Street Language
| Street Language | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Rodney Crowell | ||||
| Released | 1986 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 39:23 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer |
Rodney Crowell Booker T. Jones | |||
| Rodney Crowell chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic - |   [1] |
Street Language is the title of the fourth studio album released by American country music artist Rodney Crowell. It was released in 1986 (see 1986 in country music) by Columbia Records, his first release on that label. It peaked at #38 on the Top Country Albums chart. The songs, "Let Freedom Ring", "When I'm Free Again", "She Loves the Jerk" and "Looking for You" were released as singles but they all failed to chart within the top 20. This album was co-produced by R & B artist Booker T. Jones and features a blend of Soul and country music.
The song "Looking for You" was co-written with Crowell's then wife, Rosanne Cash. "She Loves the Jerk" was written and first recorded by John Hiatt in 1983 and was included on his album, Riding with the King. It would later be covered by Elvis Costello.
Track listing
- "Let Freedom Ring" (Rodney Crowell, Keith Sykes) - 4:29
- "Ballad of Fast Eddie" (Crowell, Emory Gordy, Jr.) - 3:48
- "When I'm Free Again" (Crowell, Will Jennings) - 3:48
- "She Loves the Jerk" (John Hiatt) - 3:35
- "When the Blue Hour Comes" (Crowell, Jennings, Roy Orbison) - 4:13
- "Oh King Richard" (Crowell) - 4:15
- "Looking for You" (Rosanne Cash, Crowell) - 4:33
- "Stay (Don't Be Cruel)" (Crowell, Sykes) - 3:49
- "The Best I Can" (Crowell, Hank DeVito, Gordy) - 2:41
- "Past Like a Mask" (Crowell) - 4:12
Personnel
- Michael Baird - drums
- Eddie Bayers - drums
- Richard Bennett - acoustic guitar
- Ben Cauley - horn
- Bobby Clark - mandolin
- Anthony Crawford - background vocals
- Quitman Dennis - horn
- Hank DeVito - steel guitar
- Rick DiFonzo - guitar
- Anton Fig - drums
- Vince Gill - acoustic guitar, background vocals
- Bob Glaub - bass guitar
- Kenny Greenberg - electric guitar
- Jim Horn - horn, saxophone
- Wayne Jackson - horn
- Eric Johnson - guitar
- Booker T. Jones - organ, synthesizer, piano, background vocals
- Mary Ann Kennedy - background vocals
- David Lindley - guitar
- Dave Loggins - background vocals
- Randy McCormick - synthesizer
- Joann Neal - background vocals
- Dean Parks - guitar
- Mike Porter - percussion
- Michael Rhodes - upright bass, bass guitar
- Robert Sabino - synthesizer
- Ralph Schuckett - keyboards
- Steuart Smith - electric guitar
- Keith Sykes - background vocals
- Billy Joe Walker, Jr. - electric guitar
- Roger "Rock" Williams - horn
- Peter Wood - organ, programming
- Pete Wosner - background vocals
Choir performed by 'Catch a Rising Choir' and brass ensemble is 'Uptown Horns'
Chart performance
Album
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 38 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 177 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Country | ||
| 1986 | "Let Freedom Ring" | — |
| "When I'm Free Again" | 38 | |
| 1987 | "She Loves the Jerk" | 71 |
| "Looking for You" | 59 | |