Surely You Joust was Ray Stevens

Ray Stevens

Ray Stevens is an American country music, pop singer-songwriter who has become known for his novelty songs.-Early career:...

' twenty-third studio album and his third for MCA Records

MCA Records

MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...

. The album's front cover shows Stevens disguised as a medieval knight with a horse standing next to him. The album's back cover shows Stevens in the same costume but in a junk pile with two junk men. Three singles were lifted from the album: "Southern Air" (featuring Jerry Clower

Jerry Clower

Howard Gerald "Jerry" Clower was a popular country comedian best known for his stories of the rural South. He was often nicknamed "The Mouth of the South", although this title has also been used for other individuals.Clower began a 2-year stint in the Navy immediately after graduating high school...

 and Minnie Pearl

Minnie Pearl

Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon , known professionally as Minnie Pearl, was an American country comedienne who appeared at the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years and on the television show Hee Haw from 1969 to 1991.-Early life:Sarah Colley was born in Centerville, in Hickman County, Tennessee,...

, whom Ray says are his "good friends"), "People's Court," and "Can He Love You Half as Much as I," the last of which did not chart.

On the album, Stevens gives a special thanks to Norro Wilson "for armpit sounds!"

Track listing

Album credits

• Arranged & Produced by: Ray Stevens
• Engineer: Stuart Keathley
• Recorded at: Ray Stevens Studio — Nashville, Tennessee
• Mastered by: Glenn Meadows at Masterfonics

Musicians

• Keyboards, Synthesizers, Tympano: Ray Stevens
• Drums: Jerry Kroon
• Bass: Jack Williams
• Electric Guitars, Dobro, Mandolin: Steve Gibson
• Rhythm Guitars, Banjo: Mark Casstevens
• Saxophones: Denis Solee
• Fiddle: Johnny Gimble
• Vocoder Programming: Shane Keister

• Background Vocals: Lisa Silver, Wendy Suits, Diane Tidwell, Ray Stevens

• Special Guest Appearances on the song "Southern Air" by: Jerry Clower
  Jerry Clower
  Howard Gerald "Jerry" Clower was a popular country comedian best known for his stories of the rural South. He was often nicknamed "The Mouth of the South", although this title has also been used for other individuals.Clower began a 2-year stint in the Navy immediately after graduating high school...
  
   and Minnie Pearl
  Minnie Pearl
  Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon , known professionally as Minnie Pearl, was an American country comedienne who appeared at the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years and on the television show Hee Haw from 1969 to 1991.-Early life:Sarah Colley was born in Centerville, in Hickman County, Tennessee,...
  
  

• Special thanks to: Norro Wilson ("for armpit sounds")

• Art Direction: Ray Stevens & Slick Lawson
• Design: Barnes & Company
• Photography: Slick Lawson
• Production: Susan Lawson

Album

Chart (1986)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums	11

Singles

Year	Single	Peak positions
		US Country 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...
1986	"Southern Air"	63
1986	"People's Court"	70