Cage the Songbird

Cage the Songbird is the eleventh studio album by American country music singer Crystal Gayle. Released on October 17, 1983, it peaked at #5 on the Billboard Country Album chart. Four of the album's tracks became Top 5 hits on the Country Singles chart, with two of them reaching #1. Chronologically they were "The Sound of Goodbye" (#1), "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love" (#2), "Turning Away" (#1), and "Me Against the Night" (#4).

The title song, "Cage the Songbird", was co-written and first recorded by Elton John in 1976 album, Blue Moves. "Victim or a Fool" was originally recorded by the songwriter, Rodney Crowell on his 1981 eponymous album.

"Take Me Home" was originally sung by Gayle on a Tom Waits composed 1982 soundtrack album called One from the Heart for a movie of the same name. The version on this album is a re-recorded longer version.

Track listing

Personnel

• Crystal Gayle – lead vocals, harmony vocals (7)
• Charles Cochran – electric piano (1, 2, 4, 7, 9), grand piano (3, 6, 9)
• John Barlow Jarvis – grand piano (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10), electric piano (3, 6, 7)
• Alan Steinberger – synthesizers (1)
• Bobby Wood – organ (3, 5)
• Billy Joe Walker Jr. – electric guitars (1–5, 8, 9), electric lead guitar (6, 7)
• Reggie Young – electric guitars (1–9)
• Chris Leuzinger – acoustic guitars (2, 3, 6–9)
• David Hungate – bass (1–9)
• Matt Betton – drums (1–9)
• Jim Horn – piccolo flute (1), saxophone (2, 5, 6, 7), flute (4, 8, 9),recorder (4)
• Larry Muhoberac – string arrangements (1–4, 6–10), string conductor (1–4, 7, 9, 10)
• Billy Strange – string conductor (6, 8)
• The Sid Sharp Strings – strings (1–4, 7, 9, 10)
• Nashville String Machine – strings (6, 8)
• Ava Aldridge – harmony vocals (1, 5, 6, 9)
• Cindy Richardson – harmony vocals (1, 3–7, 9)

Production

• Crystal Gayle – album direction
• Jimmy Bowen – producer, recording
• Lee Herschberg – engineer
• Steve Tillisch – engineer
• Ron Treat – engineer
• Paul Brown – second engineer
• J.T. Cantwell – second engineer
• Mark Coddington – second engineer
• Vicki Hicks – second engineer
• David Hassinger – remix engineer
• Glenn Meadows – mastering at Masterfonics (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Simon Levy – art direction
• Laura LiPuma – design
• Harry Langdon – photography

Chart performance