Success (Loretta Lynn song)

"Success" is a song written by Johnny Mullins that was originally recorded by American country artist Loretta Lynn. It was released as a single in April 1962 via Decca Records.

"Success"
Single by Loretta Lynn
from the album Loretta Lynn Sings
B-side"A Hundred Proof Heartache"
ReleasedApril 1962
RecordedSeptember 1961
Bradley Recording Studio, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
GenreHonky tonk country
Length2:36
LabelDecca
Songwriter(s)Johnny Mullins
Producer(s)Owen Bradley
Loretta Lynn singles chronology
"I Walked Away from the Wreck"
(1961)		 "Success"
(1962)		 "World of Forgotten People"
(1962)

Background and reception

"Success" was recorded at the Bradley Film and Recording Studio in September 1961. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, the session was produced by renowned country music producer Owen Bradley. The song was recorded under her first session with Bradley and the recording label. Three other tracks were recorded on the same session.[1]

The song reached number six on the Billboard Hot Country and Western Sides survey in 1962. The song ultimately became Lynn's first top ten hit and would start a series of further hits for Lynn under the label. "Success" was included on her debut studio album in 1963, Loretta Lynn Sings.[2]

Track listings
7" vinyl single[3]
  • "Success" – 2:36
  • "A Hundred Proof Heartache" – 2:25

Charts

Weekly charts
Chart (1962) Peak
position
US Hot Country & Western Sides (Billboard)[2] 6

Sinéad O'Connor version
"Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home"
Single by Sinéad O'Connor
from the album Am I Not Your Girl?
Released1992
Genre
Length4:29
Label
  • Ensign
  • Chrysalis
Songwriter(s)Johnny Mullins
Producer(s)
  • Phil Ramone
  • Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor singles chronology
"The Emperor's New Clothes"
(1990)		 "Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home"
(1992)		 "Don't Give Up"
(1993)
Music video
"Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home" on YouTube

Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor covered the song as "Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home" in 1992. It was released as the lead single from her third album, Am I Not Your Girl?.

"That's definitely the most biographical song on the album...the one that is the most personal. I didn't see it in terms of being a country song even though Loretta Lynn recorded it...but as a song that expressed something important...how everyone is concerned with material success and what that can do to people. Success has made a failure of our home...my home."

—Sinéad O'Connor talking about the song.[4]

O'Connor first heard the song on a late '50s/early '60s album by American country artist Loretta Lynn.[5] The cover is produced by O'Connor with Phil Ramone and remains one of her biggest hits after it charted in several countries. The single peaked within the Top 20 in Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, Top 30 in Belgium and Switzerland, and Top 40 in Australia and New Zealand. In the US, the single reached number 20 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.

The song was included on her compilation album, So Far... The Best Of in 1997.

Critical reception

The song received favorable reviews from many music critics. Larry Flick from Billboard commented, "There's a new Sinead coming to town, as she previews her upcoming set of pop standards, "Am I Not Your Girl ?" Interestingly, she delivers one of the most assured, full-voiced performances to date, digging deep into the emotion of the material with a combination of heartfelt emotion and unbridled confidence. Will stun folks at first, though they will eventually become enthralled by the sincerity of this project."[6] Greg Sandow from Entertainment Weekly called it a transformation of a Loretta Lynn song" and wrote, "Right at the start, a tortured brass riff tears it from its country roots. And at the end O’Connor dissolves it into an all-but-deranged cry of despair, repeating ”Am I not your girl?” for a full minute and a half, 27 times in all, with the brass shrieking behind her."[7] Tom Ewing from Freaky Trigger said that the song shows that O'Connor "can belt with the best of them".[8] Lennox Herald described it as a "dramatic ballad with big band sound hit."[9] Liverpool Echo wrote in their review, that the song "could have been written for her".[10] Daphne Kwong from Stanford Daily commented that "the music overwhelms O'Connor's voice until she starts singing louder midway through the song."[11]

Music video

A music video was made to accompany the song. In the video O'Connor performs the song on a press conference about child abuse while cameras are flashing. O'Connor imparts lyrics with sign language.

Track listing
CD single, Europe (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home" 
2."You Do Something To Me" 
3."My Heart Belongs To Daddy" 
4."Someone To Watch Over Me" 
CD single (CD1), US (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home"4:29
2."You Do Something To Me"2:34
3."I Want To Be Loved By You"2:44
CD single (CD2), UK (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home"4:29
2."My Heart Belongs To Daddy"2:53
3."Someone To Watch Over Me"3:46

Charts

Weekly charts
Chart (1992) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[12] 37
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] 22
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] 35
Ireland (IRMA) 11
Italy (Musica e dischi) 13
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 15
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 21
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 32
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 28
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 18
US Billboard Alternative Songs 20

Cover versions

"Success" has also been recorded by Elvis Costello.

gollark: Well, some people are bad at expected value, see, so this is an important test.
gollark: What about this?
gollark: But what if the Copenhagen interpretation is wrong?
gollark: You may assume that you do, in fact, know of developments after Aristotle.
gollark: What do you do in *this* ethical scenario?

References
  1. "Praguefrank's Country Discography 2: Loretta Lynn, part 1". Praguefrank. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research.
  3. "Success/A Hundred Proof Heartache by Loretta Lynn (Single, Country)". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  4. "Sinead O'Connor reinterprets the torch song". Reading Eagle. 27 September 1992. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  5. "The Origins Of Sinead O'Connor's New Songcollection" (PDF). Music & Media. 26 September 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  6. "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. 5 September 1992. p. 76. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  7. "Am I Not Your Girl?". Entertainment Weekly. 25 September 1992. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  8. "SINEAD O'CONNOR – "Nothing Compares 2 U"". Freaky Trigger. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  9. "SINGLES ROUND-UP". Lennox Herald. 4 September 1992. page 24. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  10. "Sinead O'Connor: Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home". Liverpool Echo. 4 September 1992. page 41. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  11. Kwong, Daphne (15 October 1992). "Sinead sings the classics with a twist". Stanford Daily. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  12. "Australian-charts.com – Sinéad O'Connor – Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  13. "Ultratop.be – Sinéad O'Connor – Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  14. "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. 26 September 1992. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  15. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Sinéad O'Connor" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  16. "Dutchcharts.nl – Sinéad O'Connor – Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  17. "Charts.nz – Sinéad O'Connor – Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  18. "Swisscharts.com – Sinéad O'Connor – Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
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