For Better, or Worse

For Better, or Worse is the seventeenth studio album by John Prine. It consists of tracks in which Prine teams with an all-star array of female singers to tackle carefully chosen vintage country tunes in duets. The album was also released in vinyl format that also included a mp3 download pass for the album. It is his first studio album release in 9 years since 2007's Standard Songs for Average People.

For Better, or Worse
Studio album by
John Prine
ReleasedSeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)
RecordedJanuary–February 2016
GenreCountry
LabelOh Boy
John Prine chronology
Singing Mailman Delivers
(2011)		 For Better, or Worse
(2016)		 The Tree of Forgiveness
(2018)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Associated Press(favourable)[2]
Robert Christgau [3]
Exclaim!9/10[4]
The Guardian[5]
NPR(favourable)[6]

Background

The album is the second compilation album featuring duets with Prine. The first Prine's compilation of duets was in 1999 when he recorded the similarly styled In Spite of Ourselves.[7][8][9]

The 15 tracks contain 14 duets with 11 female artists (with Iris DeMent, Lee Ann Womack and Kathy Mattea recording two duets and Alison Krauss, Susan Tedeschi, Holly Williams, Morgane Stapleton, Amanda Shires, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves and Prine's wife Fiona Prine recording one duet each). The last track is a solo recording, "Just Waitin'", by Prine.

Two of the artists, Iris DeMent and Fiona Prine had been featured in the 1999 album as well.

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 2 on the US Billboard Country Albums chart and number 30 on the Billboard 200. It also reached number 7 on the US Independent Albums chart and number 5 on the US Folk Albums chart. The album has sold 43,700 copies in the US as of March 2017.[10]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Featured vocalistLength
1."Who's Gonna Take the Garbage Out"Johnny Tillotson / Lucille Cosenza / Teddy WilburnIris DeMent2:41
2."Storms Never Last"Jessi ColterLee Ann Womack2:43
3."Falling in Love Again"Friedrich Hollaender / Sammy LernerAlison Krauss2:31
4."Color of the Blues"George Jones / Lawton WilliamsSusan Tedeschi2:54
5."I'm Tellin' You"Billy HughesHolly Williams1:50
6."Remember Me (When Candlelights Are Gleaming)"Scott WisemanKathy Mattea3:32
7."Look at Us"Max T. Barnes / Vince GillMorgane Stapleton2:46
8."Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music)"Joe Maphis / Rose Lee MaphisAmanda Shires2:58
9."Fifteen Years Ago"Raymond SmithLee Ann Womack3:06
10."Cold, Cold Heart"Hank WilliamsMiranda Lambert3:32
11."Dreaming My Dreams with You"Allen ReynoldsKathy Mattea3:12
12."Mental Cruelty"Buck Owens / Dixie Davis / Larry DavisKacey Musgraves2:23
13."Mr. & Mrs. Used to Be"Joe DeatonIris DeMent2:36
14."My Happiness"Betty Peterson / Borney BergantineFiona Prine2:55
15."Just Waitin'"Hank Williams 2:49

Personnel

Charts

References
  1. Deming, Mark. "John Prine: For Better, Or Worse". AllMusic.
  2. Wine, Steven (September 29, 2016). "Music Review: John Prine performs covers on duets album". Associated Press.
  3. Christgau, Robert. "For Better, or Worse > Review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  4. Mullin, Kyle (September 30, 2016). "John Prine For Better, Or Worse". Exclaim!.
  5. Spencer, Neil (October 2, 2016). "John Prine: For Better, Or Worse review – marriage duets, country-style". The Guardian.
  6. Allen, Jim (September 22, 2016). "Review: John Prine, 'For Better, Or Worse'". NPR.
  7. Richard Turner in The Wall Street Journal: John Prine Sings Duets in New Album, ‘For Better, or Worse’
  8. Jim Allen review on npr.com: John Prine - 'For Better, Or Worse'
  9. Neil Spencer in The Guardian: John Prine: For Better, Or Worse review – marriage duets, country-style
  10. Bjorke, Matt (March 5, 2017). "Top 10 Country Albums Sales Chart: March 6, 2017". Roughstock.
  11. "Ultratop.be – John Prine – For Better, or Worse" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  12. "Dutchcharts.nl – John Prine – For Better, or Worse" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  13. "John Prine Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  14. "John Prine Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
  15. "John Prine Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard.
  16. "John Prine Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard.
  17. "John Prine Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard.
  18. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
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