The Secret of Life (song)

Last updated
"The Secret Of Life"
Faith Hill - The Secret of Life single.png
Single by Faith Hill
from the album Faith
ReleasedMay 3, 1999 [1]
Recorded1998
Genre Country
Length4:14
Label Warner Bros. Nashville
Songwriter(s) Gretchen Peters
Producer(s)
Faith Hill singles chronology
"Love Ain't Like That"
(1999)		"The Secret Of Life"
(1999)		"Breathe"
(1999)

"The Secret of Life" is a song written and originally recorded by American country music singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters. The song was included on her debut album of the same name in 1996. [2]

Contents

The track would become famous when country musician Faith Hill recorded it for her third studio album Faith (1998). The song would be released on May 3, 1999, via Warner Bros. Nashville as the fifth and final single from the album. The track was a success for Hill, hitting number 4 on the US Hot Country Songs chart. [3] It would also reach the runner-up spot of the Canadian RPM Country Tracks and the top-fifty of the Billboard Hot 100. Peters would later re-record the song as an acoustic recording to her 2015 studio album Blackbirds.

Background

Gretchen Peters is a well-known Nashville songwriter. Peters had success during the decade penning hits such as "Let That Pony Run" and "Independence Day". She wanted to write a song based around a group of guys after many of her songs were labeled by Nashville as "women's songs," a term that Peters did not like. [4]

Music video

Steven Goldmann shot the music video. The night before the video was to be shot, the original location for the bar that the directors scouted out had a fire and burned. The Palace Saloon in Fernandina Beach, Florida, located on Amelia Island suffered extensive damage to the interior only. The video was first released on May 12, 1999 to CMT where it was labeled as a "Hot Shot". [5] It was then released on June 7, 1999 to The Nashville Network before it was rebranded as Spike TV. [6]

Synopsis

The video opens with a street shot showing the exterior of The Palace with a banner reading "The Starlight Bar & Lounge" covering The Palace sign, as to follow the lyrics of the song. The exterior is used in several shots including Hill standing at the entrance with the doors closed. The interior of the saloon was rebuilt and remains open to this day and is billed as "Florida's oldest continuously operating bar." The video showcases Hill as an observer to the bar conversation referenced in the lyrics. Scenes of small-town life are interspersed. Throughout the video, various characters hold up photographs that seem to come to life. Some of the interior scenes were filmed at St. Nick's Lounge in Jacksonville, Florida. St. Nick's lounge has been a part of the bar scene in Jacksonville since the late 1940's.

Commercial performance

"The Secret of Life" debuted on the US Hot Country Songs chart the week of May 8, 1999, at number 75. The track reached number four on the chart the week ending September 18, 1999, spending 24 weeks in total on the chart.

Personnel

Information taken from the Faith booklet. [7]

Charts

Related Research Articles

<i>Breathe</i> (Faith Hill album) 1999 studio album by Faith Hill

Breathe is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Faith Hill, released November 9, 1999, via Warner Bros. Nashville. The album is one of the most successful country pop albums of all time and Hill's best selling album to date, being certified certified 8× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<i>Here for the Party</i> 2004 studio album by Gretchen Wilson

Here for the Party is the debut studio album by American country music singer Gretchen Wilson. It was released on May 11, 2004 through Epic Records Nashville. After singing in a bar, she met John Rich of Big & Rich, who invited her to work with him. She would later join the MuzikMafia, a collection of Nashville singers and songwriters that gathered weekly to play songs. Wilson recorded the album in Nashville, Tennessee. The album was produced by Joe Scaife, Mark Wright, and John Rich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dance with the One That Brought You</span> 1993 single by Shania Twain

"Dance with the One That Brought You" is a song by Shania Twain, released as the second single from her debut studio album Shania Twain. The song was written by Sam Hogin and Gretchen Peters. The single was released to radio in July 1993. The song proved to have the same success as its predecessor at country radio, as they both peaked at number 55. The video also gained attention because of its high profile director and guest actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Place That Far (song)</span> 1998 song performed by Sara Evans

"No Place That Far" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Sara Evans. It was released in September 1998 as the second single and title track from her album of the same name. It was her first Top 40 single on the Hot Country Songs chart, as well as her first number one hit. An acoustic version of "No Place That Far" without backing vocals was included on Evans' compilation album Feels Like Home. Evans wrote this song with Tom Shapiro and Tony Martin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cry (Faith Hill song)</span> 2002 single by Faith Hill

"Cry" is a song by American country music singer Faith Hill. It was released as the first single from her fifth studio album of the same name (2002). The song was originally written and recorded by singer-songwriter Angie Aparo for his 1999 album, The American. In 2003, at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards, Hill won the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Cry", marking her second win in the category.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Kiss (Faith Hill song)</span> 1998 song by Faith Hill

"This Kiss" is a song by American country music singer Faith Hill from her third studio album Faith. It was written by Beth Nielsen Chapman, Robin Lerner and Annie Roboff, and produced by Hill and Byron Gallimore. It was released on February 23, 1998, as the album's first single.

