Bradley's Buzz

bub104 Tanya Tucker – Lovin’ And Learnin’
December 4, 2007
Original Release: January 1976
MCA Records #2167

By the end of 1975 Tanya had scored two country #1’s with the singles from her MCA debut Tanya Tucker and had hit #1 again with the single “Don’t Believe My Heart Can Stand Another You” – a sassy and so excellent country ditty which started the whole Tanya as kind of a bad ass frontier that would stick with her to this day.

But the single was only the beginning to the greatness that would become her second MCA outing, Lovin’ And Learnin’ – where her previous record touched on pop elements Tanya kept moving further into that territory and though there are a few country moments on the album, most of the album could be 1976 contemporary pop.

“Depend On You” shows Tanya’s growth in only a few years – her voice is so excellent on every song but it’s this type of song that she would continue to forge through out her career. A sad little love song that doesn’t so much have Tanya feeling sorry for herself as much as she is just stating the facts and proving some points - “I’ve always been the kind that didn’t count on much/ but I thought could depend on you…”

The opening cut is the pop/country hybrid “Pride Of Franklin County” which supplies her long time friends the essential country but pushes further into the pop side of things – a sort of “Lizzie & The Rainman” sound a like but much better in my opinion. In this story song the pride of Franklin County leaves his small town and hits the big city, of course things go from bad to worse as he ends up dying in a botched bank robbery but it’s a whole heck of a lot of fun until then, “Listen to the big bells ringin’ on the hillside/ hear the town choir singing so sweet and high/ Lady Luck’s got a heart of stone/ you’re the pride of Franklin County/ don’t forget your natural home…”

“Makin’ Love Don’t Always Make Love Grow” recaptures the theme of running around loose but really wanting to settle down and procreate that was presented on her previous album and will be addressed again on her next album. Of the three songs in the theme that come to mind – 1975’s “Love Of A Rolling Stone”, 1977’s “Ridin’ Rainbows” and this one I have to say “Makin’ Love…” is by far the best. The song tells the whole story as two lovers carouse the world while the woman invariably states, “don’t you feel the need to have some kids and settle down/ he said not while there’s still places left to go/ I’d like to love you in Alaska underneath the midnight sun/ I said makin’ love don’t always make love grow/ oh didn’t you know?”

By the end of the song our girl is mistaken by a little child who thinks she is the kid’s mother – the boyfriend laughs and our heroine almost cries deciding then and there that she is leaving him and the vagabond ways until he turns around and surprises her by saying he thinks it’s time they have some kids and settle down. It’s so nice and so well thought out – it’s really one of my new favorites by Miss T.

Tanya’s choice of covers is also better on Lovin’ And Learnin’ going again with an Eagles song – this time “After The Thrill Is Gone” and again completely making it her own. A surprise rocking version of “Ain’t That A Shame” also appears and makes her realize with her new found voice she can handle anything thrown at her. Her sweet and simple version of Dave Loggins’ “You’ve Got Me To Hold On To” ended up hitting #3 on the country charts as the second single from the album making it her fourth top 3 hit out of her four MCA singles. I’m sure they were happy they had shelled out that million for the girl.

The only real songs that don’t impress me so much are “Here We Are” and “Leave Him Alone” – both softer pop ballads that really don’t stand out as much as the other cuts. The first sounds almost filler-ish in its simple presentation while “Leave Him Alone” has some great elements – the lyrics reflecting some beatch who keeps messing with the man Tanya loves but it still falls just a little flat. That by no means is a reflection on Tanya the singer cause she rips it on both of them – they’re just not as brilliant as the other tracks.

The final track of Lovin’ And Learnin’ is about the only place country really fits into the album and even then it still is represented of the pop crossover style – “My Cowboy’s Getting Old” is a touching song about a woman who has recently reconciled with her aging father – the rodeo rider of long ago is now 64 and he’s not going to hold on forever. The sentiment is there and Tanya pulls it off wonderfully and with the knowledge of how close Tanya and her father Beau were right up until his death just a few years ago, it really touches you.

From the beginning of Tanya’s career with 1972’s Delta Dawn in all its country Goth to Lovin’ And Learnin’ with its pop front and center, our girl really came along way. For her foray into the pop world Lovin’ And Learnin’ was a real achievement and is now one of my favorite Tanya albums.

Tanya Tucker – Lovin & Learnin’ (bub104)
Track List:
01. Pride Of Franklin County 02. Depend On You 03. Ain’t That A Shame 04. Leave Him Alone 05. You’ve Got Me To Hold On To 06. Makin’ Love Doesn’t Always Make Love Grow 07. After The Thrill Is Gone 08. Don’t Believe My Heart Can Stand Another You 09. Here We Are 10. My Cowboy’s Getting Old

Listen to the burgeoning pop star:
Tanya Tucker – Depend On You
Tanya Tucker – Ain’t That A Shame

Download full album and artwork :