"Better as a Memory" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Kenny Chesney | ||||
from the album Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates | ||||
Released | March 31, 2008 | |||
Recorded | 2007 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 4:12 | |||
Label | BNA | |||
Songwriter(s) | Scooter Carusoe Lady Goodman | |||
Producer(s) | Buddy Cannon Kenny Chesney | |||
Kenny Chesney singles chronology | ||||
|
"Better as a Memory" is a song written by Scooter Carusoe and Lady Goodman and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in March 2008 as the fourth and final single from Chesney's 2007 album Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates . With a two-week stay, it became Chesney's fourteenth number one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of June 28, 2008.
The song is a ballad in which the narrator addresses a lover with whom he is splitting with, but most likely warning her he is not the kind to get deeply involved with. He then lists a series of similes regarding himself (such as "built to fade like your favorite song", and "always sure until I doubt"), ultimately telling her that he is "better as a memory / than as [her] man". [1]
The co-writers of the song are both pseudonymous: Scooter Carusoe is a pseudonym for Travis Hill, founder of Carnival Music, and Lady Goodman is a pseudonym of Holly Gleason, Chesney's publicist and a music critic. [2] [3]
Noted Nashville critic Robert K Oermann of Music Row Magazine wrote that "['Better as a Memory'] could be the performance of [Chesney's] life, [and] perhaps his career."
Leeann Ward of Country Universe gave the song a B− grade. She stated that the lyrics seem to be somewhat "self-indulgent" but then said that "the production is nice and Kenny’s vocals are spot on." [4]
The song was performed with a string quartet on the 2009 Grammy Awards, where Chesney was introduced by Morgan Freeman. Later, it became the final performance in his Sony/Hot Ticket theatrical film "Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3-D."
The tune was voted one of NSAI’s “Ten Songs I Wish I’d Written” in November 2008.
Chart (2008) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [5] | 1 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [6] | 46 |
US Billboard Pop 100 | 100 |
Canada Country ( Billboard ) [7] | 2 |
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [8] | 61 |
Chart (2008) | Position |
---|---|
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [9] | 23 |
Canada Country (Billboard) [10] | 15 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [11] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Kenneth Arnold Chesney is an American country singer. He has recorded more than 20 albums that include more than 40 Top 10 singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, 33 of which have reached number one. Many of these also have charted within the Top 40 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, making him one of the most successful crossover country artists. He has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.
Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates is the eleventh studio album by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released on September 11, 2007 via BNA Records. The album was leaked on the Internet on September 5, 2007. It produced four singles on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart between 2007 and 2008, three of which reached number one. The album also includes duets with George Strait and Joe Walsh. This is Chesney’s second album where he was not a writer or co-writer on any of the tracks, the first being 1996's Me and You.
"You Save Me" is a song written by Brett James and Troy Verges and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released on August 14, 2006, as the fourth single from Chesney’s 2005 album The Road and the Radio. The song peaked at number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Beer In Mexico" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in January 2007 as the fifth and final single from his 2005 album The Road and the Radio. The song reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and is the first single solely written by Chesney to top the chart.
"Anything but Mine" is a song written by Scooter Carusoe and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in January 2005 as the fifth single from Chesney's 2004 album When the Sun Goes Down. The song reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in April 2005.
"Never Wanted Nothing More" is a song written by Ronnie Bowman and Chris Stapleton and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in June 2007 as the first single from Chesney's 2007 album Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates. To date, it is his fastest-climbing number one single, reaching the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart on its eighth chart week.
"The Good Stuff" is a song written by Jim Collins and Craig Wiseman and recorded by the American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in May 2002 as the second single from his 2002 album No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems.
"Don't Blink" is a song written by Casey Beathard and Chris Wallin and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in September 2007 as the second single from Chesney's 2007 album Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates. The song became Chesney's thirteenth number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in late 2007.
"Shiftwork" is a song written by Troy Jones and recorded by the American country music artist Kenny Chesney with George Strait as a duet. It was released in December 2007 as the third single from Chesney's 2007 album, Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates.
"Every Other Weekend" is a duet by American country music artists Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney, recorded on the former's 2007 album Reba: Duets. The song, written by Skip Ewing and Connie Harrington, is the third and final single from the album. When shipped to radio, Chesney's vocals were replaced with Ewing's, although for most of its chart run the song was not credited to either duet partner. It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard country singles charts in 2008, and number 4 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100.
"Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven" is a country music song co-written by American songwriters Jim Collins and Marty Dodson. The song was initially to have been recorded by George Strait for his 2008 album Troubadour, but after Strait decided not to include the song on this album, it was recorded by Kenny Chesney instead. Released in August 2008, Chesney's rendition is his thirty-eighth Top 40 country hit and his fifteenth Number One hit. Chesney's version is the first single from his album Lucky Old Sun, which was released on his own Blue Chair label in association with BNA Records.
"Down the Road" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Mac McAnally. McAnally has charted with the song on two separate occasions. The first of these two versions was released as the second single from his 1990 album Simple Life, and was a minor chart single for him that year. Eighteen years later, McAnally re-recorded the song as a duet with Kenny Chesney on Chesney's 2008 album Lucky Old Sun. This rendition is also McAnally's highest charting country hit, having reached Number One in February 2009.
"Out Last Night" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Kenny Chesney. It was released on April 6, 2009 as the first single and only new track on his compilation album Greatest Hits II. The song reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, becoming his thirty-eighth top 40 hit in the United States. Chesney wrote this song with Brett James.
"Turning Home" is a song written by Kenny Chesney and Scooter Carusoe, and recorded by American country music singer David Nail. It was released in January 2010 as the third single from Nail's debut album I'm About to Come Alive, as well as his fourth single release overall.
"Live a Little" is a song written by David Lee Murphy and Shane Minor and recorded by American country music singer Kenny Chesney. It was released in March 2011 as the third single from Chesney's 2010 album Hemingway's Whiskey. The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in May 2011.
"Reality" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in October 2011 as the fifth and final single from his 2010 album Hemingway's Whiskey. The song became Chesney's twenty-first number one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in early 2012. Chesney wrote this song with Brett James.
"Til It's Gone" is a song written by Rodney Clawson, David Lee Murphy, and Jimmy Yeary and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in October 2014 as the second single from Chesney’s 2014 album The Big Revival.
"American Kids" is a song written by Rodney Clawson, Luke Laird, and Shane McAnally and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in June 2014 as the first single from Chesney's 2014 album The Big Revival. After its official release, the song became available for sale on June 21 that year.
"Save It for a Rainy Day" is a song written by Andrew Dorff, Matthew Ramsey and Brad Tursi, and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in June 2015 as the fourth and final single from Chesney’s 2014 album The Big Revival.
Holly Gleason is an American music critic, songwriter, and music industry consultant. Focused primarily on country and roots music, she has written for Rolling Stone, the New York Times, and Spin, among others. As a publicist, Gleason has worked with artists including Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, and Rodney Crowell. Under the name Lady Goodman, she co-wrote "Better as a Memory," a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country charts for Chesney in 2008.