Turn It Loose

Album: Heartland (1987)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The fourth and final single from The Judds' third album, Heartland, is all about cutting loose and having fun - which is what lead singer Wynonna expected to see when the duo performed the tune in concert.

    "I really get aggravated at people that are cool and reserved," she said in The Billboard Book Of #1 Country Hits. "The person in the front row who's sitting there with his girlfriend, and everything - I'm always saying to people, 'Don't be so concerned with being cool.' 'Turn It Loose' is exactly that message - 'Excu-u-use me, but…' - and put on your shouting shoes. If you think about it, you go out and you purchase a pair of shoes, and they're really, like, outrageous, then it changes your attitude. Or you put on something that just makes you want to go out in the streets and direct traffic. That was exactly the song's message."
  • This was written by The Judds' producer Brent Maher, along with country songwriters Don Schlitz and Craig Bickhardt - the same team behind one of their other chart-topping singles, "I Know Where I'm Going." Bickhardt came up with the "groove music" and they got to work on a performance song for the duo.

    Said Maher: "We weren't thinkin' about a single or anything. We were just thinkin' it would be fun to write something like that, that we could have a real attitude about, and just have them really enjoyin' it on stage. We could almost envision them acting it out on stage while we were writin' it."
  • This was The Judds' 11th #1 hit on the Country chart. The album also reached the top of the Country Albums chart, making it their third consecutive album to do so.
  • Wynonna explained the significance of the album title: "Traveling gives us a chance to be so plugged in to middle America, to the folks that are the salt of the earth. The album Heartland, that's exactly where that title came from - the heartland, the people who are the foundation, who keep this great country running."
  • Although the album is a tribute of sorts to America's heartland, it made an impression abroad, where it was released under the title Give A Little Love. Shortly after The Judds toured in England, it went to #1 on the UK's Country Albums chart.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Real or Spinal Tap

Real or Spinal TapMusic Quiz

They sang about pink torpedoes and rocking you tonight tonight, but some real lyrics are just as ridiculous. See if you can tell which lyrics are real and which are Spinal Tap in this lyrics quiz.

Rock Stars of Horror

Rock Stars of HorrorMusic Quiz

Rock Stars - especially those in the metal realm - are often enlisted for horror movies. See if you know can match the rocker to the role.

Gary LeVox

Gary LeVoxSongwriter Interviews

On "Life Is A Highway," his burgeoning solo career, and the Rascal Flatts song he most connects with.

Shawn Mullins

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."

Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum

Dave Pirner of Soul AsylumSongwriter Interviews

Dave explains how the video appropriated the meaning of "Runaway Train," and what he thought of getting parodied by Weird Al.