Waking Up Laughing

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Waking Up Laughing

| type = studio

| artist = Martina McBride

| cover = Waking up laughing.jpg

| border = yes

| alt =

| released = April 3, 2007

| recorded = 2006

| venue =

| studio = *Blackbird (Nashville, Tennessee)

| genre = Country

| length = 41:03

| label = RCA Nashville

| producer = Martina McBride

| prev_title = Timeless

| prev_year = 2005

| next_title = Live in Concert

| next_year = 2008

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Waking Up Laughing

| type = Studio

| single1 = Anyway

| single1date = November 6, 2006

| single2 = How I Feel

| single2date = May 2007

| single3 = For These Times

| single3date = October 2007

}}

}}

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = About.com

|rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{Cite web |url=http://countrymusic.about.com/od/cdreviewsmz/fr/WakeUpLaughing.htm |title=About.com review |access-date=April 29, 2013 |archive-date=January 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120065301/http://countrymusic.about.com/od/cdreviewsmz/fr/WakeUpLaughing.htm |url-status=live }}

|rev2 = Allmusic

|rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1027133|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]

|rev3 = BBC Music

|rev3score = (favorable){{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/5cp2 |title=BBC Music review |access-date=February 11, 2018 |archive-date=January 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121075126/https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/5cp2/ |url-status=live }}

|rev4 = Country Weekly

|rev4score = (positive){{Cite web |url=http://www.countryweekly.com/reviews/waking-laughing-martina-mcbride |title=Country Weekly review |access-date=April 29, 2013 |archive-date=April 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140409021124/http://www.countryweekly.com/reviews/waking-laughing-martina-mcbride |url-status=live }}

|rev5 = Entertainment Weekly

|rev5score = B+{{Cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20016449,00.html |title=Entertainment Weekly review |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=April 29, 2013 |archive-date=April 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426002512/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20016449,00.html |url-status=dead }}

|rev6 = The New York Times

|rev6score = (positive){{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/02/arts/music/02choi.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |title=The New York Times review |website=The New York Times |access-date=February 23, 2017 |archive-date=October 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010032018/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/02/arts/music/02choi.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |url-status=live }}

|rev7 = People

|rev7score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}

|rev8 = Plugged In (publication)

|rev8score = (favorable)[http://www.pluggedin.com/music/albums/2007/MartinaMcBride-WakingUpLaughing.aspx Plugged In review]

}}

Waking Up Laughing is the ninth studio album by American country music singer Martina McBride. It was released on April 3, 2007, through RCA Nashville. This album is the first in McBride's career in which she has both co-written songs and been involved in the production single-handedly. This album produced three chart singles for McBride on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with "Anyway" at #5, "How I Feel" at #15, and "For These Times" at #35. The album was certified Gold by the

RIAA.

Content

Waking Up Laughing is the first album of McBride's career in which she co-wrote any of the material. McBride wrote the lead-off single "Anyway" with Brad and Brett Warren of The Warren Brothers. This song reached #5 on the Hot Country Songs charts in early 2007, becoming McBride's first Top 10 country hit in three years. The Warren Brothers and McBride also co-wrote "How I Feel", the second single, with Chris Lindsey and Aimee Mayo.

"For These Times" was inspired by former Republican senator Rick Santorum, who was defeated in 2006, and his daughter. When his daughter began to cry at his loss, the cameras focused on her, inspiring Leslie Satcher to write the song. It was also inspired by her Pastor, who stated "For these times in which we live, you are going to need this book." referring to the Bible.{{Cite web |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20071026_Santorums_daughter_inspires_C_W_song.html |title=Santorum's daughter inspires C&W song |date=26 October 2007 |access-date=June 7, 2008 |archive-date=March 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312182938/http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20071026_Santorums_daughter_inspires_C_W_song.html |url-status=live }} The song received a 2009 Grammy nomination.

"Cry Cry ('Til the Sun Shines)" was covered by former Trick Pony lead vocalist Heidi Newfield on her debut solo album, What Am I Waiting For, from which it was released as a single in November 2008.

