| Lovers and Losers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 1982 | |||
| Studio | Columbia Recording Studio (Nashville, Tennessee) | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 27:26 (original) 27:54 (reissue) | |||
| Label | Epic Records | |||
| Producer | Billy Sherrill | |||
| Johnny Paycheck chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Lovers and Losers | ||||
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Lovers and Losers is the twenty-second studio album by American country music artist Johnny Paycheck. The album was released in March 1982, via Epic Records, his last studio album with the record label. It was produced by Billy Sherrill.
Background and recording
[edit]By 1982, Paycheck was nearing the end of his long relationship with Epic Records and producer Billy Sherrill. Having spent the previous several years riding the outlaw country wave, making television appearances including on The Dukes of Hazzard, Lovers and Losers signaled a pivot back to more traditional country material.[1] Paycheck was also working to rehabilitate his public image, stepping away from the rowdy outlaw persona toward a more reflective and domesticated figure, an evolution evident in both the music and the cover imagery, which featured the singer in khakis, a plaid shirt, and a Mickey Mouse watch.[2]
The album draws from themes of personal decline and perseverance, pairing humor and heartbreak with a blend of honky-tonk arrangements and classic country instrumentation. Pedal steel guitar and talking verses give the album a retro feel, while a skilled lineup of Nashville session musicians, under Sherrill's restrained production, help maintain its sonic cohesion.[3]
Themes
[edit]Side one of the album features a trio of honky-tonk odes to dysfunction: "D.O.A. (Drunk on Arrival)," "We've All Gone Crazy," and "Gonna Get Right (and Do Something Wrong)," which frame Paycheck as a man lost in drink and regret.[1] These are followed by songs of gratitude and devotion, such as "Award to an Angel," a tribute to his mother, and "You're the Only Song I Sing Today," a love song directed to his wife.[1][2] "Sharon Rae," another standout, offers a rhythmic and accessible ode to his wife, the woman who grounds him.[2]
Side two shifts toward the "losers" of the title, opening with "Loser of the Year," a talking blues track that laments personal failings with equal parts humor and resignation.[1][3][4] The album closes with the novelty divorce anthem "She Got the Gold Mine (I Got the Shaft)," a tongue-in-cheek finale that has become one of Paycheck's most quoted song titles.[1][2][3][4][5]
While the record revisits familiar Paycheck themes of alcohol, regret, and romantic dysfunction while critics also noted that it was carried by sincerity and strong performances rather than innovation.
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Santa Barbara News and Review |   [4] |
Lovers and Losers received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, many of whom acknowledged the album's return to traditional country values, even as they questioned its originality. Bill Robertson of The StarPhoenix called it a return to "the fold of the drinkers and the forgiven," describing the songs as consistent, if not groundbreaking, and noting that "these tunes just maintain the standards."[1] Jim McNulty of the Edmonton Journal agreed that the album worked well as a country release, but found some of the lyrics tired and formulaic, writing that Paycheck "has covered some of this ground once too often."[3]
Christopher Evans of the Orlando Sentinel offered one of the more negative takes, criticizing the lyrics as trite and the humor as ineffective, and suggesting Paycheck had run out of creative options.[5] On the other hand, Patti Fanning of The Boston Globe viewed the album as a thoughtful recalibration: "a tamer, more sedate Paycheck looking back at the wilder times with a hard-won comprehension of the value of loyalty and love."[2]
The Santa Barbara News and Review praised the record for returning to Paycheck's "old fashioned cryin' and dyin'" roots and awarded it four our of five stars, highlighting tracks like "D.O.A. (Drunk on Arrival)," "Loser of the Year," and "She Got the Gold Mine (I Got the Shaft)" as the album's strongest cuts.[4]
Track listing
[edit]Track lengths from the original release in 1982, the album was reissued and featured slightly different track lengths
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "D.O.A. (Drunk on Arrival)" |
| 2:39 |
| 2. | "We've All Gone Crazy" |
| 3:08 |
| 3. | "Gonna Get Right (and Do Somethin' Wrong)" |
| 2:13 |
| 4. | "Award to an Angel" | 2:36 | |
| 5. | "You're the Only Song I Sing Today" |
| 3:17 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Highlight of '81" |
| 3:12 |
| 2. | "Sharon Rae" | Johnny Paycheck | 2:31 |
| 3. | "Loser of the Year" |
| 2:42 |
| 4. | "No Way Out" | Paycheck | 2:14 |
| 5. | "She Got the Gold Mine (I Got the Shaft)" | Tim DuBois | 2:54 |
| Total length: | 27:26 | ||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Robertson, Bill (May 8, 1982). "Johnny Paycheck". The StarPhoenix. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. p. 8. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Fanning, Patti (August 5, 1982). "Johnny Paycheck, Lovers and Losers, Epic". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. p. 66. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ a b c d McNulty, Jim (May 27, 1982). "Lovers and Losers, Johnny Paycheck, Epic". Edmonton Journal. Edmonton, Alberta. p. C4. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ a b c d David, M. (May 13, 1982). "Lovers and Losers, Johnny Paycheck (Epic)". Santa Barbara News and Review. Santa Barbara, California. p. 24. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ a b Evans, Christopher (July 16, 1982). "Johnny Paycheck loses with gimmicky numbers". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. D3. Retrieved July 31, 2025.