Spun Gold
Encyclopedia
Spun Gold is the fourteenth studio album by American country
artist Barbara Mandrell
. The album was released in July 1983 on MCA Records
and was produced by Tom Collins. Spun Gold produced two major hit singles on the Billboard Country Singles chart in 1983.
and contained ten tracks of new recordings. The album mainly consisted of Country pop
-influenced material mixed with song themes that discuss the hardships of working class people. It included a duet with country artist Steve Wariner
entitled "Overnight Sensation". Allmusic reviewer Greg Adams compared background guitar on the track "In Times Like These" to the guitar "riff" on Ike & Tina Turner
's single, "Proud Mary". He also considered the single, "One of a Kind (A Pair of Fools)" to have a "strong hook and pure pop production". Overall, Adams only gave the release two out five stars, calling the material "disco-era glitz". Adams also found the album's cover to be displeasing saying, "Meanwhile, Mandrell is decked out on the album cover like a high-fashion model in gold lame'. Dolly Parton
has always been able to negotiate these kinds of apparent contradictions, but Mandrell does not have the same gift."
Spun Gold was issued on an LP album
in its original release, with five songs on each side of the record.
chart and #6 on the RPM Canadian Country chart. The second single "One of a Kind (A Pair of Fools)" was released in July 1983 and became Mandrell's final number one single on the Billboard Country Singles Chart and also reached the same position on the Canadian RPM
Country Tracks chart. Spun Gold was also released in 1983 and peaked at #5 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and #140 on the Billboard 200
albums chart.
Side two
Singles
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...
artist Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Ann Mandrell is an American country music singer best known for a 1970s–1980s series of Top 10 hits and TV shows that helped her become one of country's most successful female vocalists of the 1970s and 1980s...
. The album was released in July 1983 on MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
and was produced by Tom Collins. Spun Gold produced two major hit singles on the Billboard Country Singles chart in 1983.
Background and content
Spun Gold was recorded in February 1983 in Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and contained ten tracks of new recordings. The album mainly consisted of Country pop
Country pop
Country pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre of country music that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to Top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to...
-influenced material mixed with song themes that discuss the hardships of working class people. It included a duet with country artist Steve Wariner
Steve Wariner
Steven Noel "Steve" Wariner is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. He has released eighteen studio albums, including six on MCA Records, and three each on RCA Records, Arista Records and Capitol Records...
entitled "Overnight Sensation". Allmusic reviewer Greg Adams compared background guitar on the track "In Times Like These" to the guitar "riff" on Ike & Tina Turner
Ike & Tina Turner
Ike & Tina Turner were an American rock & roll and soul duo, made of the husband-and-wife team of Ike Turner and Tina Turner in the 1960s and 1970s. Spanning sixteen years together as a recording group, the duo's repertoire included rock & roll, soul, blues and funk...
's single, "Proud Mary". He also considered the single, "One of a Kind (A Pair of Fools)" to have a "strong hook and pure pop production". Overall, Adams only gave the release two out five stars, calling the material "disco-era glitz". Adams also found the album's cover to be displeasing saying, "Meanwhile, Mandrell is decked out on the album cover like a high-fashion model in gold lame'. Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
has always been able to negotiate these kinds of apparent contradictions, but Mandrell does not have the same gift."
Spun Gold was issued on an LP album
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
in its original release, with five songs on each side of the record.
Release
Spun Gold spawned two singles in 1983. The lead single from the album was the opening track "In Times Like These". The song was released to radio in March 1983 and reached a peak of #4 on the Billboard Magazine Hot Country SongsHot 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...
chart and #6 on the RPM Canadian Country chart. The second single "One of a Kind (A Pair of Fools)" was released in July 1983 and became Mandrell's final number one single on the Billboard Country Singles Chart and also reached the same position on the Canadian RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
Country Tracks chart. Spun Gold was also released in 1983 and peaked at #5 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and #140 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...
albums chart.
Track listing
Side one- "In Times Like These" – 2:58
- "As Well As Can Be Expected" – 3:23
- "One of a Kind Pair of Fools" – 2:48
- "Only Now and Then" – 3:22
- "You Are No Angel" – 2:57
Side two
- "A Man's Not a Man ('Til He's Loved by a Woman)" – 3:15
- "Overnight Sensation" – 3:16
- with Steve WarinerSteve WarinerSteven Noel "Steve" Wariner is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. He has released eighteen studio albums, including six on MCA Records, and three each on RCA Records, Arista Records and Capitol Records...
- with Steve Wariner
- "Loveless" – 3:07
- "Bad Boys" – 2:54
- "Cryin' All the Way to the Bank" – 3:35
Sales chart positions
Album| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Top Country Albums | 5 |
| 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... |
140 |
Singles
| Year | Song | 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... |
CAN Country | ||
| 1983 | "In Times Like These" | 4 | 6 |
| "One of a Kind Pair of Fools" | 1 | 1 | |