Thinkin' Problem (song)
Encyclopedia
"Thinkin' Problem" is the title of a country music
song co-written and recorded by American
country music singer David Ball. Ball co-wrote the song with Allen Shamblin
and Stuart Ziff. Released as the lead-off single from his 1994 album Thinkin' Problem
, the song reached #2 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
) chart, and #1 on Canada's RPM
country chart.
, pedal steel guitar
, and fiddle
flourishes. In it, the male narrator states that he has a "thinkin' problem" because his lover is "always on [his] mind" all day long. The song begins with the phrase "Yes I admit, I've got a thinkin' problem", with the final syllable of the word "admit" drawn out.
magazine reviewed the song favorably calling it a "perfect combination of retro sensibility and '90s production, and a pure honky-tonk delight."
, a country music parodist, parodied the song as "Stinkin' Problem" on his 1995 debut album Cledus T. Judd (No Relation)
.
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...
song co-written and recorded by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music singer David Ball. Ball co-wrote the song with Allen Shamblin
Allen Shamblin
Allen Shamblin is a country music songwriter who was born in Tennessee, and was brought up in Texas.After graduating from Sam Houston State University he worked in Austin as a real estate appraiser. In 1987, he quit his job and moved to Nashville to pursue a career as a song writer. He supported...
and Stuart Ziff. Released as the lead-off single from his 1994 album Thinkin' Problem
Thinkin' Problem
Thinkin' Problem is the title of an album by American country music artist David Ball. It was released in 1994 on Warner Bros. Records Nashville...
, the song reached #2 on the 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...
) chart, and #1 on Canada's 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 chart.
Content
"Thinkin' Problem" is a moderate up-tempo with electric guitarElectric guitar
An 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...
, pedal steel guitar
Pedal steel guitar
The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
, and fiddle
Fiddle
The 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...
flourishes. In it, the male narrator states that he has a "thinkin' problem" because his lover is "always on [his] mind" all day long. The song begins with the phrase "Yes I admit, I've got a thinkin' problem", with the final syllable of the word "admit" drawn out.
Reception
Rick Cohoon of Allmusic gave the song a mixed review, saying that it "is the fuel that ignited Ball's launch into stardom" but that "he tends to over-nasalize to the point of annoyance." Deborah Evans Price, of BillboardBillboard (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...
magazine reviewed the song favorably calling it a "perfect combination of retro sensibility and '90s production, and a pure honky-tonk delight."
Parody
Cledus T. JuddCledus T. Judd
Barry Poole is an American country music artist who records under the name Cledus T. Judd. Known primarily for his parodies of popular country music songs, he has been called the "Weird Al" Yankovic of country music, and his albums are usually an equal mix of original comedy songs and parodies...
, a country music parodist, parodied the song as "Stinkin' Problem" on his 1995 debut album Cledus T. Judd (No Relation)
Cledus T. Judd (No Relation)
Cledus T. Judd is the self-titled debut album of country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. The album's title is a reference the popularity of country duo The Judds...
.
Chart positions
"Thinkin' Problem" debuted at #72 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of April 16, 1994.| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 40 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |