Paint Me a Birmingham

Last updated
"Paint Me a Birmingham"
Paint Me a Birmingham.jpg
Single by Tracy Lawrence
from the album Strong
ReleasedOctober 13, 2003
Genre Country
Length3:47
Label DreamWorks Nashville 14205
Songwriter(s) Buck Moore
Gary Duffy
Producer(s) James Stroud
Tracy Lawrence singles chronology
"What a Memory"
(2002)
"Paint Me a Birmingham"
(2003)
"It's All How You Look at It"
(2004)

"Paint Me a Birmingham" is a song written by Buck Moore and Gary Duffy. It was concurrently released by American country music artists Ken Mellons and Tracy Lawrence, whose versions entered the country charts within one week of each other. Lawrence's was the more successful of the two, reaching #4 in May 2004 and becoming his first Top 5 country hit since "Lessons Learned" in April 2000. [1]

Contents

Content

The narrator/singer describes an encounter with an artist who is painting ocean scenes. The singer asks the painter to paint a picture of the life the man had planned, or imagined, before losing the woman he loved. Specifically, he describes the house, a Birmingham-style house, [2] and a scene where he and his love are together again. The song is in the key of G-flat major, modulating up to A-flat major at the last chorus, with a vocal range from A3 to D5. [3]

Music video

The music video was filmed live in concert.

Chart positions

Ken Mellons

Chart (2003)Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [4] 54

Tracy Lawrence

Chart (2003-2004)Peak
position
Canada Country ( Radio & Records ) [5] 10
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [6] 4
US Billboard Hot 100 [7] 42

Year-end charts

Chart (2004)Position
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [8] 28

Parodies

On his 2004 album Bipolar and Proud , country music parodist Cledus T. Judd parodied the song as "Bake Me a Country Ham". Judd's parody reached #58 on the country music charts.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracy Lawrence</span> American musician

Tracy Lee Lawrence is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born in Atlanta, Texas, and raised in Foreman, Arkansas, Lawrence began performing at age 15 and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1990 to begin his country music career. He signed to Atlantic Records Nashville in 1991 and made his debut late that year with the album Sticks and Stones. Five more studio albums, as well as a live album and a compilation album, followed throughout the 1990s and into 2000 on Atlantic before the label's country division was closed in 2001. Afterward, he recorded for Warner Bros. Records, DreamWorks Records, Mercury Records Nashville, and his own labels, Rocky Comfort Records and Lawrence Music Group.

James Barry Poole is an American country music artist who records under the name Cledus T. Judd. Known primarily for his parodies of popular country songs, he has been called the "Weird Al" Yankovic of country music, and his albums are usually an equal mix of original comedy songs and parodies. Judd has released 11 studio albums and two EPs, and several singles have entered the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. His highest chart peak is the number-48 "I Love NASCAR", a parody of Toby Keith's 2003 single "I Love This Bar".

Chad Brock is an American country music singer and disc jockey. Before beginning his musical career in the late 1990s, he was a professional wrestler in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), until an injury forced him to retire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Ball (country singer)</span> American singer-songwriter

David Ball is an American country music singer-songwriter and musician. Active since 1988, he has recorded a total of seven studio albums on several labels, including his platinum certified debut Thinkin' Problem. Fourteen of Ball's singles have entered the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. His highest-peaking chart entries are 1994's "Thinkin' Problem" and 2001's "Riding With Private Malone", both of which peaked at No. 2.

<i>Bipolar and Proud</i> 2004 studio album by Cledus T. Judd

Bipolar and Proud is a 2004 album released by country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. The album was originally slated to be named "Cledus Gone Wild", but was changed at the last minute. This album also produced his highest chart single in "I Love NASCAR", which charted at 48 on the Hot Country Songs charts.

<i>Strong</i> (Tracy Lawrence album) 2004 studio album by Tracy Lawrence

Strong is the eighth studio album by American country music singer Tracy Lawrence, released in 2004, his only album for the DreamWorks label. It produced three singles for him on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts: "Paint Me a Birmingham" (#4), "It's All How You Look at It" (#35) and "Sawdust on Her Halo" (#48). "Paint Me a Birmingham" was also recorded in 2003 by Ken Mellons on his album Sweet, from which it was released as a single shortly before Lawrence's rendition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Find Out Who Your Friends Are</span> 2006 single by Tracy Lawrence

"Find Out Who Your Friends Are" is a song written by Casey Beathard and Ed Hill, and recorded by American country music artist Tracy Lawrence. It was the lead-off single for his album For the Love, which was released in early 2007 on Rocky Comfort Records, a label which Lawrence owns. The song was originally released to radio stations on August 21, 2006, ahead of its album release on January 30, 2007. The single did not enter the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart until January 2007.

