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Van Lear Rose
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| Van Lear Rose | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 27, 2004 | |||
| Recorded | c. January 2004 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 39:00 | |||
| Label | Interscope | |||
| Producer | Jack White | |||
| Loretta Lynn chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Van Lear Rose | ||||
| ||||
Van Lear Rose is the forty-second solo studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn. It was released on April 27, 2004, by Interscope Records. The album was produced by Jack White. The album was widely praised by critics, peaking at No. 2 on the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart and at No. 24 on the Billboard 200, the most successful crossover album of Lynn's 60-year career at that point. The track "Portland Oregon" was listed as the 305th best song of the 2000s by Pitchfork.[1]
Background
[edit]The album was initially intended as a musical experiment, blending the styles of Lynn and producer White. White also co-wrote one track, sings a duet with Lynn, and performs throughout the entire album as a musician. At the time of the album's release, Lynn was 72 and White was 28. The title refers to Lynn's origins as the daughter of a miner working the Van Lear coal mines.
Critical reception
[edit]| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 97/100[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Blender | |
| Entertainment Weekly | A[5] |
| The Guardian | |
| Mojo | |
| Pitchfork | 9.3/10[8] |
| Q | |
| Rolling Stone | |
| Spin | A[11] |
| Uncut | |
The album was released to glowing reviews and universal acclaim. It received a rating of 97 at Metacritic, the fourth highest score ever and the second-highest for a female to date.[2] Blender magazine called the album "Some of the most gripping singing you're going to hear all year .... A brave, unrepeatable record that speaks to her whole life."[4] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic said that "The brilliance of Van Lear Rose is not just how the two approaches complement each other, but how the record captures the essence of Loretta Lynn's music even as it has flourishes that are distinctly Jack."[3] Rhapsody ranked the album No. 16 on its "Country’s Best Albums of the Decade" list.
Commercial performance
[edit]The album debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart, and No. 24 on the US Billboard 200, selling 37,000 in its first week, the best sales week for Lynn in the Nielsen Soundscan era.[13] It has sold over 233,000 copies in United States as of September 2004.[14]
The album's first single, "Miss Being Mrs.", was released in April 2004 and did not chart. Its music video premiered on May 23.[15] The second single, "Portland Oregon", was released in May and did not chart. Two music videos were shot for the single, the first one was filmed on May 18[16] and was not released. The second version premiered the week of October 25.[17]
Accolades
[edit]Grammy Awards
[edit]| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Van Lear Rose | Best Country Album[18] | Won |
| "Portland Oregon" | Best Country Collaboration with Vocals[18] | Won | |
| Best Country Song[19] | Nominated | ||
| "Miss Being Mrs." | Best Country Song[19] | Nominated | |
| Best Female Country Vocal Performance[19] | Nominated |
Best-of lists
[edit]| Publication | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pop Matters | The Best 100 Albums of the 2000s[20] | 2014 | 59 |
| Rolling Stone | 50 Country Albums Every Rock Fan Should Own[21] | 2015 | 12 |
| CMT | CMT 40 Greatest Albums[22] | Unknown | 18 |
| Country Universe | The 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade[23] | 2009 | 8 |
| Country Universe | 100 Greatest Contemporary Country Albums[24] | 2006 | 59 |
| Paste Magazine | The 50 Best Albums of the Decade[25] | 2009 | 48 |
| Rhapsody | Country's Best Albums of the Decade[25] | 2009 | 16 |
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Loretta Lynn, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Van Lear Rose" | 3:50 | |
| 2. | "Portland Oregon" (duet with Jack White) | 3:49 | |
| 3. | "Trouble on the Line" |
| 2:21 |
| 4. | "Family Tree" | 3:03 | |
| 5. | "Have Mercy" | 2:35 | |
| 6. | "High on a Mountain Top" | 2:44 | |
| 7. | "Little Red Shoes" |
| 3:33 |
| 8. | "God Makes No Mistakes" | 1:45 | |
| 9. | "Women's Prison" | 4:16 | |
| 10. | "This Old House" | 1:56 | |
| 11. | "Mrs. Leroy Brown" | 3:38 | |
| 12. | "Miss Being Mrs." | 2:50 | |
| 13. | "Story of My Life" | 2:40 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 14. | "Just to Have You Back" | 3:32 |
Personnel
[edit]- Loretta Lynn - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
- David Feeny - pedal steel guitar, Dobro, percussion, backing vocals
- Patrick Keeler - drums, percussion, backing vocals
- "Little" Jack Lawrence - bass guitar, percussion, backing vocals
- Dan John Miller - acoustic guitar, percussion, backing vocals
- Dirk Powell - fiddle, bowed bass, banjo
- Jack White - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, organ, piano, percussion, backing vocals, duet vocals on "Portland Oregon"
- Technical
- Brendan Benson - engineer
- Eric McConnell - engineer
- Stuart Sikes - mixing
- Russ Harrington - photography
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
|
References
[edit]- ^ "P2K: The Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s". Pitchfork. August 17, 2009. Section "500-201". Archived from the original on May 16, 2011.
- ^ a b "Reviews for Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn". Metacritic. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Van Lear Rose – Loretta Lynn". AllMusic. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ a b Smith, RJ (May 2004). "Loretta Lynn: Van Lear Rose". Blender. No. 26. p. 123. Archived from the original on June 15, 2009. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ Browne, David (April 30, 2004). "Van Lear Rose". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 17, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ Petridis, Alexis (April 30, 2004). "Loretta Lynn, Van Lear Rose". The Guardian. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ "Loretta Lynn: Van Lear Rose". Mojo. No. 127. June 2004. p. 98.
- ^ Deusner, Stephen (April 29, 2004). "Loretta Lynn: Van Lear Rose". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ "Loretta Lynn: Van Lear Rose". Q. No. 215. June 2004. p. 102.
- ^ Sheffield, Rob (April 21, 2004). "Van Lear Rose". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ Hermes, Will (May 2004). "Loretta Lynn: Van Lear Rose". Spin. Vol. 20, no. 5. p. 105. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
- ^ "Loretta Lynn: Van Lear Rose". Uncut. No. 85. June 2004. p. 84.
- ^ Asker, Jim (March 15, 2016). "Cole Swindell & Carrie Underwood Take Over Country Songs Charts". Billboard.
- ^ Jackell, Barry (September 28, 2004). "Lynn takes two Americana Awards". Today. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
- ^ Staff 5/21/2004, CMT com. "Loretta Lynn Delivers New Video". CMT News. Archived from the original on January 12, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Loretta Lynn - Portland, Oregon [version 1: unreleased] @ mvdbase.com". mvdbase.com - the music video database. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- ^ "Loretta Lynn - Portland, Oregon [version 2] @ mvdbase.com". mvdbase.com - the music video database. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
- ^ a b "47th Annual GRAMMY Awards". The Recording Academy. January 15, 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Loretta Lynn". The Recording Academy. May 14, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
- ^ "The 100 Best Albums of the 2000s: 60-41". Retrieved August 11, 2016.
- ^ "50 Country Albums Every Rock Fan Should Own". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
- ^ "Rate Your Music".
