Always the Love Songs
Encyclopedia
"Always the Love Songs" is the title of a country music
song co-written by David Lee Murphy
and George Ducas
. It was recorded by the Eli Young Band
on its studio album Jet Black & Jealous
, from which it was released in late 2008 as the second single. This song is also the band's second chart entry on Billboard
Hot Country Songs
, as well as their first top 20 hit.
accompaniment. In it, the male narrator recalls a point earlier in his life, when he and his friends would gather around a bonfire
, pass around a guitar, and sing songs. He states that it was "always the love songs" that he recalled the most from these sing-alongs. The first verse references Ramblin' Man
, Proud Mary, and We're an American Band
.
. Andrew Leahey, reviewing the album for Allmusic, also compared the song's sound to that of The Wallflowers, saying that its intro was borrowed from "6th Avenue Heartache
".
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
song co-written by David Lee Murphy
David Lee Murphy
David Lee Murphy is an American country music artist. Signed to MCA Nashville Records in 1994, Murphy made his first appearance on the Billboard country charts that year with "Just Once", a song from the soundtrack to the 1994 film 8 Seconds. A year later, Murphy's debut album Out with a Bang was...
and George Ducas
George Ducas (singer)
George Ducas is an American country music artist. He has released two studio albums: 1994's George Ducas and 1997's Where I Stand, and has charted six singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, of which the highest was the #9 "Lipstick Promises" in 1995...
. It was recorded by the Eli Young Band
Eli Young Band
Eli Young Band is an American country music band based in Denton, Texas. The band is composed of Mike Eli , James Young , Jon Jones , and Chris Thompson . They released their self-titled debut album in 2002, followed by the Carnival records release Level in 2005...
on its studio album Jet Black & Jealous
Jet Black & Jealous
Jet Black & Jealous is an album by American country music band Eli Young Band. It was released on September 16, 2008 by Universal South. The album's first single, "When It Rains", peaked at #34 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart...
, from which it was released in late 2008 as the second single. This song is also the band's second chart entry on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
, as well as their first top 20 hit.
Content
"Always the Love Songs" is a mid-tempo song with electric guitarElectric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
accompaniment. In it, the male narrator recalls a point earlier in his life, when he and his friends would gather around a bonfire
Bonfire
A bonfire is a controlled outdoor fire used for informal disposal of burnable waste material or as part of a celebration. Celebratory bonfires are typically designed to burn quickly and may be very large...
, pass around a guitar, and sing songs. He states that it was "always the love songs" that he recalled the most from these sing-alongs. The first verse references Ramblin' Man
Ramblin' Man
Ramblin' Man may refer to:*"Ramblin' Man" , a 1951 song, covered by Hank Williams III and The Melvins in 1999*"Ramblin' Man" , a 1973 song*Ramblin' Man a 1992 compilation...
, Proud Mary, and We're an American Band
We're an American Band
We're An American Band is the seventh studio album by American hard rock band Grand Funk Railroad, credited as Grand Funk. The album was released by Capitol Records on July 15, 1973 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America a little over a month after its release. Two...
.
Critical reception
Country Standard Time critic Brian Steinberg cited "Always the Love Songs" as a standout track on the album, saying that it showed a sense of interplay among the band members that was comparable to The WallflowersThe Wallflowers
The Wallflowers is a rock band from Los Angeles, California, fronted by Jakob Dylan. Formed in 1989 and originally known as The Apples, the ensemble has gone through numerous personnel changes with Dylan the only constant....
. Andrew Leahey, reviewing the album for Allmusic, also compared the song's sound to that of The Wallflowers, saying that its intro was borrowed from "6th Avenue Heartache
6th Avenue Heartache
"6th Avenue Heartache" is a song by the band The Wallflowers, and was the first single from their 1996 album Bringing Down the Horse. The single was released in summer 1996, and became their first hit, peaking at #8 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, #10 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and #33...
".
Music video
The music video for "Always the Love Songs" is of a live performance, and is directed by the band.Chart performance
| Chart (2008–2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs | 11 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 69 |