuts, including the famous Lee Ann Womack single “I Hope You Dance,” co-written with Tia Sillers.-Early life:...
) – 3:16 - "Stepping Stones" (Robbins, Jeff Silbar, Van StephensonVan StephensonVan Wesley Stephenson was an American singer-songwriter. He scored two US Billboard Hot 100 hits in the 1980s as a solo artist, and later became tenor vocalist in the country music band BlackHawk in the 1990s. In addition, Van co-wrote several singles for other artists, such as Restless Heart...
) – 4:05 - "Postmarked Birmingham" (Don Sampson, Phil VassarPhil VassarPhil Vassar is an American country music artist. Vassar made his debut on the country music scene in the late 1990s, co-writing singles for several country artists, including Tim McGraw , Jo Dee Messina , Collin Raye , and Alan Jackson Phil Vassar (born May 28, 1964 in Lynchburg, Virginia) is an...
) – 4:20 - "Will You Be There (In the Morning)Will You Be There (In the Morning)"Will You Be There " is a song first recorded by American rock band Heart. It was released as the first single from the band's eleventh studio album Desire Walks On and was the only Top 40 single from the album....
" (Robert John "Mutt" Lange) – 3:48 - "It Ain't About Love Anymore" (Desmond ChildDesmond ChildDesmond Child is an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Career:...
, Robbins, Stephenson) – 4:00 - "Nobody's Fool" (Dale OliverDale OliverDale Byron Oliver is an American music composer who works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Formerly a guitarist in BackHawk , Oliver serves mainly as a composer of theme music used in professional wrestling.-Music composer for TNA:Since 2003, Oliver writes, records, and produces music under...
, Paul, Jim PeterikJim PeterikJim Peterik is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the band Survivor and as vocalist and songwriter of the hit song "Vehicle" by The Ides of March...
) – 3:52 - "If That Was a Lie" (Robbins, Silbar, Stephenson) – 3:59
- "Hole in My Heart" (Child, Robbins, Stephenson) – 3:59
- "Hold Me Harmless" (Roger Wojahn) – 3:33
- "She Dances with Her Shadow" (Oliver, Paul, Robbins, Stephenson) – 3:23
- "Lonely BoyLonely Boy (Andrew Gold song)"Lonely Boy" is a song written and recorded by Andrew Gold in 1976 for his album What's Wrong with This Picture? The song features backing vocals provided by Linda Ronstadt . When released as a single in 1977, the song became a top-twenty hit in both the United States and the United Kingdom...
" (Andrew GoldAndrew GoldAndrew Maurice Gold was an American singer, musician and songwriter. His works include the Top 10 single "Lonely Boy" , as well as the singles "Thank You for Being a Friend" , and "Never Let Her Slip Away" ....
) – 3:54
BlackHawk
- Henry PaulHenry Paul (musician)Henry Paul is an American southern rock and country singer/songwriter who was a founding member of the Southern rock band Outlaws, the front man and founder of the Henry Paul Band and the lead singer for the country band BlackHawk.-Early life:Henry was born in Kingston, New York and lived on a...
– lead vocals, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single... - Dave Robbins – keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, baritoneBaritoneBaritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
vocals - Van StephensonVan StephensonVan Wesley Stephenson was an American singer-songwriter. He scored two US Billboard Hot 100 hits in the 1980s as a solo artist, and later became tenor vocalist in the country music band BlackHawk in the 1990s. In addition, Van co-wrote several singles for other artists, such as Restless Heart...
– acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, tenorTenorThe tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
vocals
Additional musicians
- Dennis Belfield – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Bobby Huff – 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 ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Dann HuffDann HuffDann Huff is an American musician, session musician, singer-songwriter and producer. For his work as a producer in the Country music genre he has won several awards including the Musician of the Year award in 2001 and 2004 at the Country Music Association Awards and the Producer of the Year award...
– electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Greg Jennings – acoustic guitar
- Terry McMillan – percussion
- Dale OliverDale OliverDale Byron Oliver is an American music composer who works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Formerly a guitarist in BackHawk , Oliver serves mainly as a composer of theme music used in professional wrestling.-Music composer for TNA:Since 2003, Oliver writes, records, and produces music under...
– electric guitar - Eric Silver – acoustic guitar, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single... - Joe Spivey – fiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
Strings
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
performed by the Nashville String Machine
Nashville String Machine
Nashville String Machine is a musical collective comprising session musicians and has been credited on recordings as far back as 1974. The Nashville String Machine's composition varies from project to project. It has appeared as large as an orchestra, or as small as a duo.-Notable members:Being a...
and conducted by Carl Marsh.
Chart performance
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Top Country Albums | 8 |
| 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... |
79 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
CAN Country | ||
| 1997 | "Hole in My Heart" | 31 | 123 | 52 |
| "Postmarked Birmingham" | 37 | — | 53 | |