"Always the Love Songs" is a song written by David Lee Murphy and George Ducas, and recorded by American country music group Eli Young Band. It was released in September 2008 as the second single from the album Jet Black & Jealous. This song is also the band's second chart entry on Billboard Hot Country Songs, as well as their first top 20 hit.
| "Always the Love Songs" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Eli Young Band | ||||
| from the album Jet Black & Jealous | ||||
| Released | September 29, 2008 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 3:42 | |||
| Label | Universal South | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
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| Eli Young Band singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Always the Love Songs" at CMT.com | ||||
Content
edit"Always the Love Songs" is a mid-tempo song with electric guitar accompaniment. In it, the male narrator recalls a point earlier in his life, when he and his friends would gather around a bonfire, pass around a guitar, and sing songs. He states that it was "always the love songs" that he recalled the most from these sing-alongs.
Critical reception
editCountry Standard Time critic Brian Steinberg cited "Always the Love Songs" as a standout track on the album, saying that it showed a sense of interplay among the band members that was comparable to The Wallflowers.[1] Andrew Leahey, reviewing the album for Allmusic, also compared the song's sound to that of The Wallflowers, saying that its intro was borrowed from "6th Avenue Heartache".[2]
Music video
editThe music video for "Always the Love Songs" is of a live performance, and is directed by the band.
Chart performance
edit| Chart (2008–2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[3] | 11 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[4] | 69 |
Year-end charts
edit| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Country Songs (Billboard)[5] | 52 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[6] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Steinberg, Brian. "Jet Black & Jealous". Country Standard Time. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
- ^ Leahey, Andrew. "Jet Black & Jealous review". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
- ^ "Eli Young Band Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Eli Young Band Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Best of 2009: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2009. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
- ^ "American single certifications – Eli Young Band – Always the Love Songs". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 10, 2014.