Who Says God Is Dead!
| Who Says God Is Dead | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Loretta Lynn | ||||
| Released | 1968 | |||
| Genre | Country-Gospel | |||
| Length | 27:02 | |||
| Label |
Decca (1968) MCA (1973) King (1998) | |||
| Producer | Owen Bradley | |||
| Loretta Lynn chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
Who Says God Is Dead! is a 1968 Gospel album by American country singer-songwriter, Loretta Lynn. Released by Decca Records, this was Lynn's second religious music album following 1965's Hymns.
Four of the songs on the album were written or co-written by Lynn. Two of the Lynn originals are semi-recitation songs: "Mama Why" is a duet with her son Ernest Ray Lynn about a child questioning their mother about the death of their father (in the tradition of Kitty Wells's hit "How Far is Heaven" with her daughter Carol Sue); "Standing Room Only" is about a dream of not being saved on Judgement Day. The album also includes covers of previous well-known Gospel songs of the last decade or two, "I Believe" (made famous by Frankie Laine), "Ten Thousand Angels" (recorded earlier by Del Delker), and "He's Got the Whole World on His Hands" (a best seller for Mahalia Jackson). Nashville harmony singers, The Jordanaires provide background vocals for this album.
The initial sales of Who Says God Is Dead were surprisingly mild, peaking at #44 on the Billboard Top Country Albums, the lowest placing of a Lynn album on the chart until the mid-1980s. The album however continued to sell well over the years. It was reissued by MCA Records in 1973, after Decca's consolidation into the MCA label, then issued on CD by King Records in 1998.
Track listing
- "Who Says God Is Dead!" – 2:06 (Loretta Lynn)
- "Standing Room Only" – 2:57 (Loretta Lynn, Frances Heighton)
- "I Believe" – 2:25 (Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, Al Stillman)
- "Harp With Golden Strings" – 2:08 (Jimmie Keath, Mrs. Mac McCarly)
- "I'm A'Gettin' Ready To Go" – 1:56 (Loretta Lynn)
- "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" – 2:28 (Traditional)
- "The Old Rugged Cross" – 2:36 (Rev. George Bennard)
- "If You Miss Heaven (You'll Miss It All) – 2:40 (Dale Fox)
- "In the Garden" – 2:36 (C. Austin Miles)
- "Ten Thousand Angels" – 2:40 (Ray Overholt)
- "Mama Why?" – 2:30 (Loretta Lynn)
Chart positions
Album – Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Country Albums | 44 |
