“The Song Remembers When:” Trisha Yearwood’s Release in 1993

Twenty-five years ago today, American country music singer Trisha Yearwood released her third studio album The Song Remembers When. Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, the album was the singer’s third collaborative project with producer Garth Fundis. The two previous albums they’ve worked on together became highly successful. Thus, it is not surprising that this album would follow the same path. The Song Remembers When claimed the 6^th spot on the Top Country Albums chart. That’s just a single proof of the album’s huge success potential.

It’s lead single and the title track, “The Song Remembers When” was a runner-up on the country chart. Reaching No. 2 on the chart, the song became a major country hit for the “Georgia Rain” singer. In addition, it earned the singer her first single to crossover to the pop chart peaking at No. 82. In late 1993, the album received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America and eventually becoming a platinum record a year later.

The Album Review

Several music critics reviewed the album and gave their varying views on it. CD Universe gave the album the highest score of five out of five stars. They praised Yearwood’s vocals as fitting for many of the songs on the album. The website further noted that the album

“shows the artistry of what an accomplished interpreter can create with a strong melody.”

Thom Jurek of AllMusic rated the album four out of five stars. Just like the CD Universe, Jurek also applauded the album saying,

“It’s poetry, this combination of singer and song. She couldn’t sing it any better if she’d written it; the accents create tension and drama and images from every betrayed-lover’s movie from the ’40s on, washing through the mix. Only a real singer can deliver the image from the heart of the song. Yearwood here is the heart of the song itself.”

Meanwhile, John McAlley of Rolling Stone reviewed the album less favorably giving it three out of five stars. He went on to state his justifications for such rating.

“To say a record is downbeat is not to say it is bad. Without exception, the neo-country music on Song is accessible, state-of-the-art and brilliantly played and arranged.”

However, he added that the “How Do I Live” singer’s previous albums were richer than this one. He further noted,

“For all its grit, there is a middle-of-the-road quality about Song that is disconcerting. And its lesser material feels secondhand. There is little of the spontaneity and few of the interpretive leaps that have made Yearwood’s vocal gift so arresting.”

Listen to Trisha Yearwood’s “The Song Remembers When” below.