Dancin' on the Boulevard is the seventeenth studio album by American country music band Alabama, released in 1997 by RCA Records. It includes the singles "Dancin, Shaggin' on the Boulevard", "Sad Lookin' Moon," "She's Got That Look in Her Eyes" and "Of Course I'm Alright". Also included on the album are cover versions of The Temptations' "My Girl" and Bruce Channel's "Hey! Baby". The album peaked at number five on Billboard Country Albums Chart and number 55 on Billboard 200.
Contents
Content
Dancin' on the Boulevard was produced by the band, along with Don Cook. "Sad Lookin' Moon" was the first single-release from the album, peaking at number two in the US Hot Country Songs chart in 1997. Following it was the title track which, like "Sad Lookin' Moon", was co-written by lead singer Randy Owen along with bass guitarist Teddy Gentry and frequent collaborator Greg Fowler. This song reached number 3 on the same chart late that year. "Of Course I'm Alright" followed late in the year and reached number 22. Finishing off the single releases was "She's Got That Look in Her Eyes", an Owen-Gentry collaboration which peaked at #21.
Dancin' on the Boulevard opened at 18,000 units in its first week, entering at number 7 at the Country Albums Chart and number 67 on the Billboard 200, which it was at that time, the group's biggest opening week of sales of their career since Nielsen Soundscan was implemented in 1991. In its second week, the album moved up to 21,000 copies, charting both at number five and number 55 in the Billboard country and main charts, respectively.
Two covers are included on the album as well: "Hey! Baby" and "My Girl", originally Number One pop hits for Bruce Channel and The Temptations, respectively.
Critical reception
Thom Owens of Allmusic gave the album a two-star rating out of five, calling it "a fairly predictable and routine record that only catches fire on its singles".
Personnel
As listed in liner notes.
Alabama
Randy Owen – lead vocals, backing vocals
Jeff Cook – electric guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals (10)
Teddy Gentry – bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals (5)
Alabama's drummer, Mark Herndon, does not play on the album.
Additional musicians
John Barlow Jarvis – acoustic piano, keyboards, Hammond B3 organ, Wurlitzer organ, synth bass
Steve Nathan – acoustic piano, keyboards, Hammond B3 organ
Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitars
Brent Rowan – electric guitars, slide guitar, 12-string guitar, mandolin
Larry Paxton – bass guitar
Lonnie Wilson – drums, percussion
Don Jackson – baritone saxophone
Denis Solee – tenor saxophone
Dennis Good – trombone
Chris McDonald – trombone
Mike Haynes – trumpet
George Tidwell – trumpet
Dennis Burnside – horn arrangements and conductor