Studio Album · No. 5

For My Broken Heart Songwriting Credits by Reba McEntire

1991 MCA Records 10 tracks 37 min

Produced by Tony Brown, Reba McEntire  ·  Engineered by John Guess, Marty Williams

MCA Records Country
10%
Authorship
Singer / Performer

Holds writing credit on 1 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 1 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

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

10%
1 trackwritten by Reba McEntire 9 tracksoutside writers
Reba McEntire's roles on this album

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

Lyricist10%
Composer10%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
22
Lyricists
2
Producers
2
No.1 Singles
1991
Released
Data Insight

For My Broken Heart is an interpreter's record, so the writing credits belong almost entirely to outside Nashville songwriters rather than to Reba McEntire. The title track came from Liz Hengber and Keith Palmer, 'Is There Life Out There' from Susan Longacre and Rick Giles, and the album also reaches for a country standard in Bobby Russell's 'The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.' McEntire's only writing appearance is a co-write with Don Schlitz on 'Bobby,' where her name is credited under her legal form Reba Nell McEntire. Production is shared between Tony Brown and McEntire on every track, and she sings lead throughout, backed by a Nashville session band assembled after the crash that killed most of her touring group.

For My Broken Heart is the seventeenth studio album by Reba McEntire, released October 1, 1991 on MCA Records. It was recorded in the aftermath of the March 16, 1991 plane crash near San Diego that killed eight members of her touring band along with her tour manager, and McEntire framed the record as a form of healing for all the broken hearts left behind. Co-produced with Tony Brown, the album leans into grief and resilience, opening with the title-track lament and the aspirational 'Is There Life Out There.' McEntire is an interpreter here rather than a songwriter, singing material from Nashville writers such as Liz Hengber, Keith Palmer, Susan Longacre, and Rick Giles, with a lone co-write of her own on 'Bobby' alongside Don Schlitz. It became one of the biggest sellers of her career, certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA, and its singles 'For My Broken Heart' and 'Is There Life Out There' both reached number one on the country chart.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
For My Broken Heart #1
Liz HengberKeith Palmer Liz HengberKeith Palmer Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)Larrie Londin (Drums)Leland Sklar (Bass Guitar)Steve Gibson (Guitar)
2
Is There Life Out There #1
Susan LongacreRick Giles Susan LongacreRick Giles Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)Larrie Londin (Drums)Leland Sklar (Bass Guitar)Steve Gibson (Guitar)
3
Bobby
Reba McEntireDon Schlitz Reba Nell McEntireDon Schlitz Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)Larrie Londin (Drums)Leland Sklar (Bass Guitar)Steve Gibson (Guitar)
4
He's in Dallas
Donny KeesRichard RossJohnny MacRae Donny KeesRichard RossJohnny MacRae Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)Larrie Londin (Drums)Leland Sklar (Bass Guitar)Steve Gibson (Guitar)
5
All Dressed Up (With Nowhere to Go)
Lisa PalasBiff FinkIra Rogers Lisa PalasBiff FinkIra Rogers Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)Larrie Londin (Drums)Leland Sklar (Bass Guitar)Steve Gibson (Guitar)
6
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia #12
Bobby Russell Bobby Russell Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)Larrie Londin (Drums)Leland Sklar (Bass Guitar)Steve Gibson (Guitar)
7
Buying Her Roses
Joe DoyleRick Peoples Joe DoyleRick Peoples Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)Larrie Londin (Drums)Leland Sklar (Bass Guitar)Steve Gibson (Guitar)
8
The Greatest Man I Never Knew #3
Richard LeighLayng Martine Jr. Richard LeighLayng Martine Jr. Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)Larrie Londin (Drums)Leland Sklar (Bass Guitar)Steve Gibson (Guitar)
9
I Wouldn't Go That Far
Dana McVickerBruce BurchVip Vipperman Dana McVickerBruce BurchVip Vipperman Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)Larrie Londin (Drums)Leland Sklar (Bass Guitar)Steve Gibson (Guitar)
10
If I Had Only Known
Jana StanfieldCraig Morris Jana StanfieldCraig Morris Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)Larrie Londin (Drums)Leland Sklar (Bass Guitar)Steve Gibson (Guitar)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 27 contributors

RM
Reba McEntire
Writer · Producer · Vocals
On this album1 written
BF
Biff Fink
Writer
On this album1 written
BR
Bobby Russell
Writer
On this album1 written
BB
Bruce Burch
Writer
On this album1 written
CM
Craig Morris
Writer
On this album1 written
DM
Dana McVicker
Writer
On this album1 written
DS
Don Schlitz
Writer
On this album1 written
DK
Donny Kees
Writer
On this album1 written
IR
Ira Rogers
Writer
On this album1 written
JS
Jana Stanfield
Writer
On this album1 written
JD
Joe Doyle
Writer
On this album1 written
JM
Johnny MacRae
Writer
On this album1 written

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Frequently Asked Questions For My Broken Heart

Why is For My Broken Heart considered such an emotional album?
It was recorded soon after the March 1991 plane crash that killed eight members of Reba McEntire's touring band and her tour manager. She described the album as a way of healing for all their broken hearts, and the song choices reflect grief, loss, and endurance.
Did Reba McEntire write the songs on the album?
Mostly no. McEntire is an interpreter on this record, singing material by Nashville songwriters such as Liz Hengber, Keith Palmer, Susan Longacre, and Rick Giles. Her only writing credit is a co-write with Don Schlitz on 'Bobby.'
Who wrote 'For My Broken Heart' and 'Is There Life Out There'?
'For My Broken Heart' was written by Liz Hengber and Keith Palmer, and 'Is There Life Out There' was written by Susan Longacre and Rick Giles. Both singles reached number one on the country chart.
Who produced For My Broken Heart?
The album was produced by Tony Brown and Reba McEntire together, a partnership that ran across all ten tracks.
Is 'The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia' a cover?
Yes. It was written by Bobby Russell and had been a 1972 hit for Vicki Lawrence; McEntire's version was released as a single from this album and reached number twelve on the country chart.
How well did the album sell?
For My Broken Heart was certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA for shipments of four million copies in the United States, making it one of the best-selling albums of McEntire's career.
What singles were released from the album?
The singles were 'For My Broken Heart,' 'Is There Life Out There,' 'The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,' and 'The Greatest Man I Never Knew.'

Sources

Wikipedia: For My Broken Heart MusicBrainz: For My Broken Heart (release group) Cover Art Archive: For My Broken Heart Cover Art Archive: For My Broken Heart by Reba McEntire