Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1962


Success (Loretta Lynn song)

Buy Success (Loretta Lynn song) now from Amazon

First, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.

Wikipedia article




{{Infobox song

| name = Success

| cover = Loretta Lynn--Success.jpg

| type = single

| artist = Loretta Lynn

| album = Loretta Lynn Sings

| B-side = A Hundred Proof Heartache

| released = April 1962

| recorded = September 1961

| studio = Bradley Recording Studio

| genre =

| length =

| label = Decca

| writer = Johnny Mullins

| producer = Owen Bradley

| prev_title = I Walked Away from the Wreck

| prev_year = 1961

| next_title = World of Forgotten People

| next_year = 1962

}}

"'Success'" is a song written by Johnny Mullins that was originally recorded by American country artist Loretta Lynn. It was released as a single and became a major country hit in 1962. The song was among Lynn's first major hits as a recording artist. In 1992, "Success" would be covered by Irish singer-songwriter Sinad O'Connor and become a hit in various countries throughout the world.

Loretta Lynn version



In 1961, Loretta Lynn signed a recording contract with Decca Records under the production of Owen Bradley. "Success" was among the first songs Lynn had recorded for the record company. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, the session was produced by Owen Bradley. The song was recorded under her first session with Bradley and the recording label. Three other tracks were recorded on the same session. Composed by Johnny Mullins, "Success" was recorded in the honky tonk style of country music, which incorporated more traditional elements of the genre.

"Success" was released as a single via Decca Records in April 1962. The single spent a total of 16 weeks on the 'Billboard' Hot Country Western and Sides chart before peaking at number six in September. Although Lynn's first hit had been 1960's "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl," it was "Success" that became Lynn's first top ten hit in her career. The single ultimately started a series of top ten hits for Lynn during the decade. This would be followed by number one singles as well. In 1963, the song was issued on Lynn's debut studio album entitled 'Loretta Lynn Sings,' also on Decca.

Track listings

'7-inch vinyl single'

* "Success" 2:36

* "A Hundred Proof Heartache" 2:25

Charts



Sinad O'Connor version



{{Infobox song

| name = Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home

| cover = Sinad_O'Connor-Success_Has_Made_a_Failure_of_Our_Home.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Sinad O'Connor

| album = Am I Not Your Girl?

| released =

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Pop

| length = 4:29

| label =

* Ensign

* Chrysalis

| writer = Johnny Mullins

| producer =

* Phil Ramone

* Sinad O'Connor

| prev_title = Three Babies

| prev_year = 1990

| next_title = Don't Give Up

| next_year = 1993

| misc =

}}

Irish singer Sinad O'Connor covered the song as "'Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home'" in 1992. It was released as the lead single from her third album, 'Am I Not Your Girl?', on September 1, 1992.

O'Connor first heard the song on a late '50s/early '60s album by American country artist Loretta Lynn. The cover is produced by O'Connor with Phil Ramone and remains one of her biggest hits after it charted in several countries. The single peaked within the Top 20 in Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, Top 30 in Belgium and Switzerland, and Top 40 in Australia and New Zealand. In the US, the single reached number 20 on the 'Billboard' Alternative Songs chart.

The song was included on her compilation album, 'So Far... The Best Of' in 1997.

Critical reception

The song received favorable reviews from many music critics. Larry Flick from 'Billboard' commented, "There's a new Sinead coming to town, as she previews her upcoming set of pop standards, '"Am I Not Your Girl ?"' Interestingly, she delivers one of the most assured, full-voiced performances to date, digging deep into the emotion of the material with a combination of heartfelt emotion and unbridled confidence. Will stun folks at first, though they will eventually become enthralled by the sincerity of this project." Greg Sandow from 'Entertainment Weekly' called it a transformation of a Loretta Lynn song" and wrote, "Right at the start, a tortured brass riff tears it from its country roots. And at the end OConnor dissolves it into an all-but-deranged cry of despair, repeating Am I not your girl? for a full minute and a half, 27 times in all, with the brass shrieking behind her."

Tom Ewing from Freaky Trigger said that the song shows that O'Connor "can belt with the best of them". 'Lennox Herald' described it as a "dramatic ballad with big band sound hit.""SINGLES ROUND-UP". 'Lennox Herald'. September 4, 1992. page 24. Retrieved March 30, 2020. 'Liverpool Echo' wrote in their review, that the song "could have been written for her"."Sinead O'Connor: Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home". 'Liverpool Echo'. September 4, 1992. page 41. Retrieved March 30, 2020. 'Music Week' stated that it is "her most bewitching single" since "Nothing Compares 2 U", adding that it is a "expensively produced, with a brilliant orchestral arrangement offsetting her vulnerable small voice beautifully. Bittersweet lyrics and constantly shifting tempo add considerably to what is an inspired choice." 'People Magazine' said in their review of the album, that "the only time O'Connor seems to be anything but childlike" is on the song. Daphne Kwong from 'Stanford Daily' commented that "the music overwhelms O'Connor's voice until she starts singing louder midway through the song."

Music video

A music video was made to accompany the song. In the video, O'Connor performs the song on a press conference about child abuse while cameras are flashing. She imparts lyrics with sign language. Timothy White from 'Billboard' described the video like this, "The singer is depicted on a sleekly nightmarish dais, delivering her clement declaration as if responding to some sinister state inquisition. Her simple lament is soon transmuted into an indictment of the social atrocities of a wayward age, while actual Amnesty International slides of international torture victims are flashed upon the walls behind her."

Track listings



Charts



References



Category:1962 songs

Category:1962 singles

Category:1992 singles

Category:Decca Records singles

Category:Loretta Lynn songs

Category:Sinad O'Connor songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Owen Bradley

Category:Songs written by Johnny Mullins (songwriter)

Buy Success (Loretta Lynn song) now from Amazon

<-- Return to songs from 1962



This work is released under CC-BY-SA. Some or all of this content attributed to http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1059351190.