| The Secret of Life | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1996 | |||
| Recorded | 1995–1996 | |||
| Genre | Country, folk | |||
| Length | 42:12 | |||
| Label | Imprint | |||
| Producer | Green Daniel | |||
| Gretchen Peters chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Secret of Life is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters. It was released in 1996, and featured a minor hit single in the track, "When You Are Old". The song reached number 68 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The album was the first release for Imprint Records.[1]
Faith Hill covered the title track and took it to number 4 on the country chart in the States (while also scraping into the top 50 on the Billboard Hot 100). Trisha Yearwood recorded her own version of "On a Bus to St. Cloud" for her full-length Thinkin' About You (two years prior to the release of this album), while Martina McBride has recorded 3 songs: "This Uncivil War", "When You Are Old" and "Independence Day" which she took to number 12 on the U.S. country chart.
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
AllMusic gave the album three stars (out of a possible five), comparing her to fellow singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, calling the songs "highly introspective, thoughtful and intelligent".[2] An uncredited review in Billboard said that Peters "proves to be as satisfying a singer as she is a writer."[1]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Gretchen Peters except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Waiting For the Light to Turn Green" | Peters, Suzy Bogguss | 3:42 |
| 2. | "Border Town" | 4:07 | |
| 3. | "I Ain't Ever Satisfied" | Steve Earle | 3:50 |
| 4. | "I Was Looking For You" | 3:58 | |
| 5. | "On a Bus to St. Cloud" | 3:55 | |
| 6. | "Over Africa" | 4:10 | |
| 7. | "This Uncivil War" | 4:08 | |
| 8. | "The Secret of Life" | 4:16 | |
| 9. | "A Room With a View" | 3:39 | |
| 10. | "Circus Girl" | 3:34 | |
| 11. | "When You Are Old" | 2:53 | |
| 12. | "Independence Day" | 3:44 |
Personnel
- Gretchen Peters - vocals, acoustic guitar, Dobro
- Chris Leuzinger, Michael Severs - guitars
- Dan Dugmore - lap and pedal steel guitars
- Bruce Bouton - pedal steel
- Steve Conn - accordion
- Daniel Green - keyboards, organ, percussion
- Barry Walsh - keyboards, Hammond organ, piano, melodica
- Phil Kenzie - soprano saxophone
- Dave Pomeroy - electric and acoustic bass
- Brian Barnett, Tommy Wells - drums, percussion
- Nashville String Machine - strings; arranged and conducted by Connie Elisor
- Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, James House, Raul Malo, Harry Stinson, Billy Thomas - backing vocals and harmony
Production
- Produced By Daniel Green
- Engineered By Tom Hitchcock, Steve Marcantonio & Mike Psanos; assisted by Marc Frigo, Mike Purcell, Daryl Roudbush, Ed Simonton & John Thomas II
- Mixed By Steve Marcantonio
- Digital Editing By Don Cobb
- Mastered By Denny Purcell