Wreck Your Life
Encyclopedia
Wreck Your Life is the second studio album
by American
country
/rock band
Old 97's
, first released on May 23, 1996 (see 1996 in music
). The album's title comes from a Texas
Department of Transportation bumper sticker with the slogan, "Don't Wreck Your Life". Drummer Philip Peeples removed the first word and applied the sticker to the band's touring van.
Wreck Your Life was the band's first professionally released album, released by Chicago
alt-country label, Bloodshot Records
. The album contains many of the country and bar band elements absent from the later Elektra Records
recordings. Four extra songs from these sessions, as well as two singles, were later combined by Bloodshot for the Early Tracks EP.
"Doreen" is a re-recording from the band's first album, Hitchhike to Rhome
, and an alternate take on "W-I-F-E" can be found on Early Tracks. "Big Brown Eyes" was featured in Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide
and was re-recorded for the band's next album, Too Far to Care
.
The lead song, "Victoria", is a country ballad to Miller's ex-girlfriend, while "Doreen" refers to a memorable fan of Killbilly, a predecessor band featuring Miller and Hammond. "You Belong To My Heart" was made famous by Elvis Presley
, while "My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darlin'" is by Bill Monroe
. The Robert mentioned in "Big Brown Eyes" (as well as "Drowning In The Days") is Miller's boyhood friend, Robert Jenkins.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
/rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Old 97's
Old 97's
The Old 97's are an alternative country band from Dallas, Texas. Formed in 1993, they have since released nine studio albums, two full extended plays, shared split duty on another, and have one live album. Their most recent release is The Grand Theatre, Volume Two...
, first released on May 23, 1996 (see 1996 in music
1996 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
). The album's title comes from a Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Department of Transportation bumper sticker with the slogan, "Don't Wreck Your Life". Drummer Philip Peeples removed the first word and applied the sticker to the band's touring van.
Wreck Your Life was the band's first professionally released album, released by Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
alt-country label, Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
. The album contains many of the country and bar band elements absent from the later Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
recordings. Four extra songs from these sessions, as well as two singles, were later combined by Bloodshot for the Early Tracks EP.
"Doreen" is a re-recording from the band's first album, Hitchhike to Rhome
Hitchhike to Rhome
Hitchhike to Rhome is the first studio album by American country/rock band Old 97's, first released on November 1, 1994 . The title comes from the song, "Stoned," and refers to Rhome, Texas....
, and an alternate take on "W-I-F-E" can be found on Early Tracks. "Big Brown Eyes" was featured in Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide
Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide
Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, commonly called Ned's Declassified for short, is an American live-action situation comedy on Nickelodeon that debuted in the channel's Sunday night TEENick scheduling block on September 12, 2004. The series' actual pilot episode aired on September 7, 2003...
and was re-recorded for the band's next album, Too Far to Care
Too Far to Care
Too Far To Care is the third studio album by American country/rock band Old 97's, first released on June 17, 1997 . The album's title comes from the song "Streets of Where I'm From"....
.
The lead song, "Victoria", is a country ballad to Miller's ex-girlfriend, while "Doreen" refers to a memorable fan of Killbilly, a predecessor band featuring Miller and Hammond. "You Belong To My Heart" was made famous by Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, while "My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darlin'" is by Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe
William Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
. The Robert mentioned in "Big Brown Eyes" (as well as "Drowning In The Days") is Miller's boyhood friend, Robert Jenkins.
Track listing
All songs by Old 97's except where noted.- "Victoria" - 3:51
- "The Other Shoe" - 2:58
- "Doreen" - 3:43
- "You Belong To My HeartYou Belong to My Heart"You Belong to My Heart" is the name of an English language version of the Mexican Bolero song "Solamente una vez" which means "Only One Time". "Solamente una vez" was written and originally sung by the Mexican songwriter Agustín Lara...
" (Dora Luz and Agustín LaraAgustín LaraAgustín Lara was a Mexican singer and songwriter.-Biography:Lara was born in Tlacotalpan, Veracruz. Later, the Lara family had to move again to Mexico City, establishing their house in the borough of Coyoacán. After Lara's mother died, Agustín and his siblings lived in a hospice run by their...
; English lyrics: Ray GilbertRay GilbertRay Gilbert was a lyricist.Gilbert is best remembered for the lyrics to the Oscar winning song "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" from the film Song of the South, which he wrote with Allie Wrubel in 1947.He married, in 1962, actress Janis Paige.Daughter, actress and singer Joanne Gilbert, July...
) - 3:05 - "Big Brown Eyes" - 4:25
- "Dressing Room Walls" - 3:55
- "W-I-F-E" - 3:32
- "Bel Air" - 4:05
- "My Sweet Blue-Eyed Darlin'" (Bill MonroeBill MonroeWilliam Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
; vocals by Murry Hammond) - 2:15 - "Old Familiar Steam" - 3:58
- "Over The Cliff" - 3:19
- "Goin', Goin', Gone" - 3:54