“I’ve Gotta Sing” by Wanda Jackson - album review

features in: Album Chart of 1971Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s

TJR says

The latest from the 33-year-old country star arrived in February, 1971, and was “packed with power-sales power” according to the Billboard review of the time, perhaps mindful of the popular cover versions onboard. I'd cherry-pick the last two, and the Simon & Garfunkel cover wasn't too shabby. The liner notes pitch the sale:

A girl who has everything just gotta sing… and Wanda Jackson's got all the talent there is. That's why she's one of the nation's very top female country entertainers. During her times on tour, both here and overseas, Wanda has realized how very much an audience counts on her for just the right interpretation of a song… and for selecting songs that really do mean something to everyone. As she says herself: “As long as I'm singing, I'm happy” and what she sings are songs an audience can take home, think about, and remember.

They remember songs like Ray Stevens' “Everything Is Beautiful” being even more touching than usual when sung by a woman as feeling as Wanda Jackson. And “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, first a “meaning" song by Simon & Garfunkel becoming something more touching still, as Wanda performs it in the best country music tradition. “Love Of The Common People”, one of the best country songs ever written, receives possibly its strongest performance ever as Wanda sings enthusiastically of faith, love and warm conversation… things close to a lady like her who, because of her work, must spend long stretches away from home. Here too, you'll find “Fancy Satin Pillows”, Wanda's recent single record hit, and the title song, “I've Gotta Sing”.

A lot of people think she sings like one of the best… a lot of people are absolutely correct.

The Jukebox Rebel
14–Aug–2015

Tracklist
A1 [02:34] 3.8.png Wanda Jackson - I’ve Gotta Sing (Milton Blackford, Dan Wilson) Country
A2 [02:22] 5.7.png Wanda Jackson - Hello Darlin’ (Conway Twitty) Country
A3 [03:26] 3.2.png Wanda Jackson - Everything Is Beautiful (Ray Stevens) Pop
A4 [02:35] 4.2.png Wanda Jackson - Wonder Could I Live There Anymore (Bill Rice) Country
A5 [03:46] 5.9.png Wanda Jackson - Bridge Over Troubled Water (Paul Simon) Songwriter
B1 [02:20] 4.3.png Wanda Jackson - Fancy Satin Pillows (Jerry Crutchfield, Dee Moeller) Country
B2 [02:22] 3.7.png Wanda Jackson - Break My Mind (John Dee Loudermilk) Country
B3 [02:18] 4.5.png Wanda Jackson - I’m Gonna Walk Out Of Your Life (Al Downing, Vernon Sandusky) Country
B4 [03:01] 6.5.png Wanda Jackson - Those Were The Days (Gene Raskin, Boris Fomin, Konstantin Podrevsky) Folk
B5 [03:18] 6.3.png Wanda Jackson - Love Of The Common People (John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins) Country

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