Dancin' on the Boulevard is the seventeenth studio album by American country music band Alabama, released in 1997 by RCA Records. It includes the singles "Dancin, Shaggin' on the Boulevard", "Sad Lookin' Moon," "She's Got That Look in Her Eyes" and "Of Course I'm Alright". Also included on the album are cover versions of The Temptations' "My Girl" and Bruce Channel's "Hey! Baby". The album peaked at number five on Billboard Country Albums Chart and number 55 on Billboard 200.
Content Dancin' on the Boulevard was produced by the band, along with Don Cook. "Sad Lookin' Moon" was the first single-release from the album, peaking at number two in the US Hot Country Songs chart in 1997. Following it was the title track which, like "Sad Lookin' Moon", was co-written by lead singer Randy Owen along with bass guitarist Teddy Gentry and frequent collaborator Greg Fowler. This song reached number 3 on the same chart late that year. "Of Course I'm Alright" followed late in the year and reached number 22. Finishing off the single releases was "She's Got That Look in Her Eyes", an Owen-Gentry collaboration which peaked at #21.
Dancin' on the Boulevard opened at 18,000 units in its first week, entering at number 7 at the Country Albums Chart and number 67 on the Billboard 200, which it was at that time, the group's biggest opening week of sales of their career since Nielsen Soundscan was implemented in 1991. In its second week, the album moved up to 21,000 copies, charting both at number five and number 55 in the Billboard country and main charts, respectively.
Two covers are included on the album as well: "Hey! Baby" and "My Girl", originally Number One pop hits for Bruce Channel and The Temptations, respectively.
Critical reception Thom Owens of Allmusic gave the album a two-star rating out of five, calling it "a fairly predictable and routine record that only catches fire on its singles".
Track listing
Personnel As listed in liner notes.
Alabama Randy Owen – lead vocals, backing vocals Jeff Cook – electric guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals (10) Teddy Gentry – bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals (5)
Alabama's drummer, Mark Herndon, does not play on the album.
Additional musicians John Barlow Jarvis – acoustic piano, keyboards, Hammond B3 organ, Wurlitzer organ, synth bass Steve Nathan – acoustic piano, keyboards, Hammond B3 organ Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitars Brent Rowan – electric guitars, slide guitar, 12-string guitar, mandolin Larry Paxton – bass guitar Lonnie Wilson – drums, percussion Don Jackson – baritone saxophone Denis Solee – tenor saxophone Dennis Good – trombone Chris McDonald – trombone Mike Haynes – trumpet George Tidwell – trumpet Dennis Burnside – horn arrangements and conductor Terry McMillan – harmonica (10) Bruce Channel – backing vocals (10) String section Dennis Burnside – string arrangements and conductor John Catchings and Bob Mason – cello Jim Grosjean, Gary Vanosdale and Kristin Wilkinson – viola David Angell, David Davidson, Conni Ellisor, Carl Gorodetzky, Lee Larrison, Pamela Sixfin, Alan Umstead and Catherine Umstead – violin
Production Alabama – producers Don Cook – producer Mike Bradley – recording, mixing Mark Capps – additional recording, recording assistant, mix assistant Bart Pursley – additional recording, recording assistant John Dickson – mix assistant Hank Williams – mastering at MasterMix (Nashville, Tennessee) Susan Eaddy – art direction Bill Brunt – design Blake Morgan – design Peter Nash – photography David Haskell – background photography
Chart performance
Album Chart (1997) Peakposition U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums 5 U.S. Billboard 200 55 Canadian RPM Country Albums 2
Certifications
References