Garth Brooks (album)

This article is about the self-titled album by Garth Brooks. For other albums by Brooks, see Garth Brooks discography.
Garth Brooks
Studio album by
Garth Brooks
ReleasedApril 12, 1989
RecordedLate 1987 – Early 1988
StudioJack's Tracks (Nashville, Tennessee)
GenreCountry
Length32:43
LabelCapitol Nashville
ProducerAllen Reynolds
Garth Brooks chronology
Garth Brooks
(1989) 		No Fences
(1990)
Singles from Garth Brooks
  1. "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)"
    Released: March 6, 1989
  2. "If Tomorrow Never Comes"
    Released: August 21, 1989
  3. "Not Counting You"
    Released: January 8, 1990
  4. "The Dance"
    Released: April 30, 1990

Garth Brooks is the debut album by American country music artist Garth Brooks, released on April 12, 1989, through Capitol Nashville. It was both a critical and chart success, peaking at No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart. The album has been certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments over ten million copies.

Background

Brooks commented on the album, saying:

This album was released in April 1989, in the States. Definitely scared to death. I thought the album was very very innocent. And I gotta be truthful with you, every time I hear those songs off the radio or off the album itself, or even when we play them live. I really get that same kind of scared feeling, that I had, way back in 1988, and 1989. Whether you get the album or not, or whether you have the album or not. Thanks, for just, the interest. That first album is always a big one for any artist and I, without trying to sound egotistical, I'm very proud of my first one.[1]

Singles

This album contains Brooks' earliest hits, for instance his first ever single, "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)", which peaked at No. 8 on the Country Billboard Charts in 1989. It put the name of an independent cowboy singer, Chris LeDoux, into the mainstream due to the lyric "A worn out tape of Chris LeDoux" Two other strong starts include his first No. 1, "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and the Academy of Country Music's 1990 Song of the Year and Video of the Year, "The Dance" (another No. 1). It also features his first hit he wrote entirely in "Not Counting You", another top 10 success.

Notable covers

Punk rock cover artists Me First and the Gimme Gimmes released a version of "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" as the first track on their October 2006 album Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Love Their Country.

"If Tomorrow Never Comes" has been covered by Ronan Keating (former lead singer of Irish group Boyzone), and many other famous singers including Barry Manilow.

Moe Bandy previously recorded "Nobody Gets Off in This Town" on his 1988 album No Regrets.[2]

Commercial performance

Garth Brooks peaked at No. 13 on the US Billboard 200, and peaked at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums. In November 2006, it was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over ten million copies in the United States. To date, the album has shipped ten million copies in the US.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Chicago Tribune[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]

USA Today deemed the album "core country with heartfelt, hurtin' vocals and country timelessness."[6]

Track listing

Original Release

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Not Counting You"Garth Brooks2:34
2."I've Got a Good Thing Going"Larry Bastian, Brooks, Sandy Mahl2:54
3."If Tomorrow Never Comes"Kent Blazy, Brooks3:41
4."Everytime That It Rains"Brooks, Ty England, Charlie Stefl4:12
5."Alabama Clay"Larry Cordle, Ronny Scaife3:39
6."Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)"Brooks, Randy Taylor2:58
7."Cowboy Bill"Bastian, Ed Berghoff4:33
8."Nobody Gets Off In This Town"Bastian, DeWayne Blackwell2:19
9."I Know One"Jack Clement2:55
10."The Dance"Tony Arata3:38
Total length:33:23

Limited Series Release

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Not Counting You" 2:34
2."I've Got a Good Thing Going" 2:54
3."If Tomorrow Never Comes" 3:41
4."Uptown Down-Home Good Ol' Boy"Blackwell, Earl Bud Lee3:05
5."Everytime That It Rains" 4:12
6."Alabama Clay" 3:39
7."Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" 2:58
8."Cowboy Bill" 4:33
9."Nobody Gets Off in This Town" 2:19
10."I Know One" 2:55
11."The Dance" 3:38
Total length:36:28

Personnel

Additional musicians

  • Bruce Bouton – pedal steel guitar
  • Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitar
  • Mike Chapman – bass guitar
  • Kathy Chiavola – backing vocals on "Alabama Clay"
  • Charles Cochran – string arrangements
  • Rob Hajacos – fiddle
  • Wendy Johnson – backing vocals on "I've Got A Good Thing Going", "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and "Everytime That It Rains"
  • Chris Leuzinger – electric guitar
  • The Nashville String Machine – string section
    • George Binkley III
    • John Borg
    • Roy Christiensen
    • Carl Gorodetzky
    • Dennis Molchan
    • Pamela Sixfin
    • Gary Vanosdale
  • Jennifer O'Brien – backing vocals on "I've Got A Good Thing Going", "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and "Everytime That It Rains"
  • Wayland Patton – backing vocals on "Alabama Clay"
  • Milton Sledge – drums
  • Hurshel Wiginton – backing vocals on "I've Got A Good Thing Going", "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and "Everytime That It Rains"
  • Bobby Wood – keyboards, synthesizer
  • Curtis Young – backing vocals on "I've Got A Good Thing Going", "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and "Everytime That It Rains"

Technical personnel

  • Allen Reynolds – production
  • Mark Miller – recording and mixing engineering
  • Denny Purcell – mastering

Charts

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions
US Country CAN Country UK
1989 "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" 8 9 —
"If Tomorrow Never Comes" 1 2 —
1990 "Not Counting You" 2 1 —
"The Dance" 1 1 36

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[19] Diamond 10,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Garth's CD's". Angelfire.com. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
  2. ^ "No Regrets - Moe Bandy". AllMusic.
  3. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Garth Brooks at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
  4. ^ Hurst, Jack (April 6, 1989). "Garth Brooks (Capitol)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  5. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 105. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  6. ^ Zimmerman, Dave (April 11, 1989). "A new crop of country contenders". USA Today. p. 4D.
  7. ^ "Garth Brooks Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  8. ^ "Garth Brooks Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  9. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  10. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  11. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  12. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  13. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  14. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1992". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  15. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1992". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  16. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  17. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  18. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  19. ^ "American album certifications – Garth Brooks – Garth Brooks". Recording Industry Association of America.