Vinyl: Juice
- Kris
- Sep 17, 2012
- 2 min read
[L]ooking at today's music scene, I think it's really cool that there are a lot of consumers and fans not limited by what radio and the record companies tell them to buy. - Juice Newton
Juice (1981) - Juice Newton
Side 1: Angel of the Morning, Shot Full of Love, Ride 'Em Cowboy, Queen of Hearts, River of Love
Side 2: All I Have To Do Is Dream, Headin' For A Heartache, Country Comfort, Texas Heartache, The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)
My first Juice Newton song was "Queen of Hearts," which I heard for the first time one of the times my dad drove me to skating practice. Ice-skating was a huge part of my life, taking over many hours of my afternoons and weekends from age 9 to 17. I was probably 10 or 11 at the time, reading or doing homework during the forty minute drive (I know - my dad was a trooper), when the song started playing on whatever country station my dad had playing on the radio.
It was the first time I'd heard a card game metaphor in a song. Since then, I've heard many songs using card games references, as who could possibly forget Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler" (you gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run). And one of my favorite bands, Dispatch, has a beautiful song called "Prince of Spades." But, for me, this is the original card game song.
It is so catchy, and every time I hear it, I always sing along with the chorus. It's easily, one of my favorite songs.
But "Queen of Hearts" is only one song from Juice Newton's 1981 album Juice. My next favorite song is "Angel of the Morning," which, if you don't already know from one of the many artists who popularized it or from its #1 status with Juice Newton's version, you will recognize in some way. It will probably be a very familiar tune for you early 2000s people.
Another #1 hit off the album is "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)," which is ironically my least favorite from the album. I can see why it was popular, but there was nothing that really set it apart from the others for me.
The songs from Juice are a little country and a little pop, as is much of Juice Newton's work. Juice was her third album, but she continued making albums well into the 80s, getting recognition for more hits and winning a Grammy for her fourth album, Quiet Lies (1982).
Unfortunately, we only own Juice. I could listen to Side 1 over and over, but then I'd miss out on her version of "All I Have To Do is Dream," which I think is so sweet.
If you know Juice Newton, which album do you prefer - Quiet Lies or Juice? Do you know any other songs that use references to card games?
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