For Better, or Worse

For Better, or Worse
Studio album by John Prine
Released April 1, 2016 (2016-04-01)
Genre Country
Label Oh Boy
John Prine chronology
Singing Mailman Delivers
(2011)
For Better, or Worse
(2016)
The Tree of Forgiveness
(2018)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Robert Christgau [1]

For Better, or Worse is a 2016 album of John Prine. It consists of tracks in which Prine teams with an all-star array of female singers to tackle carefully chosen vintage country tunes in duets. The album was also released in vinyl format that also included a mp3 download pass for the album. It is his first album release in 9 years since 2007's Standard Songs for Average People

Background

The album is the second compilation album featuring duets with Prine. The first Prine's compilation of duets was in 1999 when he recorded the similarly styled In Spite of Ourselves.[2][3][4]

The 15 tracks contain 14 duets with 11 female artists (with Iris DeMent, Lee Ann Womack and Kathy Mattea recording two duets and Alison Krauss, Susan Tedeschi, Holly Williams, Morgane Stapleton, Amanda Shires, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves and Prine's wife Fiona Prine recording one duet each. The last track is a solo recording, "Just Waitin'", by Prine.

Two of the artists, Iris DeMent and Fiona Prine had been featured in the 1999 album as well.

Commercial performance

The album was debuted at number 2 on Billboard US Country Albums Charts and number 30 on the Billboard Hot 200. It also reached number 7 on U.S. Indie Albums Chart and number 5 on U.S. Folk Albums chart. The album has sold 43,700 copies in the US as of March 2017.[5]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Featured vocalistLength
1."Who's Gonna Take the Garbage Out"Johnny Tillotson / Lucille Cosenza / Teddy WilburnIris DeMent2:41
2."Storms Never Last"Jessi ColterLee Ann Womack2:43
3."Falling in Love Again"Friedrich Hollaender / Sammy LernerAlison Krauss2:31
4."Color of the Blues"George Jones / Lawton WilliamsSusan Tedeschi2:54
5."I'm Tellin' You"Billy HughesHolly Williams1:50
6."Remember Me (When Candlelights are Gleaming)"Scott WisemanKathy Mattea3:32
7."Look at Us"Max T. Barnes / Vince GillMorgane Stapleton2:46
8."Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music)"Joe Maphis / Rose Lee MaphisAmanda Shires2:58
9."Fifteen Years Ago"Raymond SmithLee Ann Womack3:06
10.""Cold, Cold Heart"Hank WilliamsMiranda Lambert3:32
11."Dreaming My Dreams with You"Allen ReynoldsKathy Mattea3:12
12."Mental Cruelty"Buck Owens / Dixie Davis / Larry DavisKacey Musgraves2:23
13."Mr. & Mrs. Used to Be"Joe DeatonIris DeMent2:36
14."My Happiness"Betty Peterson / Borney BergantineFiona Prine2:55
15."Just Waitin'"Hank Williams 2:49

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2016) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[6] 161
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[7] 152
US Billboard 200[8] 30
US Folk Albums (Billboard)[9] 5
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[10] 2
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[11] 7
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[12] 8
US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[13] 13

References

  1. Christgau, Robert. "For Better, or Worse > Review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  2. Richard Turner in The Wall Street Journal: John Prine Sings Duets in New Album, ‘For Better, or Worse’
  3. Jim Allen review on npr.com: John Prine - 'For Better, Or Worse'
  4. Neil Spencer in The Guardian: John Prine: For Better, Or Worse review – marriage duets, country-style
  5. Bjorke, Matt (March 5, 2017). "Top 10 Country Albums Sales Chart: March 6, 2017". Roughstock.
  6. "Ultratop.be – John Prine – For Better, or Worse" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  7. "Dutchcharts.nl – John Prine – For Better, or Worse" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  8. "John Prine Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  9. "John Prine Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard.
  10. "John Prine Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
  11. "John Prine Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard.
  12. "John Prine Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard.
  13. "John Prine Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard.
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