Gonna Get a Life

Last updated
"Gonna Get a Life"
Mark Chesnutt - Gonna Get a Life single.png
Single by Mark Chesnutt
from the album What a Way to Live
B-side "Half of Everything (And All of My Heart)" [1]
ReleasedFebruary 21, 1995 [2]
Recorded1994
Genre Country
Length3:43
Label Decca
Songwriter(s) Jim Lauderdale, Frank Dycus [3]
Producer(s) Mark Wright
Mark Chesnutt singles chronology
"Goin' Through the Big D"
(1994)
"Gonna Get a Life"
(1995)
"Down in Tennessee"
(1995)

"Gonna Get a Life" is a song written by Jim Lauderdale and Frank Dycus, and recorded by American country music singer Mark Chesnutt. It was released in February 1995 as the third single from his album What a Way to Live . The song became Chesnutt's sixth U.S. Country Music charts Number One in May of that year. [1]

Contents

Background and writing

Jim Lauderdale told Taste of Country that he was working at co-writer Frank Dycus' house that day and while taking a break he played a melody that he came up with. Dycus came up with the title and then wrote the rest of the lyrics. [4]

Critical reception

Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it a "spicy mix of country and cajun." [5]

Music video

The music video was directed by Sherman Halsey and premiered in early 1995. It was filmed in Lafayette, Louisiana. It features Chesnutt performing the song in concert, in a treehouse, and at a cajun party surrounded by various people.

Chart performance

"Gonna Get a Life" debuted at number 68 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of February 25, 1995.

Chart (1995)Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) [6] 2
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [7] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1995)Position
Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) [8] 66
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [9] 22

Related Research Articles

Mark Chesnutt American singer-songwriter (born 1963)

Mark Nelson Chesnutt is an American country music singer and songwriter. Between 1990 and 1999, he had his greatest chart success recording for Universal Music Group Nashville's MCA and Decca branches, with a total of eight albums between those two labels. During this timespan, Chesnutt also charted twenty top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which eight reached number one: "Brother Jukebox", "I'll Think of Something", "It Sure Is Monday", "Almost Goodbye", "I Just Wanted You to Know", "Gonna Get a Life", "It's a Little Too Late", and a cover of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing". His first three albums for MCA along with a 1996 Greatest Hits package issued on Decca are all certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); 1994's What a Way to Live, also issued on Decca, is certified gold. After a self-titled album in 2002 on Columbia Records, Chesnutt has continued to record predominantly on independent labels.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Mark Chesnutt album) 1996 greatest hits album by Mark Chesnutt

Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits compilation released by American country music artist Mark Chesnutt. It features ten top 5 hits from his second through fifth studio albums, as well as the newly recorded tracks "It's a Little Too Late" and "Let It Rain". Both of these tracks were released as singles in 1996, peaking at #1 and #8, respectively, on the Hot Country Songs charts. The album itself earned RIAA platinum certification.

It Sure Is Monday 1993 single by Mark Chesnutt

"It Sure Is Monday" is a song written by Dennis Linde and recorded by American country music artist Mark Chesnutt. It was released in May 1993 as the first single from his 1993 album Almost Goodbye. The song reached number-one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart. It also peaked at number 19 on the U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.

<i>What a Way to Live</i> 1994 studio album by Mark Chesnutt

What a Way to Live is the fifth studio album released by American country music artist Mark Chesnutt. His first album for Decca Records, it earned RIAA gold certification in the United States for sales of 500,000 copies. The tracks "She Dreams", "Goin' Through the Big D", "Gonna Get a Life", and "Down in Tennessee" were all released as singles, peaking at #6, #2, #1, and #23, respectively, on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. "She Dreams" was co-written and originally recorded by Tim Mensy on his 1992 album This Ol' Heart, from which it was released as a single, peaking at #74 on the country charts that year. Mark duets with Waylon Jennings on the track "Rainy Day Woman" which Jennings first recorded on his 1974 album The Ramblin' Man. The title track was originally recorded by Willie Nelson in 1960.

Halfway Down 1995 single by Patty Loveless

"Halfway Down" is a song written by Jim Lauderdale, and recorded by American country music artist Patty Loveless. It was released in July 1995 as the fourth single from her album When Fallen Angels Fly. Dave Edmunds' recording was released in July 1994 on his Plugged In album.

Mark Chesnutt is an American country music singer. His discography comprises eighteen studio albums, five compilation albums, and 48 singles. Although Chesnutt's first release was Doing My Country Thing in 1988 on Axbar Records, he did not break through until his second album, 1990's Too Cold at Home, on MCA Nashville. This album and the two that followed — Longnecks & Short Stories and Almost Goodbye, from 1992 and 1993, respectively — are all certified platinum by the RIAA, as is his 1996 Greatest Hits. 1994's What a Way to Live, the first of four albums that he released on Decca Records, is certified gold.

