Cage the Songbird

Cage the Songbird is the eleventh studio album by American country music singer Crystal Gayle. Released on October 17, 1983, it peaked at #5 on the Billboard Country Album chart. Four of the album's tracks became Top 5 hits on the Country Singles chart, with two of them reaching #1. Chronologically they were "The Sound of Goodbye" (#1), "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love" (#2), "Turning Away" (#1), and "Me Against the Night" (#4).

The title song, "Cage the Songbird", was co-written and first recorded by Elton John in 1976 album, Blue Moves. "Victim or a Fool" was originally recorded by the songwriter, Rodney Crowell on his 1981 eponymous album.

"Take Me Home" was originally sung by Gayle on a Tom Waits composed 1982 soundtrack album called One from the Heart for a movie of the same name. The version on this album is a re-recorded longer version.

Personnel

 * Crystal Gayle – lead vocals, harmony vocals (7)
 * Charles Cochran – electric piano (1, 2, 4, 7, 9), grand piano (3, 6, 9)
 * John Barlow Jarvis – grand piano (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10), electric piano (3, 6, 7)
 * Alan Steinberger – synthesizers (1)
 * Bobby Wood – organ (3, 5)
 * Billy Joe Walker Jr. – electric guitars (1-5, 8, 9), electric lead guitar (6, 7)
 * Reggie Young – electric guitars (1-9)
 * Chris Leuzinger – acoustic guitars (2, 3, 6-9)
 * David Hungate – bass (1-9)
 * Matt Betton – drums (1-9)
 * Jim Horn – piccolo flute (1), saxophone (2, 5, 6, 7), flute (4, 8, 9),recorder (4)
 * Larry Muhoberac – string arrangements (1-4, 6-10), string conductor (1-4, 7, 9, 10)
 * Billy Strange – string conductor (6, 8)
 * The Sid Sharp Strings – strings (1-4, 7, 9, 10)
 * Nashville String Machine – strings (6, 8)
 * Ava Aldridge – harmony vocals (1, 5, 6, 9)
 * Cindy Richardson – harmony vocals (1, 3-7, 9)

Production

 * Crystal Gayle – album direction
 * Jimmy Bowen – producer, recording
 * Lee Herschberg – engineer
 * Steve Tillisch – engineer
 * Ron Treat – engineer
 * Paul Brown – second engineer
 * J.T. Cantwell – second engineer
 * Mark Coddington – second engineer
 * Vicki Hicks – second engineer
 * David Hassinger – remix engineer
 * Glenn Meadows – mastering at Masterfonics (Nashville, Tennessee)
 * Simon Levy – art direction
 * Laura LiPuma – design
 * Harry Langdon – photography