Things Go Better With Love

At first glance, it might appear that the poster-sized, triple-foldout album cover is the best thing about this album from Jeannie C. Riley (of Harper Valley PTA fame). After all, it isn't often that you get a stunning 36" photograph with your album purchase. (It took five passes on an HP ScanJet to capture the image -- if you're very brave, click it to see the 433K high res version).

But, for all this, it's the music that counts. And the centerpiece of Things Go Better With Love is a song called The Rib. Like some kind of twisted, backwater, Limbaugh-approved version of feminism, The Rib seeks to extoll the virtues of womankind but doesn't want to risk offending the sensibilities of even the most chauvanistic male (probably a good plan, given the fact that Jeannie's legs seem to be one of the major selling points). The result is so farfetched that even after several listenings, I am still not sure what's going on. And Adam called me Woman... for I am The Rib.

The inside liner notes on my well-worn copy provide an address for the Jeannie C. Riley fan club (3106 Blemont Blvd, Nashville TN 37212) along with a message from Plantation Records that "This record is guaranteed against all defects including breakage, wearing out or any dissatisfaction on the part of the purchaser". So far, I haven't got any complaints.

And then along comes Paul Simon singing, "I am a Rock"... (03-14-2009)

Will says:
all of her Plantation records are on CD .........look for them on her site~ the MGM and plantation records are all there .Especially THINGS GO BETTER WITH LOVE (06-05-2008)

Keith aka kebone64 says:
Today..went to an antique mall and seen the old harper valley pta lp. wanted twenty bucks for it. i'm forty-three now. man that thing brought back memories. use to play over and over again when i was around nine or ten. read the back and had back-up by tom t. hall. i sure don't remember that part. the old album has been lost in time. (05-12-2007)

scott says:
Jeannie had a snappy delivery very much like
Reba and Dolly, actually she sounded like Reba
many years before reba came along....Now
all the female country singers are castrated,
if you can imagine such a thing, and they all sound like Faith Hill...BORING!!!!!
I'd give a million bucks to bring back the days when all the female country singers sounded like
they just stepped out of Maynard's diner, working
the night shift, stinking of stale cigarette smoke...."I AM THE RIB" has to be one of the strangest and greatest lines in the annals of country. Could Toby Keith do an answer record to that?..maybe he can call it "SHE MIGHT BE THE RIB, BUT I AIN'T EATIN' HER TILL SHE PUTS ON SOME 5-ALARM BBQ SAUCE" (04-20-2007)

Richard (low sugar53@peoplepc.com) says:
THINGS GO BETTER WITH LOVE BUT HOW ARE THINGS GOINGS WITH JENNIE C. I ALWAYS LOVED HER AND HOPE THAT SHE IS DOING JUST GREAT. LOVE HER RICH. THANKS (01-08-2007)

herby says:
"back side of dallas" has a cool swingin sixties beat! (11-15-2006)

Colin Pickett says:
I absolutely love this album it's as good as the stunning picture of Jeannie that adorns the cover.
What a pity it's not available in CD format along with some of her other great albums. All we seem to get are the same compilation albums time after time. I would also love to see some of Jeannie's great MGM albums released on CD. for anyone wishing to find out more about Jeannie visit her official website at http://www.kanabel.com/jeanniecriley.html (09-29-2006)

crystal (tequiila75@yahoo.com) says:
Hello my names Crystal and its just came to my attention that Jenny c Riley is my Grandmothers neice. Unfortunetly my grandma passed away and i cant get information from her if anyone has information of how i can contact her or her lawyers pls email me at tequiila75@yahoo.com. To be honest i dont know her or know if shes even alive but any information would help ty kindly (05-10-2006)

Hannibal (hanniballecturer@gmail.com) says:
I woulda bought this for the cover and tossed away the record. She looks more like Nicole Kidman than Nicole Kidman does... (09-30-2005)

MissiSue Muddphlapp says:
Is there a CD version of this?! I just love Jeannie C. Riley. I wore out my vinyl of this here record and Harper Valley PTA. I throw my record play after the flood of '93 away and used my FEMA money to buy a CD player with a cassette player in it. The Rib is the way a real women should be. A Christian woman. (09-20-2005)

Lance Boyle (cleetus@inbred.com) says:
Seventy-five bucks? For that kind of money, you could get Jeannie C. Riley herself. (05-31-2005)

