| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
Cage the Songbird is the eleventh studio album by American country music singer Crystal Gayle. Released on October 17, 1983, it peaked at #5 on the Billboard Country Album chart.[citation needed] Four of the album's tracks became Top 5 hits on the Country Singles chart, with two of them reaching #1. Chronologically they were "The Sound of Goodbye" (#1), "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love" (#2), "Turning Away" (#1), and "Me Against the Night" (#4).
The title song, "Cage the Songbird", was co-written and first recorded by Elton John in 1976 album, Blue Moves. "Victim or a Fool" was originally recorded by the songwriter, Rodney Crowell on his 1981 eponymous album.
"Take Me Home" was originally sung by Gayle on a Tom Waits composed 1982 soundtrack album called One from the Heart for a movie of the same name. The version on this album is a re-recorded longer version.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Sound of Goodbye" | Hugh Prestwood | 3:12 |
| 2. | "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love" | Joey Carbone | 3:15 |
| 3. | "Me Against the Night" | Pam Rose, Mary Ann Kennedy, Pat Bunch | 2:49 |
| 4. | "Cage the Songbird" | Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Davey Johnstone | 4:09 |
| 5. | "Turning Away" | Tim Krekel | 2:55 |
| 6. | "Come Back (When You Can Stay Forever)" | Chris Waters, Bucky Jones, Tom Shapiro | 2:55 |
| 7. | "Victim or a Fool" | Rodney Crowell | 2:35 |
| 8. | "You Made a Fool Of Me" | Melissa Cordell, Eric Borenstein | 3:30 |
| 9. | "On Our Way to Love" | Norman Sallitt | 3:21 |
| 10. | "Take Me Home" | Tom Waits | 2:35 |
Personnel
- Crystal Gayle – lead vocals, harmony vocals (7)
- Charles Cochran – electric piano (1, 2, 4, 7, 9), grand piano (3, 6, 9)
- John Barlow Jarvis – grand piano (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10), electric piano (3, 6, 7)
- Alan Steinberger – synthesizers (1)
- Bobby Wood – organ (3, 5)
- Billy Joe Walker Jr. – electric guitars (1-5, 8, 9), electric lead guitar (6, 7)
- Reggie Young – electric guitars (1-9)
- Chris Leuzinger – acoustic guitars (2, 3, 6-9)
- David Hungate – bass (1-9)
- Matt Betton – drums (1-9)
- Jim Horn – piccolo flute (1), saxophone (2, 5, 6, 7), flute (4, 8, 9),recorder (4)
- Larry Muhoberac – string arrangements (1-4, 6-10), string conductor (1-4, 7, 9, 10)
- Billy Strange – string conductor (6, 8)
- The Sid Sharp Strings – strings (1-4, 7, 9, 10)
- Nashville String Machine – strings (6, 8)
- Ava Aldridge – harmony vocals (1, 5, 6, 9)
- Cindy Richardson – harmony vocals (1, 3-7, 9)
Production
- Crystal Gayle – album direction
- Jimmy Bowen – producer, recording
- Lee Herschberg – engineer
- Steve Tillisch – engineer
- Ron Treat – engineer
- Paul Brown – second engineer
- J.T. Cantwell – second engineer
- Mark Coddington – second engineer
- Vicki Hicks – second engineer
- David Hassinger – remix engineer
- Glenn Meadows – mastering at Masterfonics (Nashville, Tennessee)
- Simon Levy – art direction
- Laura LiPuma – design
- Harry Langdon – photography
Chart performance
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 171 |
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