Studio Album · No. 9

What I Do Songwriting Credits by Alan Jackson

2004 Arista Nashville 12 tracks 45 min

Produced by Keith Stegall

Arista Nashville CountryNeotraditional Country
42%
Authorship
Collaborator

Holds writing credit on 5 of 12 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 5 / 12 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Alan Jackson carries a lyricist or composer credit.

42%
5 trackswritten by Alan Jackson 7 tracksoutside writers
Alan Jackson's roles on this album

Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist42%
Composer42%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

12
Tracks
11
Lyricists
1
Producers
2004
Released
Data Insight

What I Do is a mostly self-written Alan Jackson album. He wrote or co-wrote the bulk of the record, so the composer column carries his legal name, Alan Eugene Jackson, on tracks like 'Too Much of a Good Thing,' 'Rainy Day in June,' and 'USA Today.' The outside songs stand out against that pattern: 'Monday Morning Church' came from Brent Baxter and Erin Enderlin, 'The Talkin' Song Repair Blues' from Dennis Linde, and 'Strong Enough' from his nephew-by-marriage Adam Wright. Keith Stegall produced every track, the steady hand behind Jackson's run of records.

What I Do is the twelfth studio album by American country singer Alan Jackson, released on September 7, 2004 on Arista Nashville and produced by his longtime collaborator Keith Stegall. Jackson wrote or co-wrote most of the record, keeping to the neotraditional country sound of fiddle, steel guitar, and plainspoken storytelling that defined his catalog. The album leans on his own pen for songs like 'Too Much of a Good Thing,' 'USA Today,' and the tongue-in-cheek 'If French Fries Were Fat Free,' while a handful of tracks come from outside writers. Its most acclaimed cut, the grief ballad 'Monday Morning Church,' was written by Brent Baxter and Erin Enderlin rather than Jackson. Four singles reached the Hot Country Songs chart, and it became the first Jackson album not to yield a number-one hit, though it still went platinum.

Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Too Much of a Good Thing #5
Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson Keith Stegall Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
2
Rainy Day in June
Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson Keith Stegall Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
3
USA Today #18
Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson Keith Stegall Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
4
If Love Was a River
Adam WrightShannon Wright Adam WrightShannon Wright Keith Stegall Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)The Wrights (Background Vocals)
5
If French Fries Were Fat Free
Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson Keith Stegall Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
6
You Don't Have to Paint Me a Picture
Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson Keith Stegall Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
7
There Ya Go
Dan HillKeith Stegall Dan HillKeith Stegall Keith Stegall Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
8
The Talkin' Song Repair Blues #18
Dennis Linde Dennis Linde Keith Stegall Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
9
Strong Enough
Adam Wright Adam Wright Keith Stegall Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
10
Monday Morning Church #5
Brent BaxterErin Enderlin Brent BaxterErin Enderlin Keith Stegall Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)Patty Loveless (Background Vocals)
11
Burnin' the Honky Tonks Down
Billy BurnetteShawn Camp Billy BurnetteShawn Camp Keith Stegall Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)
12
To Do What I Do (Live)
Tim Johnson Tim Johnson Keith Stegall Alan Jackson (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 14 contributors

More from Alan Jackson

Frequently Asked Questions What I Do

Who wrote the songs on What I Do?
Alan Jackson wrote or co-wrote most of the album, including 'Too Much of a Good Thing,' 'Rainy Day in June,' 'USA Today,' 'If French Fries Were Fat Free,' and 'You Don't Have to Paint Me a Picture.' Several tracks came from outside writers.
Did Alan Jackson write 'Monday Morning Church'?
No. 'Monday Morning Church' was written by Brent Baxter and Erin Enderlin. It became one of the album's most praised tracks and a top-five country single.
Who produced What I Do?
Keith Stegall produced the entire album, continuing his long partnership with Alan Jackson.
What were the singles from What I Do?
'Too Much of a Good Thing' and 'Monday Morning Church' both reached number five on Hot Country Songs, while 'The Talkin' Song Repair Blues' and 'USA Today' each peaked at number 18.
Was What I Do a commercial success?
Yes. It was certified platinum by the RIAA, though it became the first Alan Jackson album that did not produce a number-one country hit.
Who are the Wrights on the album?
The Wrights are the duo of Adam and Shannon Wright, related to Jackson by marriage. They co-wrote and sang background vocals on 'If Love Was a River,' and Adam Wright also wrote 'Strong Enough.'
Is 'The Talkin' Song Repair Blues' an original?
No. It was written by Dennis Linde, the songwriter behind many country hits, and stands out as one of the album's outside-written songs.

Sources