The Hard Way is the third studio album by American country music singer Clint Black. It includes the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks top-ten hits "We Tell Ourselves"[#2], "Burn One Down"[#4], and the number-one hit "When My Ship Comes In". Released on July 14, 1992, it was co-produced by Black and James Stroud. While not as commercially successful as his first two albums, The Hard Way was certified platinum by the RIAA.
Musical style and composition The Hard Way has been described as a neotraditional country album with elements of pop compared to 1970s singer-songwriters such as Jimmy Buffett, James Taylor, and Dan Fogelberg.
Track listing
Personnel
Band Eddie Bayers — drums Clint Black — harmonica, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, lead vocals, background vocals Larry Byrom — acoustic guitar Lenny Castro — percussion Eric Darken — percussion Jerry Douglas — Dobro Sonny Garrish — steel guitar Dick Gay — drums Rob Hajacos — fiddle Dann Huff — electric guitar Jeff Huskins — fiddle Jana King — background vocals Liana Manis — background vocals Hayden Nicholas — electric guitar, electric sitar Mark O'Connor — fiddle Jeff Peterson — steel guitar Don Potter — acoustic guitar Matt Rollings — piano Leland Sklar — bass guitar Jake Willemain — bass guitar Dennis Wilson — background vocals Curtis Young — background vocals Martin Young — acoustic guitar Reggie Young — electric guitar
Production
Clint Black — producer James Stroud — producer Lynn Peterzell — engineer
Chart performance
Album Chart (1992) Peakposition U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums 2 U.S. Billboard 200 8 Canadian RPM Country Albums 3 Canadian RPM Top Albums 47
Singles Year Single Peak positions US Country CAN Country 1992 "We Tell Ourselves" 2 1 "Burn One Down" 4 2 1993 "When My Ship Comes In" 1 1
References
The Hard Way [CD liner notes]. 1992. RCA Records. [ Artist Chart History (Singles)]. Billboard. Retrieved on January 1, 2007. [ Artist Chart History (Albums)]. Billboard. Retrieved on January 1, 2007.