Smoke Rings in the Dark

Smoke Rings in the Dark
Studio album by Gary Allan
Released	October 26, 1999
Genre	Country
Length	40:10
Label	MCA Nashville
Producer	Mark Wright Tony Brown Byron Hill
Gary Allan chronology
It Would Be You (1998) Smoke Rings in the Dark (1999) Alright Guy (2001)
Singles from Smoke Rings in the Dark
"Smoke Rings in the Dark" Released: August 9, 1999 "Lovin' You Against My Will" Released: April 8, 2000 "Right Where I Need to Be" Released: September 11, 2000

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Entertainment Weekly	A−[2]

Smoke Rings in the Dark is the third studio album from American country music singer Gary Allan. It was released on October 26, 1999 as his first album for MCA Nashville after the closure of Decca Records Nashville, his previous label. It was certified platinum by the RIAA and it produced three singles: the title track, "Lovin' You Against My Will", and "Right Where I Need to Be", which respectively reached number 12, number 34 and number 5 on the Hot Country Songs charts. "Right Where I Need to Be" was also Allan's first Top Five country hit.

"Don't Tell Mama" was previously recorded by Ty Herndon on his 1996 album Living in a Moment, and later by Doug Stone on his 2007 album My Turn. Also, "Runaway" is a cover of a Del Shannon song. Allan's cover also charted at number 74 on the country charts in 2000 based on unsolicited airplay.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Smoke Rings in the Dark"	Rivers Rutherford, Houston Robert	4:18
2.	"Right Where I Need to Be"	Casey Beathard, Kendell Marvel	3:02
3.	"Don't Tell Mama"	Buddy Brock, Kim Williams, Jerry Laseter	3:56
4.	"Lovin' You Against My Will"	Jamie O'Hara	3:59
5.	"Sorry"	Shawn Camp, Brice Long, Wynn Varble	3:06
6.	"Cryin' for Nothin'"	Kevin Welch	4:17
7.	"Bourbon Borderline"	John Wiggins, Harley Allen, Jennifer Bibeau	2:47
8.	"Runaway"	Del Shannon, Max Crook	2:45
9.	"Learning to Live with Me"	Gary Burr, Allen	2:35
10.	"Cowboy Blues"	George McCorkle, Mike Geiger, Mike Huffman	2:57
11.	"I'm the One"	Gary Allan, Odie Blackmon, O'Hara	3:17
12.	"Greenfields"	Camp, Frank Dycus	3:11
Total length:			40:10

Chart performance

Album

Chart (1999)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums	9
U.S. Billboard 200	84
Canadian RPM Country Albums	13

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions
		US Country	US	CAN Country
1999	"Smoke Rings in the Dark"	12	76	5
2000	"Lovin' You Against My Will"	34	—	30
	"Right Where I Need to Be"	5	42	*
"—" denotes releases that did not chart * denotes unknown peak positions

Certifications

Region	Certification
United States (RIAA)[3]	Platinum

Personnel

• Gary Allan – lead vocals
• Lisa Cochran – background vocals
• David Campbell – string arranger, conductor
• Christy Cornelius – background vocals
• Chad Cromwell – drums
• Dan Dugmore – pedal steel guitar, acoustic guitar
• Steve Gibson – electric guitar
• Randy Hardison – background vocals
• Brice Long – background vocals
• Marilyn Martin – background vocals
• The Nashville String Machine – strings
• Steve Nathan – piano, keyboards
• Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
• Brent Rowan – electric guitar
• John Wesley Ryles – background vocals
• Lisa Silver – background vocals
• Hank Singer – fiddle
• Harry Stinson – background vocals
• Wynn Varble – background vocals
• Bergen White – background vocals
• John Willis – acoustic guitar
• Curtis Young – background vocals

References

1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Smoke Rings in the Dark review". Allmusic. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
2. Nash, Alanna (November 5, 1999). "Smoke Rings in the Dark review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
3. "American album certifications – Gary Allan – Smoke Rings in the Dark". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH