Studio Album · No. 1

Here in the Real World Songwriting Credits by Alan Jackson

1990 Arista Nashville 10 tracks 30 min

Produced by Keith Stegall, Scott Hendricks

Arista Nashville CountryNeotraditional Country
90%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 9 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 9 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Alan Jackson carries a lyricist or composer credit.

90%
9 trackswritten by Alan Jackson 1 trackoutside writers
Alan Jackson's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist90%
Composer90%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
9
Lyricists
2
Producers
1
No.1 Single
2 million
US Copies Sold
1990
Released
Data Insight

The debut is a self-authored record from the start. Alan Jackson wrote or co-wrote nine of the ten songs, so his own name anchors the credits throughout, with the composer column carrying his legal name Alan Eugene Jackson. He leaned on a small circle of co-writers, most often Jim McBride, along with Roger Murrah and Keith Stegall on 'Blue Blooded Woman,' Charlie Craig on 'Wanted,' and Mark Irwin on the title track. The only song he did not write is the opener 'Ace of Hearts,' credited to Carson Chamberlain, Ron Moore, and Lonnie Wilson. It sets the template for a career in which Jackson wrote the large majority of his own material.

Here in the Real World is the debut studio album by American country singer-songwriter Alan Jackson, released on February 27, 1990, on Arista Nashville. It arrived as one of the records that opened the neotraditional wave in country music, pairing plainspoken songwriting with a lean, fiddle-and-steel sound built by producers Keith Stegall and Scott Hendricks. Jackson wrote or co-wrote nine of the ten tracks, working with regular partners like Jim McBride, Roger Murrah, and Mark Irwin, which set the self-authored pattern that defined his career. The title track reached number three and became his first major hit, followed by 'Wanted' and 'Chasin' That Neon Rainbow,' while the closing single 'I'd Love You All Over Again' gave him his first number one in early 1991. The album was certified two-times platinum by the RIAA and established Jackson as a leading voice of the genre's 1990s revival.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Ace of Hearts
Carson ChamberlainRon MooreLonnie Wilson Carson ChamberlainRon MooreLonnie Wilson Keith StegallScott Hendricks Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
2
Here in the Real World #3
Alan JacksonMark Irwin Alan Eugene JacksonMark Irwin Keith StegallScott Hendricks Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
3
Blue Blooded Woman #45
Alan JacksonRoger MurrahKeith Stegall Alan Eugene JacksonRoger MurrahKeith Stegall Keith StegallScott Hendricks Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
4
Wanted #3
Alan JacksonCharlie Craig Alan Eugene JacksonCharlie Craig Keith StegallScott Hendricks Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
5
Chasin' That Neon Rainbow #2
Alan JacksonJim McBride Alan Eugene JacksonJim McBride Keith StegallScott Hendricks Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
6
She Don't Get the Blues
Alan JacksonJim McBride Alan Eugene JacksonJim McBride Keith StegallScott Hendricks Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
7
I'd Love You All Over Again #1
Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson Keith StegallScott Hendricks Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
8
Dog River Blues
Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson Keith StegallScott Hendricks Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
9
Home
Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson Keith StegallScott Hendricks Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
10
Short Sweet Ride
Alan JacksonJim McBride Alan Eugene JacksonJim McBride Keith StegallScott Hendricks Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 11 contributors

More from Alan Jackson

Frequently Asked Questions Here in the Real World

Who wrote the title track 'Here in the Real World'?
Alan Jackson co-wrote 'Here in the Real World' with songwriter Mark Irwin. It reached number three and became Jackson's first major hit.
How many songs did Alan Jackson write on his debut album?
He wrote or co-wrote nine of the ten tracks. Only the opener 'Ace of Hearts' was written entirely by other writers.
Which song on the album did Jackson not write?
'Ace of Hearts,' credited to Carson Chamberlain, Ron Moore, and Lonnie Wilson, is the only track Jackson had no hand in writing.
Who produced Here in the Real World?
The album was co-produced by Keith Stegall and Scott Hendricks, who built its lean neotraditional country sound.
What was Alan Jackson's first number one from the album?
'I'd Love You All Over Again,' which Jackson wrote alone, reached number one on the country chart in early 1991 and was his first chart-topper.
How well did the album sell?
Here in the Real World was certified two-times platinum by the RIAA for two million copies sold in the United States.
Who were Jackson's main co-writers on the record?
His most frequent partner was Jim McBride, who co-wrote four tracks. Roger Murrah, Keith Stegall, Charlie Craig, and Mark Irwin each contributed to one song.

Sources