Wheels Are Turnin'
Wheels Are Turnin' is the eleventh studio album by REO Speedwagon, released in November 1984. It is their second best-selling album, tied with Good Trouble, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard 200. The lead single was "I Do' Wanna Know," which stalled at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2] The second single, "Can't Fight This Feeling," was REO's second and longest-running number one single. Other singles released were "One Lonely Night" and "Live Every Moment". These singles also reached the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, reaching #19 and #34, respectively.[2] The singles from the album also had success on other Billboard charts: "Can't Fight This Feeling" and "I Do' Wanna Know" each reached #5 on the Mainstream Rock chart, with "One Lonely Night" reaching #17, and "Can't Fight This Feeling" and "One Lonely Night" reached #3 and #10, respectively on the Adult Contemporary chart.[3][4][5]
Wheels Are Turnin' | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 5, 1984 | |||
Recorded | January–August 1984 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 39:31 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer | Kevin Cronin, Gary Richrath, Alan Gratzer | |||
REO Speedwagon chronology | ||||
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Singles from Wheels Are Turnin' | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Billboard writer Kim Freeman suggested that the release of "I Do' Wanna Know" before "Can't Fight This Feeling" could be regarded as an "oversight."[6] However, lead singer Kevin Cronin, who wrote both songs, disagreed, stating "not all singles are released to be hits."[6] Paul Grein attributed the initial sluggish sales of Wheels Are Turnin' before the release of "Can't Fight This Feeling" to the fact that "I Do' Wanna Know" was not successful with pop radio stations and noted that sales began to take off only after the release of the second single.[7][8]
In 2013, the album was released on CD by UK-based company Rock Candy Records, with expanded liner notes and photos. The LP version contained a cut-out stroboscope.
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Do' Wanna Know" | Kevin Cronin | 4:12 |
2. | "One Lonely Night" | Neal Doughty | 3:20 |
3. | "Thru the Window" | Bruce Hall, Jeffery B. Hall | 5:01 |
4. | "Rock 'N Roll Star" | Cronin, Tom Kelly, Gary Richrath | 3:40 |
5. | "Live Every Moment" | Cronin | 4:56 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
6. | "Can't Fight This Feeling" | Cronin | 4:54 |
7. | "Gotta Feel More" | Cronin, Kelly, Richrath | 4:26 |
8. | "Break His Spell" | Richrath | 2:57 |
9. | "Wheels Are Turnin'" | Cronin | 5:47 |
Charts
Chart (1985) | Peak position |
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Australia (Kent Music Report][9] | 54 |
Personnel
- REO Speedwagon
- Kevin Cronin – lead and piggy backing vocals, acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar on "Thru the Window"
- Gary Richrath – electric guitar
- Neal Doughty – keyboards
- Bruce Hall – bass
- Alan Gratzer – drums
- Additional personnel
- Bill Cuomo – orchestration on "Can't Fight This Feeling"
- Steve Forman – percussion on "Thru the Window", "Live Every Moment", and "Wheels Are Turnin'"
- Tommy Funderburk – backing vocals
- Tom Kelly – backing vocals
- Richard Page – backing vocals
References
- DeGagne, Mike. REO Speedwagon: Wheels Are Turnin' at AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
- "Billboard Hot 100: REO Speedwagon". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
- "Mainstream Rock Songs: REO Speedwagon". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
- "Adult Contemporary: REO Speedwagon". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
- "Billboard Top Rock Tracks". Billboard Magazine. November 24, 1984. p. 18. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
- Freeman, Kim (March 16, 1985). "REO Comes Back, Crosses Over". Billboard Magazine. p. 42. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
- Grein, Paul (January 26, 1985). "Chart Beat". Billboard Magazine. p. 6. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
- Grein, Paul (March 9, 1985). "Chart Beat". Billboard Magazine. p. 6. Retrieved 2016-10-04.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 250. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.