I'M NOT LISA

'"I'm Not Lisa"' is a popular 1975 country and pop song by country music artist Jessi Colter.

Contents

History

Cover Versions

History

"I'm Not Lisa" has been said to be one of country music's greatest songs of all time. The song had been first recorded by Jessi Colter in 1975. Colter was already the wife of country singer Waylon Jennings, who was trying to establish her very own career in country music. She wanted to go into the category of outlaw country music with her husband and other artists like Willie Nelson and Sammi Smith. She had recorded numerous duets with Jennings before writing any material on her own. "I'm Not Lisa" was one of the first songs she wrote. Colter liked the song when she wrote it and decided to record it under her label Capitol Records. The song was then featured on her debuting 1975 album ''I'm Jessi Colter''. The song soon was released as a single. "I'm Not Lisa" climbed the country charts that year and went directly to #1. "I'm Not Lisa" also achieved huge pop success. The song reached the Top 5 on the pop charts that year and made a Colter a household name. "I'm Not Lisa" became Colter's signature song.
"I'm Not Lisa" was one of the first crossover country songs by a female artist. Lynn Anderson, Skeeter Davis, and Patsy Cline were some of the few country singers that achieved country-crossover success during the 1970s. "I'm Not Lisa" proved to be one of Colter's greatest achievements. Not only did she write the song, but Colter also played the keyboard in the recording. The song was Colter's only crossover hit. The song has also been classified as one of the greatest hits of the 1970s, reaching many '70s compilation albums.

Cover Versions

Other artists have recorded the song. Most recently Nashville Star winner Erika Jo recorded a version of the song. She even released the song as her first single from her self-titled debut album, but it failed to chart on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks list. Even Waylon Jennings recorded a version of his wife's greatest hit. Other versions of "I'm Not Lisa" have been recorded by such artists as Rosemary Clooney, Tanya Tucker, Marianne Faithfull, and Elizabeth Cook. None of Colter's later songs gained the success that "I'm Not Lisa" did. Her follow-up, "What's Happened to Blue Eyes", was a successful country hit but only reached #57 on the pop charts.