If I Could Make a Living (song)
Encyclopedia
"If I Could Make a Living" is the title of a country music
song written by Alan Jackson
, Keith Stegall
, and Roger Murrah
. It was recorded by Clay Walker
as the title track to his 1994 studio album of the same name
. Released in late 1994 as Walker's fifth chart entry, the song 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.
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 a minute and 56 seconds. Every night I do that song in concert I think, 'Man, that's not enough.'"
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."
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."
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
song written by Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson is an American country music singer, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. He has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 Greatest Hits albums, 2 Holiday albums, 1 Gospel album and several compilations, all on the Arista...
, Keith Stegall
Keith Stegall
Robert Keith Stegall is an American country music recording artist and record producer. Active since 1980, Stegall has recorded two-major label studio albums: 1985's Keith Stegall and 1996's Passages...
, and Roger Murrah
Roger Murrah
Roger Murrah is a songwriter and music publisher who has written hits for artists including Waylon Jennings, Alan Jackson, Al Jarreau, and Alabama....
. It was recorded by Clay Walker
Clay Walker
Ernest Clayton "Clay" 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 charts, as did its follow-up, 1994's "Live Until I Die." Both singles were included on...
as the title track to his 1994 studio album of the same name
If I Could Make a Living
-Critical reception:Chris Rimlinger of Rocky Mountain News gave the album a B+ rating and wrote "This sophomore project, while not quite as satisfying as his first one, reinforces his credibility as an up-and-coming major player. Walker has written and chosen material that treat old themes in new...
. Released in late 1994 as Walker's fifth chart entry, the song became his fourth Number One hit on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country charts in November 1994. It also reached #21 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 charts, and on the Canadian RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
country charts, it followed Jackson's "Livin' on Love
Livin' on Love
"Livin' on Love" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music singer Alan Jackson. It was released in August 1994 as the second single from his 1994 album Who I Am. In late 1994 it became his ninth Number One hit on the Billboard country charts...
" at Number One.
Background
In an interview with The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch
The Columbus Dispatch is a daily newspaper based in Columbus, Ohio. Its first issue was published on July 1, 1871, and has been the only mainstream daily newspaper in the city since The Columbus Citizen-Journal stopped printing in 1985....
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 a minute and 56 seconds. Every night I do that song in concert I think, 'Man, that's not enough.'"
Content
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.Reception
Larry Flick of BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
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."
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."
Charts
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 | 21 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |