Lying to the Moon is the debut studio album of American country music singer Matraca Berg. It was released in September 1990 via RCA Records Nashville. The album accounted for the singles "Baby, Walk On", "The Things You Left Undone", "I Got It Bad", and "I Must Have Been Crazy". Berg co-wrote all ten of the tracks.
Content The album's first two singles, "Baby, Walk On" and "The Things You Left Undone," both peaked at 36 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts. Following these were "I Got It Bad" and "I Must Have Been Crazy" at 43 and 55 respectively. The album itself reached number 43 on Top Country Albums.
"Baby, Walk On" was later recorded as "Walk On" by Linda Ronstadt on her 1995 album Feels Like Home. Trisha Yearwood recorded the title track on her 1993 album The Song Remembers When. Pam Tillis recorded "Calico Plains" for her 1994 CD "Sweethearts Dance"
Critical reception Mark A. Humphrey of Allmusic gave the album four-and-a-half stars out of five, saying that she "sometimes delivers with brio." Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly rated it A-plus, saying that "Berg proves herself to be a songwriter of uncommon maturity" and calling her "unquestionably the first true country femme fatale of the '90s."
Track listing All songs written by Matraca Berg and Ronnie Samoset except where noted.
Personnel As listed in liner notes. Matraca Berg – vocals Gary Prim – keyboards Bernie Leadon – acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, mandola, mandocello Josh Leo – acoustic guitar Biff Watson – acoustic guitar John Willis – acoustic guitar, electric guitars Sam Bush – mandolin, fiddle Bruce Bouton – steel guitar, dobro, Weissenborn Hawaiian guitar Dan Dugmore – steel guitar, dobro Willie Weeks – bass guitar, "cheap fretless bass" Harry Stinson – drums, percussion, backing vocals Rob Hajacos – fiddle Lisa Silver – fiddle John Catchings – cello Mark O'Connor – viola, violin Bobby Taylor – oboe Clara Callaway – backing vocals Coleida Callaway – backing vocals Sudie Callaway – backing vocals Ashley Cleveland – backing vocals Emmylou Harris – backing vocals Tracy Nelson – backing vocals Wendy Waldman – backing vocals
Production Pat Higdon – executive producer Tabitha Dycus – A&R direction Josh Leo – producer Wendy Waldman – producer Stephen Tillisch – engineer, mixing (2–6, 9, 10) Steve Marcantonio – mixing (1, 7, 8) Jeff Coppage – assistant engineer, mix assistant (2–6, 9, 10) Tim Kish – assistant engineer Jeff Giedt – mix assistant (1, 7, 8) Denny Purcell – mastering at Georgetown Masters (Nashville, Tennessee) Lauren Koch – production coordinator Mary Hamilton – art direction Diane Painter – design Peter Nash – photography Matraca Berg – liner notes Chuck Flood & Associates – management
Chart performance Chart (1990) Peakposition U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums 43
References