- ^ "The 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade, Conclusion: #10-#1 – Country Universe". December 10, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
- ^ "100 Greatest Contemporary Country Albums: #60-#51 – Country Universe". October 15, 2006. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
- ^ a b Ryan, Linda (November 27, 2009). "Country's Best Albums of the Decade". Rhapsody.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2010. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Loretta Lynn – Van Lear Rose". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Loretta Lynn – Van Lear Rose". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ "Van Lear Rose", [1]. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
- ^ "Loretta Lynn Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ "Loretta Lynn Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2004". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2005". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
External links
[edit]Van Lear Rose
View on GrokipediaProduction and background
Development
Following the release of her 2002 autobiography Still Woman Enough, Loretta Lynn sought to reconnect with the raw, autobiographical essence of her early country music career, moving away from the more polished, pop-influenced productions of her later albums in the 1980s and 1990s. The book, co-written with Patsi Bale Cox, revisited her hardscrabble upbringing in Butcher Holler, Kentucky, and her rise as a pioneering female voice in country music, inspiring her to craft material that captured that unfiltered grit.[7][8] In 2003, Lynn's manager, Nancy Russell, facilitated an introduction to Jack White, the 28-year-old frontman of the rock band the White Stripes, whose longstanding admiration for Lynn's work dated back to his band's 2001 dedication of their album White Blood Cells to her and their cover of her 1972 song "Rated 'X'". White, eager to produce an album for the 71-year-old Country Music Hall of Famer, reached out directly, leading to his agreement to helm the project despite Lynn's initial doubts about pairing her traditional country style with his rock sensibilities.[9][10][8] As pre-production began in late 2003, Lynn shared intimate stories from her childhood in the Van Lear coal-mining community, including family hardships and personal milestones, to fuel the songwriting process and infuse the album with authentic narratives drawn from her heritage. These sessions emphasized her desire for material rooted in lived experience, with White encouraging her to pen all the tracks herself. The album's title, Van Lear Rose, derived from the opening song co-written with her daughter Patsy Lynn Russell as a tribute to Lynn's mother, Clara "Clary" Webb, symbolizing her Appalachian roots and familial legacy.[10][8][11]Recording process
The recording of Van Lear Rose took place primarily in Detroit, Michigan, where Jack White captured the sessions to emphasize the album's raw, authentic country essence. White's production approach centered on live band takes with minimal overdubs, utilizing analog equipment to preserve a traditional sound while incorporating modern elements like electric guitar licks and feedback.[12][13] The process unfolded over two weeks in early 2004.[8] A pivotal event was Lynn's first visit to White's Detroit studio, during which she shared unfinished songs like the title track, sparking immediate collaboration and spontaneous refinements during breaks.[14] White, who produced, engineered, and mixed the album, played multiple instruments across the recordings, including guitar on every track, drums, piano, organ, bass, and tambourine, alongside contributions from musicians like members of the Greenhornes and Blanche.[15][8] The low-budget production, reflecting White's indie ethos, prioritized vintage microphones and tape machines to evoke classic country recordings without excessive polish.[12] This hands-on method blended traditional instrumentation—such as pedal steel and fiddle—with White's rock-infused arrangements, resulting in a cohesive album that revitalized Lynn's sound.[12]Musical content
Songwriting and themes