Ralph Blackwelder (lpheaven@one.net) says:
We have just come across a small treasure trove of still sealed albums. Among these are about 30 still sealed copies of Jeannie C. Riley's Album, "Things Go Better With Love" on Plantation Records, Serial # PLP-3, recorded in 1969. The album opens to a 36? full color pin-up of Jeannie C. Riley. These albums are all originals. Not one of them has ever been played. They are all in perfect condition, except for a small c/o mark in the top corner. Does anyone out there have an interest in getting one of these? Our price is $75 each, including shipping anywhere in the US. To reserve a copy, email Ralph Blackwelder at lpheaven@one.net and we will confirm your reservation by email with your reservation #, payment info and shipping details.

If someone would like to buy all 30 copies we will discount the total by $500. You could make yourself a few dollars and take your time selling the ?last-known-batch? of still sealed Jeannie C. Riley albums out there! Tell your close friends and other Jeannie C. Riley fans about the albums before they are gone. You can email us at lpheaven@one.net if you?d like to have a copy for yourself. Tracks include: The Rib / There Never Was A Time / Sunday After Church / The Artist / Things Go Better With Love / I?m Only A Woman / The Wedding Cake / Our Minnie / A Real Woman / I?m The Woman / Thin Ribbon Of Smoke / The Back Side Of Dallas. (05-31-2005)

Tom (idontthinkso@yahoo.com) says:
For those interested, the blonde girl from ABBA did a version of the song "Things Go Better With Love" in Swedish. (05-05-2005)

Pardon Me While I Rock You says:
Hey, Jeannie. Yeah, you know you got it going on there, girl. Totally buff hot piece of ass long before it was cool to be built like you could drag a man out of the saloon by his hair. Topped it all off with those kickass moonwalker Barbarella boots too. And your little half smile tells me you probably got taken from behind by the photographer just minutes before he snapped this photo. No, Jeannie, no need to tell me you weren't wearing underwear for this cover shoot. I know, girl, I know. (04-09-2005)

Tawana Goodson (tiawanabrass@yahoo.com) says:
I believe I was oh 8 or 9 when my parents took us , my sister and my 2 brothers and of course me, to the Michigan State Fair.And I absolutley fell in love with Jenny's style and voice. I am now 42 and I hardly hear her played on the radio.And just when I thought she couldn't top her oldies she comes out with a hit like this. Thank you Jenny. Keep it real. (03-05-2005)

carolyn (shetaz_pace@yahoo.com) says:
I have been trying, for over 30 years, to remember the name of a song I think Jeanie used to sing. I was a small child and only remember one line in the song. If anyone knows the name of this song, I'd be ever so grateful. The one line I remember is "whats it gonna cost me this time, more or less than last time". I keep humming the tune and with only one line, I can't think of the name of song. HELP. Thanks (02-25-2005)

allen (ucan126@yahoo.com) says:
i've been looking for a song and im thinking its from the 70s but i dont know the title. part of it gos ..." Oh daddy wont you take me back to the green valley down by the new river where paridice lay. sorry my son youre to late in asking peabodys coal has halled it away.." if anyone knows the title and who the singer is give me a holler at my mail add....thanks (02-21-2005)

DENISE M. SMITH (DENISESMI14@AOL.COM) says:
WELL I HAVE NEVER HEARD THE "THINGS GOES BETTER WITH LOVE".. BUT I HAVE HEARD ONE OF JENNY C. RILEY'S SONG WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, AND JUST LOVED IT. THE TITLA OF THE SONG WAS "RUN JENNY RUN"... I WISH I COULD FINE THAT OLD ORIGINAL SONG ON A CD SOMEWHERE. I USE TO PLAY THAT SONG ALL THE TIME WHEN I WAS YOUNGER... PLEASE CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE I CAN FINE THAT CD AT WITH THAT SONG ON IT SUNG BY HER PLEASE. PLASE CONTACT ME AT
"DENISESMI14@AOL.COM ... THANKS SO VERY MUCH FOR YOU HELP.... (02-03-2005)

Ron Tripsitter says:
Moaning and screaming? Through MASTURBATION??? It must be one HELL of a lot more pleasurable for some people than it's ever been for me! (12-08-2004)

Sir Droopy Drawers says:
Hey remember the first time you masturbated? You had to turn the 8 track up to cover all that moaning and screaming? Remember the album playing at the time? This wasn't one of them. I have to get going now. (12-08-2004)

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