Studio Album · No. 7

Read My Mind Songwriting Credits by Reba McEntire

1994 MCA Records 10 tracks 38 min

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

MCA Records Country
0%
Authorship
Singer / Performer

Holds writing credit on 0 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 0 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

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

0%
0 trackswritten by Reba McEntire 10 tracksoutside writers
Reba McEntire's roles on this album

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

Lyricist0%
Composer0%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
20
Lyricists
2
Producers
1
No.1 Single
3 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1994
Released
Data Insight

Read My Mind is an interpreter's album, not a songwriter's. McEntire wrote none of the ten songs; every track came from Nashville writing teams, so the credits belong to those writers rather than to her. Randy Sharp is the most frequent name, with a hand in three songs ('Everything That You Want' with Jack Wesley Routh, 'I Won't Stand in Line' with Steve Diamond, and 'I Wouldn't Wanna Be You' with Jeff Silbar), while Sandy Knox wrote both the socially pointed 'She Thinks His Name Was John' (with Steve Rosen) and 'Why Haven't I Heard from You' (with T.W. Hale). McEntire's authorship shows up in her role as co-producer alongside Tony Brown and as the lead voice throughout, not in the writing column. The composer credits mirror the credited writers, since no separate legal names diverge in the sources checked.

Read My Mind is the nineteenth studio album by American country artist Reba McEntire, released April 26, 1994 on MCA Records. Co-produced by Tony Brown and McEntire, it reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA. McEntire recorded songs supplied by Nashville writers rather than writing the material herself, and the record is best known for 'She Thinks His Name Was John,' one of the first mainstream country songs to confront AIDS. Its singles run included 'Why Haven't I Heard from You,' 'Till You Love Me,' the chart-topping 'The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter,' and 'And Still.' The sessions gathered a deep bench of Nashville players and background singers, including Vince Gill and Linda Davis, behind McEntire's lead vocals.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Everything That You Want
Randy SharpJack Wesley Routh Randy SharpJack Wesley Routh Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
2
Read My Mind
Keith ThomasMelissa ColemanTodd Moore Keith ThomasMelissa ColemanTodd Moore Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
3
I Won't Stand in Line
Randy SharpSteve Diamond Randy SharpSteve Diamond Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
4
I Wish That I Could Tell You
Tony MartinVan StephensonReese Wilson Tony MartinVan StephensonReese Wilson Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
5
She Thinks His Name Was John #15
Sandy KnoxSteve Rosen Sandy KnoxSteve Rosen Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
6
Why Haven't I Heard from You #5
Sandy KnoxT.W. Hale Sandy KnoxT.W. Hale Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
7
And Still #2
Liz HengberTommy Lee James Liz HengberTommy Lee James Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
8
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter #1
Mark D. SandersKim WilliamsEd Hill Mark D. SandersKim WilliamsEd Hill Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
9
I Wouldn't Wanna Be You
Randy SharpJeff Silbar Randy SharpJeff Silbar Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
10
Till You Love Me #2
Bob DiPieroGary Burr Bob DiPieroGary Burr Tony BrownReba McEntire Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 22 contributors

More from Reba McEntire

Frequently Asked Questions Read My Mind

Did Reba McEntire write any songs on Read My Mind?
No. McEntire is the interpreter on this album, not the writer. All ten songs were written by Nashville songwriters, and her creative credit is as co-producer with Tony Brown and as lead vocalist.
Who produced Read My Mind?
It was co-produced by Tony Brown and Reba McEntire for MCA Records.
Who wrote 'She Thinks His Name Was John'?
It was written by Sandy Knox and Steve Rosen. The song is remembered as one of the first mainstream country records to address AIDS.
Who wrote 'The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter'?
Mark D. Sanders, Kim Williams, and Ed Hill wrote the song, which became the album's only No. 1 country single.
Which songwriter appears most on the album?
Randy Sharp, who co-wrote three tracks: 'Everything That You Want,' 'I Won't Stand in Line,' and 'I Wouldn't Wanna Be You.'
Is 'Does He Love You' on Read My Mind?
No. The Reba McEntire and Linda Davis duet 'Does He Love You' is not on Read My Mind; Linda Davis does appear among the album's background vocalists.
How did the album sell?
Read My Mind reached No. 2 on both the country albums chart and the Billboard 200 and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA for three million US copies.

Sources