On SOMETHING INSIDE SO STRONG Kenny Rogers has created an album with some of his most memorable material in my opinion. From the stunning duet with Anne Murray called "If I Ever Fall In Love Again", which was sadly ignored by country radio, to the beautiful duet with Holly Dunn called "Maybe", this is a great album. With this album Kenny slowly moved back into country music after experimenting with pop for a bit. Another duet on the album is the great "If I Knew Then What I Know Now", with Gladys Knight. Sounds like a bad match but Kenny could sing a duet with any female artist in my opinion, he has one of those beautiful voices which compliments other singer's voices. As well there are beautiful, inspiring songs such as the title track, which is an uplifting anthem of never giving up in the face of challenges. And the theme for the '88 Olympics, "When You Put Your Heart In It", is another beautiful inspirational song. "One Night" and "The Vows Go Unbroken (Always True To You)" are both beautiful declarations of love. The whole album is a consistently good effort of good material, this album is difficult to find but its worth the effort to find it.

After years of mediocre pop-flavored offerings, Kenny Rogers left RCA and headed back to country with this release. Perhaps its liability was the attempt to be all things to all fans.

"Planet Texas" is about as clever and as quirky as a novelty song can get, but it was far from a hit single. Kenny Rogers has always been a welcoming duet partner. On this release, he took it to an extreme. Anne Murray, Holly Dunne, and Gladys Knight (yes Gladys Knight) all takes turns sharing the microphone. Anne Murray's collaboration on "If I Ever Fall in Love Again" is a strong country love song that also failed to achieve the airplay it deserved. "Maybe" with Holly Dunne was certainly adequate, but why Kenny and Gladys remade the Gary Morris flop is a true mystery.It contains lyrics like the badly forced rhyme, "I would have held you tighter/ I would have loved you righter."

Traditional country couple Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White harmonized on "The Vows Go Unbroken," the album's most rustic sounding effort. "When You Put Your Heart In It" was the theme song of the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team and was probably hurt by preceding the album's release by nearly a year.

The title is a gospel-sounding anthem adding to the effort cover all bases. Overall it is a very rewarding experience despite the hodgepodge of styles represented. It certainly marked Kenny Rogers overdue first step back to country.

I remember this album well. When I was growing up, my parents would drive me up to our cottage and we would play this cassette in the car. I remember that I fell in love with Kenny's voice and these songs were so powerful to me, even at the young age of six or seven I felt inspired by this music. It is truly my favorite Kenny Rogers album, even though it is not his usual country style music. 12 years later I have come back to this album, and I smile when I remember those days of listening to the cassette of this very album. The title track "Something Inside So Strong" is a very empowering inspirational theme, it puts a lump in your throat. The duet with Anne Murray, "If I Ever Fall In Love Again", is a beautiful ballad which deserved more recognition that it got. "When You Put Your Heart In It" is a beautiful inspirational song. Other mentionable songs include If I Knew Then What I Know Now, the duet with Gladys Knight, There Lies The Difference, and Planet Texas. Although the whole album is completely enjoyable. I highly reccomend this album, its the perfect album for any mood you are in.

i just wanted to thank you for such a inspiritional song,my football team plays it befor every game,the words are very moving and it helps my players relax,we played it last year befor a big championship game,i think that's what helped us win.keep writing words like that and we will play it over and over.again thank you very much, squiggy.(manager of the norwich purple tornado football team)

Great work by this gentleman. The neat thing about the album is that it is more realistic than some of those wonderful out-of-this-world love stories other artist sing about. Great for all those sweathearts. Keeps the dreams of all "singles" alive too.