Van Lear Rose features 13 original songs, all penned or co-penned by Loretta Lynn, marking her first album of entirely new material in over a decade. Drawing from more than 60 years of life experiences, Lynn's songwriting process was revitalized through her collaboration with producer Jack White, who encouraged her to compose freely and infuse the tracks with personal candor. Many songs originated from Lynn's notebooks of unpublished lyrics, including older compositions rediscovered during sessions, resulting in a deeply autobiographical collection that recasts familiar motifs from her career with fresh emotional depth.[10][8][16] The album's predominant themes revolve around personal hardship, family life, and Lynn's coal-mining roots in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky. Tracks like "Miss Being Mrs." grapple with the grief of losing her husband Oliver "Doolittle" Lynn in 1996, portraying vulnerability and longing after decades of a tumultuous marriage, while "Women's Prison" confronts themes of regret and confinement through a narrative of incarceration as metaphor for life's traps. Family dynamics emerge in songs such as "Story of My Life," which chronicles her early marriage at 13 and motherhood with six children by age 20, blending hardship with resilience born from her Appalachian upbringing. The title track serves as a tribute to Lynn's mother Clara "Van Lear Rose" Webb, recounting her father's courtship stories from the Van Lear coal camp; its chorus evokes family names and enduring strength with lines like "You'll never ever hold the Van Lear Rose," symbolizing her mother's unyielding beauty amid rough circumstances.[17][18][16] Lyrically, the duet "Portland, Oregon" with Jack White explores relational complexities through a tale of lovers connecting over "sloe gin fizzes and drunk lovin'," highlighting fleeting intimacy against a backdrop of travel and temptation. Musically, the songs blend honky-tonk swagger, bluesy introspection, and rockabilly energy, evoking Lynn's early career while departing from the polished Nashville sound of her 1970s work toward a raw, unpolished authenticity featuring electric guitar riffs, fiddle, and pedal steel guitar. This gritty style underscores the thematic grit, amplifying the album's reflection of Lynn's lived authenticity without gloss.[17][18][10]Track listing
All tracks on Van Lear Rose are original compositions written by Loretta Lynn, with co-writing credits on select songs as noted below.[19] The album contains 13 tracks and runs for a total of 39:01. The standard track listing for the original 2004 CD release on Interscope Records is presented in the following table:[15]| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Van Lear Rose" | Loretta Lynn | 3:50 |
| 2 | "Portland, Oregon" (featuring Jack White) | Loretta Lynn | 3:49 |
| 3 | "Trouble on the Line" | Loretta Lynn, Oliver V. Lynn Jr. | 2:21 |
| 4 | "Family Tree" | Loretta Lynn | 3:03 |
| 5 | "Have Mercy" | Loretta Lynn | 2:35 |
| 6 | "High on a Mountain Top" | Loretta Lynn | 2:44 |
| 7 | "Little Red Shoes" | Loretta Lynn, Jack White | 3:34 |
| 8 | "God Makes No Mistakes" | Loretta Lynn | 1:45 |
| 9 | "Women's Prison" | Loretta Lynn | 4:16 |
| 10 | "This Old House" | Loretta Lynn | 1:56 |
| 11 | "Mrs. Leroy Brown" | Loretta Lynn | 3:38 |
| 12 | "Miss Being Mrs." | Loretta Lynn, Ann Bruce, Philip John Russell, Maggie Vaughn | 2:50 |
| 13 | "Story of My Life" | Loretta Lynn | 2:40 |
Personnel
Jack White produced Van Lear Rose and contributed as a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar on all tracks as well as drums and keyboards on several, while also providing backing vocals throughout and lead vocals on the duet "Portland, Oregon".[8][21] Loretta Lynn sang lead vocals on every track, drawing from her personal experiences in the songwriting.[1] The core backing band consisted of musicians from the garage rock group the Greenhornes, who would later form the Raconteurs with White, emphasizing a raw, collaborative sound during the living-room recording sessions.[8] Family ties influenced the project, with Lynn's late husband Oliver "Doo" Lynn receiving co-writing credit on "Trouble on the Line".[8]Musicians
- Loretta Lynn – lead vocals[22]
- Jack White – producer, arrangements, mixing, electric guitar (all tracks), acoustic guitar, organ, piano, percussion, backing vocals, lead vocals (track 2: "Portland, Oregon"), music (track 7: "Little Red Shoes")[21]
- Jack Lawrence – bass, percussion, backing vocals[22]
- Patrick Keeler – drums, percussion[22]
- Dan John Miller – acoustic guitar, percussion, backing vocals[22]
- David Feeny – pedal steel guitar, Dobro, percussion, backing vocals
- Dirk Powell – bowed bass (select tracks), fiddle, banjo[4]
- Bryn Davies – bass
Technical staff
- Eric McConnell – recording engineer[4]
- Brendan Benson – additional engineer (track 7: "Little Red Shoes")[4]
- Vance Powell – engineer[22]
- Matt Lawrence – engineer[22]
- John Netti – assistant engineer[22]
- Mark Chalecki – mastering engineer[22]
- Nancy Russell – art direction[22]