Track listing

{{track listing

| title1 = If I Had Your Name

| writer1 = {{hlist|Gordie Sampson|Steve McEwan|Hillary Lindsey}}

| length1 = 3:43

| title2 = Cry Cry ('Til the Sun Shines)

| writer2 = {{hlist|Chris Lindsey|H. Lindsey|Aimee Mayo|Marv Green}}

| length2 = 3:06

| title3 = Tryin' to Find a Reason

| writer3 = {{hlist|Tommy Lee James|Jeremy Stover}}

| length3 = 3:26

| title4 = For These Times

| writer4 = Leslie Satcher

| length4 = 4:16

| title5 = Anyway

| writer5 = {{hlist|Martina McBride|Brad Warren|Brett Warren}}

| length5 = 4:40

| title6 = How I Feel

| writer6 = {{hlist|McBride|C. Lindsey|Mayo|Brad Warren, Brett Warren}}

| length6 = 3:48

| title7 = I'll Still Be Me

| writer7 = {{hlist|Rachel Thibodeau|Tammy Hyler}}

| length7 = 3:49

| title8 = Beautiful Again

| writer8 = {{hlist|McBride|Brad Warren|Brett Warren}}

| length8 = 2:56

| title9 = Everybody Does

| writer9 = {{hlist|Michael Mobley|Dan DeMay|Rachel Proctor}}

| length9 = 3:27

| title10 = House of a Thousand Dreams

| writer10 = {{hlist|Billy Montana|Ilya Toshinsky|Jenai (Tammy L.Wagoner)}}

| length10 = 3:53

| title11 = Love Land

| writer11 = {{hlist|Thibodeau|Tom Douglas}}

| length11 = 3:56

| title12 = Blue Bayou

| note12 = iTunes pre-order bonus track

| writer12 = {{hlist|Roy Orbison|Joe Melson}}

| length12 = 4:05

|total_length = 41:03

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Limited edition bonus DVD

| title1 = The Making of "Anyway" Music Video

| length1 =

| title2 = Choosing Songs

| length2 =

| title3 = Producing

| length3 =

| title4 = Naming the Album

| length4 =

| title5 = The Tour

| length5 =

| title6 = Icing on the Cake

| length6 =

}}

Personnel

  • Martina McBride – lead vocals, harmony vocals(2, 8, 9)
  • Steve Nathan – acoustic piano (1, 4, 7, 10, 11), Hammond B3 organ (1, 4, 6, 8, 9), synthesizers (10, 11)
  • Reese Wynans – Hammond B3 organ (2, 3)
  • Tim Lauer – synthesizers (3), accordion (8, 10), pump organ (10)
  • Gordon Mote – acoustic piano (5)
  • B. James Lowry – acoustic guitar
  • Bryan Suttonmandolin (1, 4, 8), acoustic guitar (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11)
  • Biff Watson – acoustic guitar (6, 9, 10)
  • Dan Dugmore – electric guitar (1, 2, 4, 6, 9), steel guitar (3, 7, 8, 10, 11), dobro (5)
  • Brent Mason – electric guitar (1-5, 7, 9, 11), acoustic guitar (8)
  • Paul Worley – electric guitar (2, 5, 6, 10), acoustic guitar (5)
  • Keith Urban – guitar solo (3), harmony vocals (3)
  • J.T. Corenflos – electric guitar (5)
  • Steve Gibson – electric guitar (5)
  • Dann Huff – electric guitar (5, 6, 9, 10, 11)
  • Stuart Duncan – mandolin (3), fiddle (3)
  • Jonathan Yudkin – mandolin (10), strings (10) string arrangements (10)
  • Paul Franklin – steel guitar (1)
  • Glenn Worf – bass
  • Matt Chamberlain – drums
  • David Huff – percussion (2-10)
  • Larry Franklin – fiddle (1, 8)
  • Anthony LaMarchina – cello (6, 7)
  • Kristin Wilkinson – viola (6, 7), additional string arrangements (6), string arrangements (7)
  • David Davidson – violin (6, 7)
  • Karen Winklemann – violin (6, 7)
  • Wes Hightower – harmony vocals (1, 9)
  • Troy Johnson – harmony vocals (1, 9)
  • Brett Warren – harmony vocals (2, 6)
  • Bob Bailey – harmony vocals (4)
  • Kim Fleming – harmony vocals (4)
  • Vicki Hampton – harmony vocals (4)
  • Carolyn Dawn Johnson – harmony vocals (8)
  • Jenifer Wrinkle – harmony vocals (10)

