Only When I Laugh is a studio album by American singer, Brenda Lee. It was released in November 1981 by MCA Records and was her thirtieth studio album. The album contained ten tracks, including the title song, which was the album's lead single and was featured in the 1981 film that shared its name with the project. It received a positive response from both Billboard and Cash Box magazines following its release.
Brenda Lee had been among the best-selling pop recording artists of the 1960s, accumulating number one songs like "I'm Sorry" and "I Want to Be Wanted". In the 1970s, she re-emerged as a country music artist and had top ten songs like "Nobody Wins" and "Sunday Sunrise". She then briefly recorded for Elektra Records before returning to her long-time label, MCA. After signing back with MCA, she had more top ten singles beginning with "Tell Me What It's Like", followed by more commercial success into the early 1980s. Among her singles from the early 1980s was "Only When I Laugh", which served as the title tune to Lee's next studio album.
The project was produced by Ron Chancey, whom had produced Lee since she returned to MCA. The ten-track album contained "A Good Love Don't Come Easy", a song penned by a winner of the US Kentucky Fried Chicken National Country Music Songwriting Contest (Bill Price). The title track was recorded for the 1981 movie of the same name. "From Levis to Calvin Klein Jeans" was about a cowboy who suddenly became wealthy but wished for a simpler existence rather than his current state. Another track, "Shine On", would later be recorded and made a top ten country song by George Jones. In her book, Lee regretted not having her version become a single: "It was one of the few times I'd 'missed' as a song expert."
Only When I Laugh was released by MCA Records in November 1981 and was her thirtieth studio album in her career. It was offered as either a vinyl LP or a cassette. The album received positive reviews after its release. Billboard wrote, "This album is a well-crafted package that admirably showcases Lee's rich, bluesy vocals." Cash Box wrote, "Lee's charming vocal quality packed into that tiny human frame is every bit as potent today as it was 25 years ago when she first captured the heart of America." Two singles stemmed from the project, beginning with the title track (first issued by MCA in October 1981). It reached the top 40 of the US Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at number 32 in late 1981. Its second single was released in January 1982: "From Levis to Calvin Klein Jeans". The song rose to a similar position on the US country chart, peaking at number 33 in early 1982. It reached the same position on Canada's Country Tracks chart.
All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Only When I Laugh.
Musical personnel
Technical personnel