Kenneth Edward Mellons is an American country music artist who released his self-titled debut album in 1994. This album produced the single "Jukebox Junkie", a Top Ten hit on the Hot Country Songs charts. Mellons followed up his debut album with three more albums – 1995's Where Forever Begins, 2001's The Best of Ken Mellons and 2004's Sweet — in addition to charting six more singles on the country charts.

"Let's Make Love" is a song written by Marv Green, Aimee Mayo, Chris Lindsey and Bill Luther, and recorded by American country music artist Faith Hill and her husband Tim McGraw as a duet. It was released in 2000 as the third single from Hill's album, Breathe, and is also featured on McGraw's first greatest hits album. The song reached number 6 on Hot Country Songs. An accompanying video was released in black and white, and featured McGraw and Hill in and around Paris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hell Yeah (Montgomery Gentry song)</span> 2003 single by Montgomery Gentry

"Hell Yeah" is a song written by Jeffrey Steele and Craig Wiseman and recorded by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in July 2003 as the third and final single from the duo's album My Town. The song peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and reached number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Love This Bar</span> 2003 single by Toby Keith

"I Love This Bar" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was released in August 2003 as the first single from his 2003 album Shock'n Y'all. The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, keeping the top spot for five weeks. Keith wrote this song with Scotty Emerick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celebrity (Brad Paisley song)</span> 2003 single by Brad Paisley

"Celebrity" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Brad Paisley. It was released in March 2003 as the first single from his album, Mud on the Tires. The song reached the top five of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at number three. It also peaked at number 31 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redneck Woman</span> 2004 Gretchen Wilson song

"Redneck Woman" is the debut single of American country music artist Gretchen Wilson, released on March 15, 2004, from her debut studio album, Here for the Party (2004). Wilson co-wrote the song with John Rich. It is Wilson's only number-one single on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The song also reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Internationally, the song found modest success in Australia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, reaching number 50 on the Australian Singles Chart, number 45 on the Irish Singles Chart, and number 42 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gone Country (song)</span> 1994 single by Alan Jackson

"Gone Country" is a song written by Bob McDill and recorded by American country music artist Alan Jackson. It was released in November 1994 as the third single from his fourth studio album, Who I Am. As with that album's first two singles, "Gone Country" reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, a position that it held for one week.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wynonna discography</span> Discography

The discography of American country music artist Wynonna contains nine studio albums, four compilation albums, two video albums, one live album, one extended play (EP), 43 singles, 11 music videos and one other-charting song. She achieved success as one half of the mother-daughter duo, The Judds. In 1991, the duo split and Wynonna signed a solo recording contract with MCA Records that year. In March 1992, her debut studio album entitled Wynonna reached number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number four on the Billboard 200. The album spawned three number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart: "She Is His Only Need," "I Saw the Light" and "No One Else on Earth." The album also sold over five million copies. In 1993, it was followed by Tell Me Why, which certified platinum in the United States. It also topped the country albums chart and reached number five on the Billboard 200 It spawned five more top ten country hits, including the title track and "Rock Bottom."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracy Lawrence discography</span>

Tracy Lawrence is an American country music singer. His discography comprises fourteen studio albums, one live album, eight compilation albums, one box set, and 46 singles. Of his albums, the highest-certified are 1993's Alibis and 1996's Time Marches On, each certified 2× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Me Neither</span> 2000 single by Brad Paisley

"Me Neither" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Brad Paisley. It was released in February 2000 as the third single from Paisley's album Who Needs Pictures and reached a peak of number 18 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs in mid-2000. The song was previously included on the soundtrack of the 1999 film Happy, Texas. Paisley wrote this song with Frank Rogers and Chris DuBois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who's Your Daddy? (Toby Keith song)</span> 2002 single by Toby Keith

"Who's Your Daddy?" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was released in August 2002 as the second single from his 2002 album Unleashed. The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Up Down (Morgan Wallen song)</span> 2017 single by Morgan Wallen featuring Florida Georgia Line

"Up Down" is a song written by Hardy, Brad Clawson, and CJ Solar, and recorded by American country music singer Morgan Wallen along with country music duo Florida Georgia Line. The song is Wallen's second single release overall, and it appears on his 2018 studio album If I Know Me. "Up Down" has reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and number five on the Hot Country Songs chart. It also reached number 49 on the Hot 100 chart. The song was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold 267,000 units as of August 2018. It achieved similar chart success in Canada, reaching number one on the Canada Country chart.

References

  1. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. ISBN   978-0-89820-177-2.
  2. https://www.whiskeyriff.com/2020/11/24/i-just-found-out-that-tracy-lawrences-paint-me-a-birmingham-isnt-about-the-city-in-alabama/
  3. "'Paint Me a Birmingham' sheet music". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  4. "Ken Mellons Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  5. Radio & Records: June 4, 2004, page 49 worldradiohistory.com
  6. "Tracy Lawrence Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  7. "Tracy Lawrence Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. "Best of 2004: Country Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media. 2004. Retrieved July 11, 2012.