Traveling Circus
Encyclopedia
Traveling Circus is the fifth studio album
by American country music
singer Phil Vassar
. It was released on December 15, 2009 as his second album for the Universal South Records label. The album contains the singles
"Bobbi with an I" and "Everywhere I Go," both of which have charted on the U.S. country singles charts. Vassar produced the album on his own, and wrote or co-wrote every song on it as well.
was "Bobbi with an I," a song about a transvestite man, which peaked at #46 on the Billboard
Hot Country Songs
charts. Following it was the ballad "Everywhere I Go," which peaked at #36 in late 2009.
Vassar wrote or co-wrote every song on the album, collaborating with Nashville songwriters such as Jeffrey Steele
, Craig Wiseman
and Tim Nichols
, as well as singer Kenny Chesney
on the track "I Will Remember You." Vassar produced
the album himself, and used his road band on it. His high school art teacher, Jason Erwin, painted the album cover, and a young director named Chris Cella directed the music video
for "Everywhere I Go."
The album was originally slated for a February 2010 release, but in November 2009, it was announced that the release date would be moved to December 15, 2009. It is Vassar's second release on the Universal South Records label, following 2008's Prayer of a Common Man
.
of Allmusic gave the album three stars out of five, citing the up-tempo songs as standouts: "Unfortunately, Vassar leans a little too heavily on placid power ballads to give this a truly carnivalesque kick, but when he does take the time to lay back he’s as good as he ever was."
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American country music
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 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...
. It was released on December 15, 2009 as his second album for the Universal South Records label. The album contains the singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Bobbi with an I" and "Everywhere I Go," both of which have charted on the U.S. country singles charts. Vassar produced the album on his own, and wrote or co-wrote every song on it as well.
Content
The album's first singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
was "Bobbi with an I," a song about a transvestite man, which peaked at #46 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 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. Following it was the ballad "Everywhere I Go," which peaked at #36 in late 2009.
Vassar wrote or co-wrote every song on the album, collaborating with Nashville songwriters such as Jeffrey Steele
Jeffrey Steele
Jeffrey LeVasseur is an American country music singer and songwriter, more commonly known by the name Jeffrey Steele...
, Craig Wiseman
Craig Wiseman
Craig Michael Wiseman is an American country music songwriter. Active since the late 1980s as a songwriter, he has had his songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, and several other acts....
and Tim Nichols
Tim Nichols
Tim Nichols Tim Nichols Tim Nichols (born in Portsmouth, Virginia is an American country music singer and songwriter. Active since the late 1980s, Nichols has written for several country music singers, including Keith Whitley, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Jo Dee Messina, and Alan Jackson...
, as well as singer Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
on the track "I Will Remember You." Vassar produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
the album himself, and used his road band on it. His high school art teacher, Jason Erwin, painted the album cover, and a young director named Chris Cella directed the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Everywhere I Go."
The album was originally slated for a February 2010 release, but in November 2009, it was announced that the release date would be moved to December 15, 2009. It is Vassar's second release on the Universal South Records label, following 2008's Prayer of a Common Man
Prayer of a Common Man
Prayer of a Common Man is the fourth studio album from American country music artist Phil Vassar. It was released on April 22, 2008 on Universal South Records. The album has produced two singles for Vassar on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts: "This Is My Life" and "Love Is a Beautiful Thing"...
.
Album
Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic gave the album three stars out of five, citing the up-tempo songs as standouts: "Unfortunately, Vassar leans a little too heavily on placid power ballads to give this a truly carnivalesque kick, but when he does take the time to lay back he’s as good as he ever was."
Singles
"Bobbi with an I" received a thumbs-down rating from The 9513 reviewer CM Wilcox, who said, "As a joke, it lacks a punchline. As social commentary, it lacks a message[…]it’s a song that says almost nothing about its chosen topic, so the attention should stop short of praise." Sam Gazdziak, another critic from the same site, gave "Everywhere I Go" a thumbs-down as well, saying that it "sounds so familiar and commonplace that it’s pretty much impossible to stand out in a crowded radio playlist," while Bobby Peacock of Roughstock considered it similar in sound to Vassar's first album and said that it had an "interesting" structure.Track listing
- "Life" (Phil Vassar) - 3:34
- "Lemonade" (Vassar, Charlie Black, Tim Ryan Rouillier) - 3:34
- "Everywhere I Go" (Vassar, Jeffrey SteeleJeffrey SteeleJeffrey LeVasseur is an American country music singer and songwriter, more commonly known by the name Jeffrey Steele...
) - 4:17 - "John Wayne" (Vassar, Tom DouglasTom Douglas (songwriter)Thomas Stevenson "Tom" Douglas is an American country music songwriter. Active since the early 1990s, he has written Top Ten hits for John Michael Montgomery, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Collin Raye and others....
) - 4:10 - "Tequila Town" (Vassar, Kelly Lovelace) - 4:00
- "Bobbi with an I" (Vassar, Craig WisemanCraig WisemanCraig Michael Wiseman is an American country music songwriter. Active since the late 1980s as a songwriter, he has had his songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, and several other acts....
) - 4:38 - "She's on Her Way" (Vassar, Jeff Outlaw, Tim NicholsTim NicholsTim Nichols Tim Nichols Tim Nichols (born in Portsmouth, Virginia is an American country music singer and songwriter. Active since the late 1980s, Nichols has written for several country music singers, including Keith Whitley, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Jo Dee Messina, and Alan Jackson...
) - 3:57 - "A Year from Now" (Vassar, Wiseman) - 4:17
- "Save Tonight for Me" (Vassar, Rouillier, Julie Wood) - 3:59
- "I Will Remember You" (Vassar, Kenny ChesneyKenny ChesneyKenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
) - 3:57 - "Where Have All the Pianos Gone" (Vassar, James T. SlaterJames T. SlaterJames Slater is a grammy nominated singer/songwriter based in Nashville. He has contributed several hit songs to the canon of American popular music.-Background:...
) - 3:23
Chart performance
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 29 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 198 |