| What I Do | 
 enlarge | Artist: Alan Jackson
Label: Arista
Category: Music
List Price: $11.98
Buy New: $1.60
You Save: $10.38 (87%)
New (53) Used (45) from $0.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  53 reviews
Sales Rank: 80174
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.6 x 0.5
MPN: 63103
UPC: 828766310320
EAN: 0828766310320
ASIN: B0002NRRYM
Release Date: September 7, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: ******BRAND NEW****** ** Over 1.5 million orders shipped worldwide and more than 500 000 items in stock, BUY FROM A TRUSTED SOURCE, ESTABLISHED SINCE 1998 - INETVIDEO ~~~
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| Tracks:
| • | Too Much of a Good Thing - Alan Jackson, Jackson, Alan [1] | | • | Rainy Day in June - Alan Jackson, Jackson, Alan [1] | | • | USA Today - Alan Jackson, Jackson, Alan [1] | | • | If Love Was a River - Alan Jackson, Wright, Adam | | • | If French Fries Were Fat Free - Alan Jackson, Jackson, Alan [1] | | • | You Don't Have to Paint Me a Picture - Alan Jackson, Jackson, Alan [1] | | • | There Ya Go - Alan Jackson, Hill, Dan [1] | | • | The Talkin' Song Repair Blues - Alan Jackson, Linde, Dennis | | • | Strong Enough - Alan Jackson, Wright, Adam | | • | Monday Morning Church - Alan Jackson, Baxter, Brent | | • | Burnin' the Honky Tonks Down - Alan Jackson, Burnette, Billy | | • | To Do What I Do - Alan Jackson, Johnson, Tim [4] |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Swaddled in the usual twang and spiced up by Stuart Duncan's sparkling mandolin and fiddle, Jackson continues his endless exploration of joy and sorrow tempered by his guileless humility. As usual, his originals provide the most power. The joy of "Too Much of a Good Thing" contrasts with the throbbing sense of loss found on "Rainy Day in June." Too cute and transparent for its own good, "USA Today" pales (though the publishers surely loved the plug) next to the finely honed laments "If French Fries Were Fat Free" and "You Don't Have to Paint Me a Picture." The latter, with the line "Your love's like some old cheap magic marker that said forever, now it's gone," is worthy of Harlan Howard. Of the non-originals, "Talkin' Song Repair Blues" may be a songwriters' in-joke, but the Billy Burnette-Shawn Camp composition "Burnin' the Honky Tonks Down" yanks Jackson from his usual laid-back comfort zone into a ripping vocal-instrumental jam. As a whole, the album stands as a benediction to an artist whose integrity and success has prevailed in the face of endless trends and fads that have swept away many lesser talents. --Rich Kienzle
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| Customer Reviews: Read 48 more reviews...
 A step back for Alan, but still great October 16, 2004
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
I bought my first Alan Jackson record five years ago. No matter what song or album Alan puts out, it turns into a hit. Alan's latest record, What I Do, is another strong performance.
"Too Much Of A Good Thing", Alan's current hit, is about a guy who can't get enough of the one he loves. It's rapidly climbing the charts. "If Love Was A River" is a song about taking the opportunity to build a relationship("If love was a river and I was a drowning man/Would you go in the water, would you lend me a hand"). "There Ya Go" is another song with that same theme("There ya go, you're doing fine/Take each day like a step/One at a time"). Of course, Alan has his usual dose of heartbreak and lost love. "You Don't Have To Paint Me A Picture", "Rainy Day In June", and "Strong Enough" are all strong "heartbreak" numbers, with the speaker saying in "Strong Enough": "Mexico, you don't make tequila/Strong enough to get her off my mind." In "USA Today", the speaker tries to put a positive spin on his breakup. He won't have to worry because the newsman called and told him that "they're...puttin' me on the cover of the USA Today". "Monday Morning Church", though, tops them all. Trying to cope with the loss of his wife, the man won't go anywhere, even to church, since "they took all that he believed and laid it in the ground". The closing number "To Do What I Do", which was recorded live, could very well be Alan's celebration of his career. As he sings, I think it's obvious that Alan is enjoying himself: "There's so much joy this music can bring/So I count my blessings when I step up to sing/'Cause there's so many people that would give anything/To do what I do."
Alan, however, always has room for the upbeat on his records. This record has a couple of strong toe-tappers. In "Talkin' Song Repair Blues", the guy takes his car to the garage to get it fixed. After the mechanic gives the car owner the estimate of how much the job will cost, they get to talking and realize they're both songwriters. When the mechanic plays his song, the owner of the car gives him his opinion and tells him how to fix the song. They both break out in laughter. The toe-tapping "Burnin' The Honky Tonks Down" is about a woman who gets even with her husband for going out to the bars by following him to the bars and torching them. There's a lot of humor in those songs. However, I think Alan finally put a song that's a "miss" on one of his records. In "If French Fries Were Fat Free", the guy is talking about how life would be if he hadn't lost his love. The song is great--until you get to the chorus: "If French fries were fat free/And you still loved me." These lines kind of spoil the effect of the song. Instead of feeling heartbreak, I think some people would laugh at these words. On a record where any one of the songs could be a hit, Alan stumbles here. However, even though it's not quite up to the level of music we expect from Alan, What I Do is another great album from this award-winning singer. This record has already produced one huge hit and will without a doubt have several other hits off it.
 fabulous...as always January 9, 2005
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
Alan Jackson is one of the most consistent superstars in any genre, and in every facet of his enormous talent; as a songwriter always turning out melodies and lyrics of fine quality, sung so well in his relaxed warm baritone, and along with his extraordinary band, giving us nothing but brilliant musicianship.
