Life Is Messy

Life Is Messy
Studio album by Rodney Crowell
Released	May 19, 1992[1]
Genre	Country pop
Length	42:27
Label	Columbia
Producer	Bobby Colomby Rodney Crowell Larry Klein John Leventhal Jeffrey Vanston
Rodney Crowell chronology
Keys to the Highway (1989) Life Is Messy (1992) Greatest Hits (1993)
Alternative cover
2000 reissue cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Chicago Tribune	link
Entertainment Weekly	C+ link

Life Is Messy is the title of the seventh studio album released by American country music artist Rodney Crowell, released in 1992 by Columbia Records. It peaked at number 30 on the Top Country Albums chart. The songs, "Lovin' All Night", "What Kind of Love", "It's Not for Me to Judge", and "Let's Make Trouble" were released as singles. This album was seen by many as a return to form after his previous album, Keys to the Highway was not characteristic of Crowell's style. Many famous musicians contributed instruments or vocals to this album such as Linda Ronstadt, Don Henley, Booker T. Jones and Steve Winwood.

"The Answer Is Yes" was covered by Michelle Wright on her 1996 album For Me It's You, while "Lovin' All Night" was covered by Patty Loveless on her 2003 album On Your Way Home.

The album was reissued in 2000 under the Lucky Dog label with a different logo and the border cropped around the picture.

Track listing

All songs written By Rodney Crowell except when noted

1. "It's Not for Me to judge" – 4:01
2. "What Kind of Love" (Crowell, Will Jennings, Roy Orbison) – 3:58
3. "Lovin' All Night" – 3:50
4. "Life is Messy" – 4:34
5. "I Hardly Know How to Be Myself" (Rosanne Cash, Crowell) – 4:45
6. "It Don't Get Better Than This" (Crowell, John Leventhal) – 2:44
7. "Alone But Not Alone" (Crowell, Larry Klein) – 5:08
8. "Let's Make Trouble" – 4:27
9. "The Answer Is Yes" – 4:19
10. "Maybe Next Time" (Crowell, Leventhal) – 4:58

Personnel

• Alex Acuña – percussion
• Eddie Bayers – percussion, drums
• Barry Beckett – organ, electric piano
• Larry Byrom – background vocals
• Marc Cohn – harmony vocals
• Vinnie Colaiuta – percussion
• Shawn Colvin – background vocals
• Rodney Crowell – vocals, guitar
• Mickey Curry – drums
• Vicki Hampton – background and harmony vocals
• Don Henley – harmony vocals
• Jim Horn – saxophone
• Booker T. Jones – organ
• Larry Klein – bass guitar, guitar, keyboards
• Jim Lauderdale – harmony vocals
• Albert Lee – harmony vocals
• John Leventhal – bass guitar, guitar, percussion, piano, keyboards, harmony vocals
• Larrie Londin – percussion, drums
• Jonell Mosser – background vocals
• Sam Phillips – background vocals
• Jeff Porcaro – drums
• Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
• Linda Ronstadt – harmony vocals
• Reginal Sales – drums
• Vince Santoro – harmony and background vocals
• Leland Sklar – bass guitar
• Steuart Smith – acoustic and electric guitar
• Jeffrey Vanston – keyboards
• Lari White – background vocals
• Steve Winwood – background and harmony vocals

Chart performance

Album

Singles

Sources