The Nashville String Machine on "Anyway" and "How I Feel"

  • David Campbell – arrangements and conductor
  • Bettie Ross – concertmaster on "How I Feel"
  • Eberhard Ramm – music copyist
  • Kirsten Cassel, Anthony LaMarchina, Carole Rabinowitz and Sarighani Reist – cello
  • Monisa Angell, Jim Grosjean, Gary Vanosdale and Kristin Wilkinson – viola
  • David Angell, David Davidson, Conni Ellisor, Carl Gorodetzky, Stefan Petrescu, Pamela Sixfin, Elisabeth Small, Alan Umstead, Cathy Umstead, Mary Kathryn Vanosdale, Bruce Weathy and Karen Winklemann – violin

Choir on "For These Times"

  • Renita Smith Crittenden, Darlene Hill, Rick Jones, Calvin Settles, Fallon Settles, Ira Wayne Settles, Odessa Settles, Sara Settles, Shirley Settles, Todd Suttles, Elizabeth White and Pierre Womble

Production

  • Martina McBride – producer
  • John McBride – recording, mixing
  • Allen Ditto – recording assistant, mix assistant
  • Al Schmitt – additional engineer (3)
  • Aaron Walk – assistant engineer (3)
  • Richard Dodd – mastering at RichardDodd.com (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Paige Connors – production coordinator
  • Carole Ann Mobley – A&R direction
  • Judy Forde-Blair – creative production, liner notes
  • S. Wade Hunt – art direction, design
  • Andrew Southam – photography
  • Mary Beth Felts – make-up
  • Claudia Fowler – wardrobe stylist
  • Earl Cox – hair stylist
  • Bruce Allen – management

Chart performance

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2007)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|Billboard200|4|artist=Martina McBride|rowheader=true|access-date=November 29, 2020}}
{{album chart|BillboardCountry|2|artist=Martina McBride|rowheader=true|access-date=November 29, 2020}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2007)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2007/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2007|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 29, 2020}}

| 100

scope="row"| US Top Country Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2007/top-country-albums|title=Top Country Albums – Year-End 2007|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 29, 2020}}

| 21

{{col-end}}

=Singles=

class="wikitable"
rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Single

! colspan="5"| Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2"| Certifications

width="45"| US
Country

{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=martina mcbride|chart=Country Songs}}|title=Martina McBride Album & Song Chart History – Country Songs|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|accessdate=January 20, 2011}}

! width="45"| US
{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=martina mcbride|chart=all}}|title=Martina McBride Album & Song Chart History – Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|accessdate=January 20, 2011}}

! width="45"|US Pop

! width="45"|US
AC

{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=martina mcbride|chart=Adult Contemporary}}|title=Martina McBride Album & Song Chart History – Adult Contemporary|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|accessdate=January 20, 2011}}

! width="45"|CAN
Country

{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=sd1ev11oui676ok3lddrn1b623&q1=Martina+McBride&q2=Country+Singles&interval=20|title=Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada – Country Singles|work=RPM|accessdate=January 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021062011/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=sd1ev11oui676ok3lddrn1b623&q1=Martina+McBride&q2=Country+Singles&interval=20|archive-date=October 21, 2012|url-status=dead}}{{cite magazine |title=Martina McBride chart history (Canada Country) |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/martina-mcbride/chart-history/ccw/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=5 November 2021}}

2006

| "Anyway"

| align="center"|5

| align="center"|32

| align="center"|37

| align="center"|14

| align="center"|9

| * RIAA: Gold{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|type=single|title=Anyway|artist=Martina McBride}}

rowspan="2"|2007

| "How I Feel"

| align="center"|15

| align="center"|108

| align="center"|—

| align="center"|—

| align="center"|28

|

"For These Times"

| align="center"|35

| align="center"|—

| align="center"|—

| align="center"|—

| align="center"|—

|

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Walking Up Laughing}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|title=Waking Up Laughing|artist=Martina McBride|award=Gold}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

References

{{reflist}}

{{Martina McBride}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2007 albums

Category:Martina McBride albums

Category:RCA Records albums