| Can I Sleep in Your Arms/Lucky Ladies | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Jeannie Seely |
| Cover: | Jeannie Seely--Can I Sleep in Your Arms--Lucky Ladies.jpg |
| Genre: | Country[1] |
| Label: | MCA |
| Producer: | Walter Haynes |
| Prev Title: | Two for the Show |
| Prev Year: | 1973 |
| Next Title: | Live at the Grand Ole Opry |
| Next Year: | 1978 |
Can I Sleep in Your Arms/Lucky Ladies is a studio album by American country artist Jeannie Seely. It was released by MCA Records in November 1973 and was her ninth studio project. It consisted of 11 tracks, four of which were written by songwriter Hank Cochran. Among the tracks were six songs originally released as singles: "Tell Me Again", "Alright I'll Sign the Papers", "Pride", "Farm in Pennsyltucky", "Can I Sleep in Your Arms" and "Lucky Ladies". Its highest-charting singles were the latter two releases, reaching the US country top ten and top 20 respectively. The album itself made the top 20 of the US country chart during the same period. The project received reviews from music publications following its original release.
Along with Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette, Jeannie Seely was one of several 1960s female artists to find commercial success in country music. Her 1966 song "Don't Touch Me" reached number two on the country charts and later won her a Grammy award. She would have several more top ten and top 20 songs through the mid 1970s. Among these songs were the 1973 singles "Can I Sleep in Your Arms" and "Lucky Ladies".[2] They would inspire the name of Seely's next studio album. The project was produced by Walter Haynes[3] and consisted of 11 tracks.[1] Four of the tracks were written by songwriter Hank Cochran: "Can I Sleep in Your Arms", "Lucky Ladies", "Hold Me" and "He'll Love the One He's With". It also featured Seely's self-composed song "Farm in Pennsyltucky", along with Mel Tillis's "Alright I'll Sign the Papers" and Larry Gatlin's "Hangin' On Alone".[3]
Can I Sleep in Your Arms/Lucky Ladies was released by MCA Records in November 1973. It was the ninth studio project of Seely's career. The label issued it as a vinyl LP, which also included a club edition. It was also offered as an 8-track cartridge.[3] The album received reviews from music magazines following its original release. Billboard named it among its "Top Album Picks", finding that the production by Walter Haynes showed improvement from previous LP's and allowed Seely to take more ownership in her vocals. They believed the album had "plenty of singles potential", highlighting three tracks as standing apart from the rest of the songs on the album: "Hold Me", "He Knows What I'm Crying About" and "He'll Love the One He's With".[4]
Cashbox called it "a great new LP", highlighting specific tracks in their review. The publication described "Hold Me" as "delightful" and found that "Lucky Ladies" "captures a dreamy and mellow mood".[5] Additionally, the website AllMusic gave the album three out of five stars, but did not provide a written review.[1] Can I Sleep in Your Arms/Lucky Ladies rose to number 15 on the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart in early 1974. It was Seely's first solo studio album to make the chart since 1968 and her final to chart there as well.[6]
A total of six singles were included on the track listing of Can I Sleep in Your Arms/Lucky Ladies. Its earliest single was "Tell Me Again", which was first released by Decca Records in October 1970[7] and peaked at number 58 on the US Hot Country Songs chart.[8] It was followed in October 1971 by the release of "Alright I'll Sign the Papers", which Decca also issued.[9] It reached the number 42 position on the US country songs chart.[8] "Pride" was issued as the third single in May 1972,[10] rising to the number 47 position on the US country chart.[8] "Farm in Pennsyltucky" followed in December 1972[11] and was the album's lowest-charting release, peaking at number 72 on the Hot Country Songs chart.[8] "Can I Sleep in Your Arms" was the fifth single released and was distributed by MCA Records in June 1973.[12] It was the album's highest-climbing single and only top-ten entry, peaking at number six on the US Hot Country Songs chart.[8] The sixth and final single was "Lucky Ladies" in December 1973,[13] which rose into the US country top 20, peaking at number 11.[8] In addition the latter two singles made entries on Canada's RPM Country Tracks chart.[14]
All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Can I Sleep in Your Arms/Lucky Ladies.[3]
. Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. 2008. 277. 978-0-89820-177-2. Joel Whitburn.