Nothing Sacred is the eleventh studio album by American country

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...

 musician David Allan Coe

David Allan Coe

David Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...

. Released in 1978, it is Coe's fourth independent album, after Penitentiary Blues

Penitentiary Blues

Penitentiary Blues is the debut album of American singer David Allan Coe. It was released in 1969 on Plantation Records.- Style :The lyrics of Penitentiary Bluesare often dark and foreshadow the content of Coe's later country albums, discussing themes such as working for the first time, blood tests...

, Requiem for a Harlequin

Requiem for a Harlequin

Requiem for a Harlequin is the second album released by David Allan Coe. It was released in 1970 on Plantation Records. There are no track names; side one was simply named, "The Beginning" and side two, "The End". This is a concept album in which Coe repeatedly uses the phrase "Asphalt Jungle" to...

and Buckstone County Prison.

Nothing Sacred was noted for its profane and sexually explicit lyrics, and was released solely by mail order.

History

In the late 1970s, Coe lived in Key West, Florida

Key West, Florida

Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...

, and Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein

Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein , was an American poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books. He styled himself as Uncle Shelby in his children's books...

 played his album Freakin' at the Freakers Ball

Freakin' at the Freakers Ball

Freakin' At The Freakers Ball is a studio album by Shel Silverstein originally released in 1969. The title track was covered by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show on an album titled Sloppy Seconds.- Track listing :# "Thumbsucker"...

for Coe, who proceeded to play a series of his own comedic songs. Silverstein encouraged him to record the songs, leading to the production of this album. Nothing Sacred was released as a mail order-only release, initially advertised in the back pages of the biker

Biker

Biker may refer to:* a rider of a motorcycle, i.e., one who participates in motorcycling* a member of a motorcycle club* a member of an outlaw motorcycle club* a rider of a bicycle...

 magazine Easyriders; another album of similar material, Underground Album

Underground Album

Underground Album is the 21st studio album by American country musician David Allan Coe. It was released as a mail order album, sold exclusively through the back pages of the biker magazine Easyriders.- Lyrics :...

, followed in 1982.

Lyrics

The lyrics of Nothing Sacred are profane, often sexually explicit and describe an orgy in Nashville's Centennial Park and sex with pornographic film star Linda Lovelace

Linda Lovelace

Linda Susan Boreman , better known by her stage name Linda Lovelace, was an American pornographic actress who was famous for her performance of deep throat fellatio in the enormously successful 1972 hardcore porn film Deep Throat...

. The album also contains songs insulting Jimmy Buffett

Jimmy Buffett

James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...

 and Anita Bryant

Anita Bryant

Anita Jane Bryant is an American singer, former Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant winner, and gay rights opponent. She scored four Top 40 hits in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including "Paper Roses", which reached #5...

.

Buffett had accused Coe of plagiarizing the melody of "Divers Do It Deeper" from Buffett's "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes", stating "I would have sued him, but I didn't want to give Coe the pleasure of having his name in the paper." Coe wrote the song "Jimmy Buffett" in response to the success of Buffett's song; Coe notes that Buffett moved from Key West to Malibu, California, and suggests that he and Buffett "get drunk and screw".

Reception

The album was generally criticized as being profane and crude. Neil Strauss

Neil Strauss

Neil Darrow Strauss , also known by the pen names Style and Chris Powles, is an American and Kittitian author, journalist and ghostwriter...

 described the album's material as "among the most racist, misogynist, homophobic and obscene songs recorded by a popular songwriter." Allmusic, which did not review the album, gave it three out of five stars.

Track listing

All songs written by David Allan Coe

David Allan Coe

David Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...

1. "Nothing Sacred" - 3:50
2. "Pussy Whipped Again" - 3:29
3. "Cum Stains on the Pillow" - 3:20
4. "Linda Lovelace" - 3:18
5. "Fuck Aneta Briant" [sic] - 2:42
6. "Jimmy Buffett" - 3:50
7. "3 Biggest Lies" - 2:04
8. "Whips And Things" - 3:59
9. "Rails" - 2:09
10. "Master Bation Blues" - 3:50