"I Just Wanted You to Know" is a song written by Tim Mensy and Gary Harrison and recorded by American country music singer Mark Chesnutt. It was released in November 1993 as the third single from his album Almost Goodbye. The song reached number-one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

We Really Shouldnt Be Doing This 1998 single by George Strait

"We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This" is a song written by Jim Lauderdale, and recorded by American country music artist George Strait. It was released in September 1998 as the third and final single from his album One Step at a Time. It peaked at number 4 in the United States, and number 2 in Canada.

"Bubba Shot the Jukebox" is a song written by Dennis Linde, and recorded by American country music singer Mark Chesnutt. It was released in September 1992 as the third single from his album Longnecks & Short Stories. It peaked at number 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and at number 14 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

"Too Cold at Home" is a song written by Bobby Harden, and recorded by American country music singer Mark Chesnutt. It was released in July 16, 1990 as the lead single from his album of the same name. It peaked at number 3 in the United States, while it was a number-one hit in Canada in their respective country music charts.

Thank God for Believers (song) 1997 single by Mark Chesnutt

"Thank God for Believers" is a song co-written by Mark Alan Springer, Roger Springer and Tim Johnson and was recorded by the American country music singer Mark Chesnutt. It was released in July 1997 as the title track and first single from his album Thank God for Believers. It peaked at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and number 7 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

Goin Through the Big D

"Goin' Through the Big D" is a song written by Mark Wright, John Wright and Ronnie Rogers, and recorded by American country music artist Mark Chesnutt. It was released in October 1994 as the second single from his album What a Way to Live. It peaked at number 2 on both the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and the RPM country tracks charts in Canada. It was later the b-side to his 1997 single "Let It Rain".

"Life Gets Away" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Clint Black. It was released in October 1995 as the fifth and final single from Black's album One Emotion. The song reached number 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in December 1995 and number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada. It was written by Black, Hayden Nicholas and Thom Schuyler.

She Dreams 1994 single by Mark Chesnutt

"She Dreams" is a song co-written by Tim Mensy and Gary Harrison. It was originally recorded by Mensy on his 1993 album This Ol' Heart, from which it was released as the third and final single. It was also the final single release of his career. It was recorded by American country music artist Mark Chesnutt and released in July 1994 as the lead single from the album, What a Way to Live. It peaked at number 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and at number 7 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

It Wouldnt Hurt to Have Wings 1995 single by Mark Chesnutt

"It Wouldn't Hurt to Have Wings" is a song written by Jerry Foster, Roger Lavoie and Johnny Morris, and recorded by American country music artist Mark Chesnutt. It was released in December 1995 as the second single from the album Wings. The song reached number 7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and number 4 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

Let It Rain (Mark Chesnutt song) 1997 single by Mark Chesnutt

"Let It Rain" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Mark Chesnutt. It was released in March 1997 as the second single from his Greatest Hits compilation album. The song reached number 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and peaked at number 16 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart. It was written by Chesnutt, Roger Springer and Steve Leslie.

"Down in Tennessee" is a song written by Wayland Holyfield and recorded by American country music artist John Anderson. It was released in November 1985 as the second single from the album Tokyo, Oklahoma. The song reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

"This Heartache Never Sleeps" is a song written by Tim Johnson and Daryl Burgess, and recorded by American country music artist Mark Chesnutt. It was released in April 1999 as the second single from the album I Don't Want to Miss a Thing. The song reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and peaked at number 10 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

Trouble (Todd Snider song) 1995 single by Mark Chesnutt

"Trouble" is a song written by Todd Snider and included on his 1994 debut album Songs for the Daily Planet. The song was subsequently recorded by American country music artist Mark Chesnutt and released in September 1995 as the first single from his album Wings. Chesnutt's version reached number 18 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

"I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair" is a song written by Billy Yates, Frank Dycus and Kerry Kurt Phillips, and recorded by George Jones. It was the first single from his 1992 album Walls Can Fall.

References

  1. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. pp. 92–93. ISBN   978-0-89820-177-2.
  2. http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/chesnutt_mark/611461/album.jhtml
  3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "What a Way to Live". Allmusic . Retrieved 2009-04-19.
  4. Conaway, Alanna (July 2011). ""Gonna Get a Life" — Lyrics Uncovered". Taste of Country. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
  5. "Reviews". Billboard . 4 March 1995. p. 67.
  6. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 8999." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. May 15, 1995. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  7. "Mark Chesnutt Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  8. "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1995". RPM . December 18, 1995. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  9. "Best of 1995: Country Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media. 1995. Retrieved July 21, 2013.