"What I do" is what he does so perfectly: A blend of lilting ballads of the love-lost variety, up-tempo numbers with a nice slice of humor ("The Talkin' Song Repair Blues" is hilarious), and with a blazing track to show off the immense virtuosity of the musicians, "Burnin' the Honkey Tonks Down" will knock your socks off. Stuart Duncan (fiddle) and Hargus "Pig" Robbins (piano) are among those that back Jackson in this CD, with the exception of the final track, which was recorded live at the 2004 Flameworthy Awards in Nashville, and has a different line-up, which includes guitarist Tom Rutledge.
The singles from this CD are "Too Much of a Good Thing" and "Monday Morning Church" (the lovely Patty Loveless sings harmony on the latter), but there isn't a song on this CD that isn't hit-worthy...it is excellence through and through.
Jackson wrote five of the twelve songs (tracks # 1, # 2, # 3, # 5, and # 6), and "Rainy Day in June", a delicate and sad love song, is a favorite...though it's hard to pick favorites in this album.
The sound is crystal clear, the booklet insert contains recording info and all the lyrics, and total playing time is 44'48.
 Disappointing September 9, 2004
7 out of 10 found this review helpful
There are few artists in country music today that I love and hold in high regard. Alan Jackson has always been number one to me. I am a huge fan and believe the man can do no wrong. I still believe that. After these last few years, Alan has only gotten bigger and better. The breezy, wonderful delight of the "When Somebody Loves You" CD, as well as one of his top best "Drive", and the incredible success of "Greatest Hits Vol. 2", with it's great 2 new songs. So, it is coming off these last few CD's that makes this one somewhat disappointing. Not that it's bad. Far from it. It's just not very distinctive. The sound and talent is pure Alan, and he still has one the best country voices and sounds in the biz. But there is no "Drive", "It's Five 'O' Clock Somewhere", "Where I Come From", "Work In Progress", "That'd Be Alright" here. Alan has always been low key, and that has been one of the greatest things about him, but he is too low key here. The first single, "Too Much Of A Good Thing", and first track, is a light and sweet little song, but it sounds more like a second or third single than the lead off one. "USA Today" is a marginal toe tapper with fun lyrics, and should gain some airplay. The only real up-tempo songs here is "Burnin' The Honky Tonks Down". It's a fun little song, but something Alan and others have done over and over. Many songs here feel and sound the same way. There is no real distinction or great catch to many of them. Ones with titles you would think would be the catchy, fun type of Alan song, aren't. "There Ya Go" sounds like it would be like "There Goes" or "That'd Be Alright", but it's pretty mellow. Same with "If French Fries Were Fat Free". Not there aren't highlights. There are some gems here. "You Don't Have To Paint Me A Picture" is the "sad, cry in your beer" song that Alan does, and it's one of his best. "Strong Enough" is a sweet song with a fun lyrical flow, and should be on the radio. There is also the sweet and lovely "Monday Morning Church", which is elegantly written. These songs would be more stand-outs if they weren't on a CD already filled with them. There are no real big stand out hits here, or many songs that are that memorable, like most of his albums. The musical side is still polished and tight, and the writing is still top quality country. Alan has always pretty much been consistent in tone and writing, but this time out he seems to take that consistency and put it on auto pilot and turn out a CD that will probably get the least amount of spins. It's still a well made CD that is still better, and more country, than most other things out there(hence the three stars), but this is the first time I have given an Alan Jackson CD less than 5 stars. Maybe we won't have to wait so long for the next CD, and hopefully Alan can kick it up a notch.
Solid Album, did we expect any less? September 9, 2004
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
I picked this up the day it came out because Alan Jackson's CDs are worth buying regardless of how many hits come out of the album. This is another great one.
Many songs jump out to you the first time you listen, which is a great sign. After listending to "To Do What I Do", I had to replay it several times. It is a great song where AJ gives tribute to fans and thanks for his opportunity as a musician in a his humble manner that we all love.
The albumn is a very good mix of fast to slow songs. I would say 50/50 ratio. Several of the songs are quite humerous:
"If French Fries were Fat Free" - 4 stars of 5
"The Talkin' Song Repair Blues" - 1 of 5, the worst song on the albumn, only funny the first time.
"Strong Enough" - 5 of 5, AJ complains to liquor bottlers that their products are not strong enough. I loved this.
I would rate all the others songs with 4 or 5 stars. These are just solid songs.
The only negative is that there was not any song that knocked me off my seat like "Remember When" and "5-o'clock Somewhere" did when his last albumn came out. I just don't see a trademark song coming out of this album.
 From Drive To This October 5, 2004
7 out of 14 found this review helpful
Alan Jackson is the type of the singer, that relies on his fanbase to support everything he does. He has a beautiful singing style and writes songs that fit perfectly for the country crowd. For Alan though this album has no substance, the songs have a typical AJ feel to them and I am sure the pure country crowd will love it, but after 2002's Drive I expected more, hes gone back into the typical mid 90s attitude of well Im not pop country so I must be good. If French fries were fat free has to be the most embrassing song of his career. Please save your money.
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