Touch 'Em with Love
Touch 'Em with Love is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry. It was released on July 7, 1969, by Capitol Records.
| Touch 'Em with Love | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 7, 1969 | |||
| Recorded | April 5–May 20, 1969 | |||
| Studio | Columbia Recording Studio (Nashville) | |||
| Genre | Country soul, blue-eyed soul | |||
| Length | 26:45 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | Kelso Herston | |||
| Bobbie Gentry chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Touch ‘Em with Love | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| Rolling Stone | [4] |
In 2007, the album was made available for digital download. Australian label Raven Records released the album on CD for the first time in 2008, paired with 1967's Ode to Billie Joe.
Critical reception
The July 19, 1969 issue of Billboard featured a review saying, "That "Ode to Billie Joe" gal is back again, trying to regain the winning form that made her one of today's hottest disk attractions. Along with some of her own tunes, Bobbie features Jim Webb's "Where’s the Playground, Johnny", "You’ve Made Me So Very Happy" and "Son of a Preacher Man", as well as the title tune – all drawled in her untamed backwoods twang. Potent comeback material for the backwoods star."[5]
Cashbox published a review on July 12, which said, "Bobbie Gentry's current single, "Touch 'Em with Love", serves as title tune and lead item of a potent pop/country album with some soul thrown in for good measure. The "Billie Joe" girl has put together a strong collection of tunes which should be seeing strong airplay in the months to come with resultant sales high. "Natural to Be Gone", "Where's the Playground, Johnny?", "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy" are standouts."[6]
A review from Record World said, "The main sex symbol of the record industry, Bobbie tries out tunes by other writers here. She does things like "Where's the Playground, Johnny?", "Son of a Preacher Man", "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy"."[7]
Commercial performance
The album peaked at No. 42 on the US Billboard Hot Country Albums chart and No. 164 on the US Billboard Top LP's chart. The album also peaked at No. 21 on the UK Albums Chart.
The album's first single, "Touch 'Em with Love", was released in May 1969 and peaked at No. 113 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart.
The second single, "I'll Never Fall in Love Again", was released in August 1969 in Europe and Australia. It peaked at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 5 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Touch 'Em with Love" | John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins | April 5, 1969 | 2:12 |
| 2. | "Greyhound Goin' Somewhere" | Bill Dorsey, Michael Martin Murphey | April 5, 1969 | 2:30 |
| 3. | "Natural to Be Gone" | John Hartford | April 5, 1969 | 2:25 |
| 4. | "Seasons Come, Seasons Go" | Bobbie Gentry | April 5, 1969 | 2:47 |
| 5. | "Glory Hallelujah, How They'll Sing" | Gentry | April 5, 1969 | 2:40 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Wouldn't Be Surprised" | Larry Henley, Marc Mathis | May 1, 1969 | 3:30 |
| 2. | "Son of a Preacher Man" | Hurley, Wilkins | April 29, 1969 | 2:05 |
| 3. | "Where's the Playground, Johnny" | Jimmy Webb | April 29, 1969 | 2:32 |
| 4. | "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" | Burt Bacharach, Hal David | April 5, 1969 | 3:00 |
| 5. | "You've Made Me So Very Happy" | Berry Gordy, Jr., Frank Wilson, Patrice Holloway, Brenda Holloway | May 1, 1969 | 3:25 |
Personnel
Adapted from the album liner notes.
- Bobbie Gentry - vocals
- Kelso Herston - producer
- Hank Levine - arrangements
- Don Tweedy - arrangements
Chart positions
Album
| Year | Chart | Chart position |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | UK Albums Chart (OCC) | 21 |
| US Hot Country Albums (Billboard)[8] | 42 | |
| US Top LP's (Billboard)[9] | 164 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Chart position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | "Touch 'Em with Love" | US Bubbling Under the Hot 100 (Billboard)[10] | 113 |
| "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" | Australia (Kent Music Report) | 57 | |
| UK Singles Chart (OCC) | 1 |
References
- "Bobbie Gentry - Touch 'Em With Love". Retrieved 10 June 2018.
- "Bobbie Gentry - I'll Never Fall In Love Again". Retrieved 10 June 2018.
- https://www.allmusic.com/album/r66778
- https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/bobbiegentry/albums/album/15671033/touch_em_with_love
- "Billboard Magazine - July 19, 1969" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
- "Cashbox Magazine - July 12, 1969" (PDF). American Radio History. Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- "Record World - July 19, 1969" (PDF). American Radio History. Record World. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
- "Bobbie Gentry Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
- "Bobbie Gentry Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
- "Billboard Magazine - June 14, 1969" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 31 July 2018.