Grammy Alert!
Song#: 1608 Date: 09/17/1983
Debut: 95
Peak: 74
Weeks: 9
Genre: Country Crossover
Pop Bits: Murray had a streak of #1 Country hits in the late 70s that bled over into the new decade. But as the early 80s wore on, results were mixed. She was still getting some Top 10 Country singles, but album sales were spotty with two of her last three albums missing the gold mark. Luckily, she returned to hit form when this title track from her latest LP got released. It would become her first #1 Country hit in two years and it would help propel her album to #9 at Country, becoming a gold-seller in the process. After a seven-week run, this song would fall off the Pop chart, but then it would re-enter a few weeks later for a quick additional two weeks.
ReduxReview: Around this time, Murray decided to jump on the 80s pop bandwagon in hopes of keeping some crossover attention alive. While she mostly stayed with more traditional fare like this single, she also went totally synthpop with "That's Not the Way (It's S'posed to Be)." Actually, it's pretty good. I can see Murray all decked out in a day-glo pant suit stalking the stage singing it. The song got issued as a single, most likely in hopes of it getting Pop attention, but it failed to make the chart and the contemporary pop sound killed its Country changes where it peaked at #46. AC kept up the Murray love-a-thon and sent it to #12. As for "A Little Good News," the lyrics are a bit outdated now but the sentiment still applies. I'm not a big fan of "message" songs, yet other folks seem to enjoy them and this one clicked for a lot of people. It's not too overbearing and the music is well-done, so I guess I can give it a pass. But it doesn't compare to Murray vs. a wall of synths.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: This song not only returned her to #1, it also got her back on the awards circuit. The single netted Murray a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female while the CMA's chose it as their Single of the Year. The love continued at the CMA's where A Little Good News won the Album of the Year honors. At the Canadian Juno's, Murray grabbed her seventh Country Female Vocalist of the Year award.
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I don't actually think the lyrics are dated at all. I think this could get posted to FB, since it's as appropriate now as it was in 83.
ReplyDeleteThat's cool, but I still think it's a bit dated. Bryant Gumbel? Is he still alive? A good chunk of it could still be considered relevant for today, but not everything. Like I said, the sentiment is still there, it just needs a few minor updates.
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