About the song
**Tanya Tucker’s “Love Me Like You Used To”: A Testament to Country Resilience**
In 1987, Tanya Tucker, a venerable figure in American country music, released her sixteenth studio album, *Love Me Like You Used To*. This album came as a triumphant follow-up to her successful comeback record, *Girls Like Me*. *Love Me Like You Used To* is a testament to Tucker’s enduring talent and her ability to captivate audiences with deeply emotive and relatable country tunes.
The album’s title track, “Love Me Like You Used To,” perfectly encapsulates the essence of Tucker’s style during this era—intimate, heartfelt, and resonant with personal and universal themes of love and longing. Written by Paul Davis and Bobby Emmons, this song achieved significant acclaim, rising to number two on the Billboard Country charts, and remains a quintessential piece in Tucker’s discography.
Another highlight of the album is the track “I Won’t Take Less Than Your Love,” a powerful collaboration featuring Paul Davis and Paul Overstreet. This song, penned by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz, reached the top of the Billboard Country charts, further solidifying Tucker’s place at the forefront of country music. It showcases Tucker’s remarkable ability to blend her distinctive voice with the harmonious contributions of her collaborators, creating a memorable and impactful listening experience.
*Love Me Like You Used To* also features “If It Don’t Come Easy,” a song that epitomizes Tucker’s rich, expressive vocal style and her knack for conveying deep emotion through her music. This track, written by Dave Gibson and Craig Karp, also soared to number one on the Country charts, highlighting Tucker’s continued relevance and popularity in the country music scene.
The album, produced by Jerry Crutchfield, reflects a blend of classic country instrumentation and contemporary sensibilities. With tracks like “I Wonder What He’s Doing Tonight,” “Alien,” and “Temporarily Blue,” Tucker explores a variety of themes and moods, from introspective ballads to upbeat numbers, ensuring that each song contributes uniquely to the album’s cohesive narrative.
Despite its success, reaching number ten on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums chart, *Love Me Like You Used To* is often celebrated not just for its chart performance but for its reflection of Tucker’s artistic evolution and resilience. Each track on the album is a testament to her ability to connect with listeners through poignant lyrics and evocative melodies, reaffirming her status as a cornerstone of country music.
Overall, *Love Me Like You Used To* stands as a significant chapter in Tanya Tucker’s storied career, showcasing her remarkable talent and her continued influence in the genre.
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Lyrics
In a cozy little restaurant for lovers
It seems so out of place for you and me
We used to play around under the covers
But now it’s just a place to watch TV
So love me like you used to
When our love was brand new
And darlin’ when we’re through
You can love me again.
And hold me like you want to
Instead of like you have to
Love me like you used to love me
When you used to love me.
Baby we could use a long vacation
But the trouble here is bound to tag along
We used to be each other’s inspiration
When it only took my touch to turn you on
So love me like you used to
When our love was brand new
And darlin’ when we’re through
You can love me again.
And hold me like you want to
Instead of like you have to
Love me like you used to love me
When you used to love me.
Well we used to sit and talk about forever
But now we hardly ever talk at all
We walked a lot of tight ropes together
We always caught each other when we’d fall
So love me like you used to
When our love was brand new
And darlin’ when we’re through
You can love me again.
And hold me like you want to
Instead of like you have to
Love me like you used to love me
When you used to love me.
Love me like you used to
When you used to love me…