Stephanie Kay Bentley is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 1996 as a duet partner on Ty Herndon's single "Heart Half Empty", which peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. The single was included both on Herndon's 1995 debut album What Mattered Most and on Bentley's 1996 debut album Hopechest. It produced three more singles for her on the country charts, although only one reached Top 40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faith Hill discography</span>

American country music singer Faith Hill has released seven studio albums, four compilation albums, and 46 singles. All of Hill's studio albums have been certified Gold or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America.

"Love Ain't Like That" is a song written by Tim Gaetano and A. J. Masters, and recorded by American country music artist Faith Hill. It was released in January 1999 as the fourth single from her album Faith. The song reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in April 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Me Let Go</span> 1998 single by Faith Hill

"Let Me Let Go" is a song written by Steve Diamond and Dennis Morgan and recorded by American country music singer Faith Hill. It was released on September 14, 1998, as the third single from Hill's third studio album, Faith (1998). The song features background vocals from Vince Gill. At the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, it received a nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">But I Will</span> 1994 single by Faith Hill

"But I Will" is a song recorded by American country music artist Faith Hill. It was written by Troy Seals, Eddie Setser, and Larry Stewart, and produced by Scott Hendricks. It was released on May 16, 1994, as the third single from Hill's debut studio album Take Me as I Am (1993) by Warner Bros. Nashville.

<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">It Must Be Love (Ty Herndon song)</span> 1998 single by Ty Herndon featuring Sons of the Desert

"It Must Be Love" is a song by American country music singer Ty Herndon, taken from his third studio album Big Hopes (1998). The song, penned by Craig Bickhardt and Jack Sundrud and produced by Doug Johnson, was released on July 27, 1998, as the second single from the album. Sons of the Desert is featured in the chorus of the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Do I Get There</span> 1997 single by Deana Carter

"How Do I Get There" is a song by American country music artist Deana Carter, written by her and Chris Farren who also produced the track. It was recorded for her debut studio album Did I Shave My Legs for This? (1995) by Capitol Nashville. "How Do I Get There" was serviced to country radio stations on July 21, 1997, as the fourth single from the US version of the album. No video was made for the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terri Clark discography</span>

Canadian country music artist Terri Clark has released 12 studio albums, 1 live album, 3 compilation albums, 27 music videos and 43 singles. In 1994, she signed her first recording contract with Mercury Nashville Records. Her self-titled debut studio album was released in 1995. Its first three singles became top 10 hits on both the Billboard and Canadian country charts: "Better Things to Do", "When Boy Meets Girl", and "If I Were You". Clark's second studio album Just the Same was released in 1996. "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" was issued as the lead single, peaking at number 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. In 1998, Clark's third studio album How I Feel was released. The album spawned four singles including "You're Easy on the Eyes", which topped both the American and Canadian country charts. How I Feel would also become Clark's third album to certify platinum in sales from the RIAA and the MC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">On a Bus to St. Cloud</span> 1995 single by Trisha Yearwood

"On a Bus to St. Cloud" is a song written by Gretchen Peters that was originally recorded by American country artist Trisha Yearwood. It was released in 1995 as the fifth single from her fourth studio album, Thinkin' About You. The song charted on the Billboard country songs survey that year and was received positively by music critics. Peters included her own version of the song on her 1996 debut album The Secret of Life, an acoustic version on her 2015 album Blackbirds and a live version on her 2022 album The Show.

"My Baby Loves Me (Just the Way That I Am)" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters and was first recorded by Canadian country music singer Patricia Conroy on her second studio album, Bad Day for Trains (1992). Her version was released in May 1992 as the first single from her album and peaked at number eight on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks.

"Callin' Baton Rouge" is a country music song written by Dennis Linde. The song has been recorded by multiple artists since its composition. It was notably recorded by American country singer and songwriter Garth Brooks whose version was a chart-topping single in the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let That Pony Run</span> 1993 single by Pam Tillis

"Let That Pony Run" is a song written by Gretchen Peters and recorded by American country music artist Pam Tillis. It was released in January 1993 as the second single from the album Homeward Looking Angel. The song reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

<i>The Secret of Life</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Gretchen Peters

The Secret of Life is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters. It was released in 1996, and featured a minor hit single in the track, "When You Are Old". The song reached number 68 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The album was the first release for Imprint Records.

References

  1. ↑ "Going for Adds: Country". Radio & Records . No. 1297. April 30, 1999. p. 64.
  2. ↑ The Secret of Life (liner notes). Gretchen Peters. 1996. Imprint Records. 10000
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. ISBN   978-0-89820-177-2.
  4. ↑ Ortega, Shawna. "Gretchen Peters (Independence Day) : Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts . Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Country: Country Video". Radio & Records . No. 1299. May 14, 1999. p. 71.
  6. ↑ "Country: Country Video". Radio & Records . No. 1303. June 11, 1999. p. 88.
  7. ↑ Faith (US liner notes). Faith Hill. Warner Bros. Nashville Records. 1998. 46790
  8. ↑ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 8434." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. October 4, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Faith Hill Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  10. ↑ "Faith Hill Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  11. ↑ "Faith Hill Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard.
  12. ↑ "R&R Country Top 50". Radio & Records . No. 1314. August 27, 1999. p. 110.
  13. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1999". RPM . December 13, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Best of 1999: Country Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media. 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Country: Top 99 of 1999". Radio & Records . No. 1329. December 10, 1999. p. 77.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.