"If I Could Make a Living" | ||||
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Single by Clay Walker | ||||
from the album If I Could Make a Living | ||||
B-side | "Down by the Riverside" | |||
Released | September 13, 1994 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 2:14 | |||
Label | Giant | |||
Songwriter(s) | Alan Jackson Keith Stegall Roger Murrah | |||
Producer(s) | James Stroud | |||
Clay Walker singles chronology | ||||
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"If I Could Make a Living" is a song written by Alan Jackson, Keith Stegall and Roger Murrah, and recorded by American country music artist Clay Walker. It was released in September 1994 as the first single and title track from his album of the same name. It was Walker's fifth chart entry, and became his fourth Number One hit on the Billboard country charts in November 1994. It also reached #21 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 charts, and on the Canadian RPM country charts, it followed Jackson's "Livin' on Love" at Number One. ("Living" topped the charts two weeks after "Livin' on Love" spent its third week at Number One on the Billboard country charts.)
In an interview with The Columbus Dispatch Walker revealed he was mildly dissatisfied with the single and stated, "I didn't pick the musicians or anything for If I Could Make a Living. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with doing songs with pop melodies, but I find the more mature I get with my music, the more traditional I become. The older I get, the more I love that fiddle and pedal (steel) sound, that pure country sound." In the same interview, Walker also said "If I Could Make a Living is really a fun-lovin' song, but it's a short song . . . a really short song, only two minutes and 14 seconds. Every night I do that song in concert I think, 'Man, that's not enough.'" [1]
The song is an up-tempo in which the narrator says that, if he could make a living out of loving his partner, he would "be a millionaire in a week or two" and never have to leave her behind.
Larry Flick of Billboard gave the song a mixed review writing "Walker has made a hell of a living selling this kind of cornbread-philosophical lyric. Co-written by Alan Jackson, this sounds an awful lot like one of his leftovers. And that ain't necessarily a bad thing." [2]
Tara Seetharam of Country Universe listed "If I Could Make a Living" as the 374th best country single of the 1990s and wrote, "This song is either ridiculously cheesy or irresistibly cheesy depending on your taste, but there's no denying Walker sells the heck out of it with charm and enthusiasm." [3]
The music video was directed by Michael Merriman, and premiered in late 1994.
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Ernest Clayton Walker Jr. is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1993 with the single "What's It to You", which reached Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, as did its follow-up, 1994's "Live Until I Die". Both singles were included on his self-titled debut album, released in 1993 via Giant Records. He stayed with the label until its 2001 closure, later recording for Warner Bros. Records, RCA Records Nashville, and Curb Records.
"Rumor Has It" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker that reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It was released in February 1997 as the first single and title track from his album of the same name. The song was written by Walker and M. Jason Greene.
"What's It To You" is a debut song written by Robert Ellis Orrall and Curtis Wright, and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker that reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was released In July 1993 as his debut single, and was served as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album.
"This Woman And This Man" is a song written by Jeff Pennig and Michael Lunn, and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in December 1994 as the second single from his album If I Could Make a Living. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
"Live Until I Die" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in October 1993 as the second single from his self-titled debut album. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
"Dreamer" is a song produced and recorded by Italian house group Livin' Joy. It features vocals by American singer Janice Robinson, who also wrote the song. Originally released in August 1994, it was re-released in 1995 and topped the UK Singles Chart at the number one spot that May, ending 1995 as the UK's 40th-biggest-selling single of 1995. In the United States, it went to number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. It was a sleeper hit on pop radio, but finally managed to peak at number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 75 on the Cash Box Top 100. MTV Dance ranked "Dreamer" number 15 in their list of "The 100 Biggest 90's Dance Anthems of All Time" in November 2011.
"Then What?" is a song written by Jon Vezner and Randy Sharp, and recorded by American country music artist Clay Walker that reached the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was released in January 1998 as the fourth and final single from his album Rumor Has It.
Clay Walker is an American country music artist. His discography comprises eleven studio albums and a greatest hits album, as well as 36 singles. Walker's first four studio albums—Clay Walker, If I Could Make a Living, Hypnotize the Moon and Rumor Has It—are all certified platinum by the RIAA, and his greatest hits album and Live, Laugh, Love are each certified gold by the RIAA. Clay Walker is also certified platinum by the CRIA, while If I Could Make a Living and Hypnotize the Moon are certified gold.
"Dreaming With My Eyes Open" is a song written by Tony Arata and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released on May 27, 1994 as the fourth and final single from his self-titled debut album, and was featured in the soundtrack to the film The Thing Called Love. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
"You're Beginning to Get to Me" is a song written by Tom Shapiro and Aaron Barker, and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in August 1998 as the second and final single from his Greatest Hits compilation album. It peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
"Hypnotize the Moon" is a song written by Steve Dorff and Eric Kaz, and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in January 1996 as the second single and title track from Walker's CD Hypnotize the Moon. It peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, behind "No News" by Lonestar.
"Livin' on Love" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Alan Jackson. It was released in August 1994 as the second single from his album Who I Am. In late 1994, it became his ninth Number One hit on the Billboard country charts. It also reached number one on the Bubbling Under Hot 100.
"Who Needs You Baby" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Clay Walker. It was released in September 1995 as the lead-off single to his album Hypnotize the Moon. It peaked at #2 in both the United States and Canada. The song was written by Walker, Kim Williams and Randy Boudreaux.
"Bury the Shovel" is a song written by Chris Arms and Chuck Jones, and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in September 1996 as the fourth and final single from his album Hypnotize the Moon.
"Why Wait" is a song written by Neil Thrasher, Tom Shapiro, and Jimmy Yeary and recorded by American country music band Rascal Flatts. It was released in August 2010 as the first single from the band's 2010 album Nothing Like This. It is also their first single from Big Machine Records.
"My Heart Will Never Know" is a song written by Steve Dorff and Billy Kirsch, and recorded by American country music artist Clay Walker. It was released in May 1995 as the third and final single from his album If I Could Make a Living. It peaked at number 16 in the United States and number 6 in Canada.
"Ain't Got Nothin' on Us" is a song written by Jim Robinson and Wendell Mobley, and recorded by American country music artist John Michael Montgomery. It was released in August 1996 as the lead single from his album What I Do the Best. It peaked at number 15 in the United States, while in Canada it peaked at number 3.
"Ordinary People is a song written by Ed Hill and Craig Wiseman, and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in May 1998 as the first single from his Greatest Hits compilation album.
Alan Jackson is an American country music artist. The first artist signed to Arista Nashville Records, he was with them from 1989 to 2011. He has released 15 studio albums, two Christmas albums, 10 compilations, and a tribute album for the label, as well as 67 singles.
"Like We Never Said Goodbye" is a song written by Cory Batten and Tiffany Goss and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in January 2012 as the third second single to his album She Won't Be Lonely Long. It is also the 32nd single of Walker's career.