Live Like You Were Dying
Encyclopedia
Live Like You Were Dying is the eighth studio album by American country music
artist Tim McGraw
. It was released on August 24, 2004, by Curb Records
and was recorded in a mountaintop studio in upstate New York
. It entered the Billboard 200
chart at number one, with sales of 766,000 copies in its first week. The album was certified 4 x Platinum by the RIAA for shipping four million copies, and was nominated for two Grammies in 2005 for Best Country Vocal Performance Male and Best Country Album, winning for Best Country Vocal Performance. Five singles were released from the album, all were top 15 hits on the Hot Country Songs
chart, two of which hit #1.
Hot Country Songs
chart, held it for seven weeks, and peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100
. The song won a Grammy Award
for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
The next single from Live Like You Were Dying was "Back When
", which also reached #1 on Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The third single, "Drugs or Jesus
" peaked at #14, making it the first McGraw single since 1993 not to reach the country Top 10. "Do You Want Fries with That
" was the fourth single and peaked at #5, and the fifth and final single, "My Old Friend", peaked at #6.
The music video for the title track prominently featured McGraw's father, former baseball player Tug McGraw
, who had died of brain cancer. This song was also the number one country song of 2004 according to Billboard Year-End
.
"How Bad Do You Want It" was featured as the theme song to CMT's Trick My Truck
.
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...
artist Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...
. It was released on August 24, 2004, by Curb Records
Curb Records
Curb Records is a record label started by Mike Curb originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963...
and was recorded in a mountaintop studio in upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
. It entered the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart at number one, with sales of 766,000 copies in its first week. The album was certified 4 x Platinum by the RIAA for shipping four million copies, and was nominated for two Grammies in 2005 for Best Country Vocal Performance Male and Best Country Album, winning for Best Country Vocal Performance. Five singles were released from the album, all were top 15 hits on the Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart, two of which hit #1.
Content
The title track was the first single from the album. The song peaked at number 1 on the 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...
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart, held it for seven weeks, and peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The song won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
The next single from Live Like You Were Dying was "Back When
Back When
"Back When" is the title of a song written by Stan Lynch, Stephony Smith and Jeff Stevens, and recorded by American country music singer Tim McGraw. It was released in August 2004 as the second single from McGraw's 2004 album Live Like You Were Dying...
", which also reached #1 on Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The third single, "Drugs or Jesus
Drugs or Jesus
"Drugs or Jesus" is a song recorded by country music singer Tim McGraw. It is the third single from his 2004 album Live Like You Were Dying. It peaked at #14, thus becoming his first single since 1993's "Two Steppin' Mind" to miss the top ten...
" peaked at #14, making it the first McGraw single since 1993 not to reach the country Top 10. "Do You Want Fries with That
Do You Want Fries with That
"Do You Want Fries with That" is a song recorded by country music artist Tim McGraw. It is the fourth single released from his 2004 album Live Like You Were Dying. It peaked at #5 in the United States.-Content:...
" was the fourth single and peaked at #5, and the fifth and final single, "My Old Friend", peaked at #6.
The music video for the title track prominently featured McGraw's father, former baseball player Tug McGraw
Tug McGraw
Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr. was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher and the father of Country music singer Tim McGraw and actor/TV personality Mark McGraw and Cari McGraw...
, who had died of brain cancer. This song was also the number one country song of 2004 according to Billboard Year-End
Billboard Year-End
Billboard Year-End charts are a cumulative measure of a single or album's performance in the United States, based upon the Billboard magazine charts during any given chart year. Billboard's "chart year" runs from the first week of December to the final week in November...
.
"How Bad Do You Want It" was featured as the theme song to CMT's Trick My Truck
Trick My Truck
Trick My Truck is an American reality television program that premiered on February 3, 2006 on Country Music Television. Created by Varuna Entertainment, the series features a group of vehicle fabricators known as the "Chrome Shop Mafia" who renovate the trucks of "deserving" drivers in response to...
.
Track listing
- "How Bad Do You Want It" (Jim CollinsJim Collins (singer)Jim Collins is an American country music singer-songwriter. Between 1985 and 1998, Collins released three studio albums. He also charted seven singles on Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart...
, Bill Luther) - 3:44 - "My Old Friend" (Craig WisemanCraig WisemanCraig Michael Wiseman is an American country music songwriter. Active since the late 1980s as a songwriter, he has had his songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, and several other acts....
, Steve McEwanSteve McEwanSteve McEwan is a British-born hit songwriter, artist, and musician. His songs have been recorded by country music artists including Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill and Keith Urban...
) - 3:37 - "Can't Tell Me Nothin'" (Steve Bogard, Rick Giles) - 3:08
- "Old Town New" (Bruce RobisonBruce RobisonBruce Robison is an Austin-based Texas country music singer-songwriter. Bruce and his brother, fellow singer-songwriter Charlie Robison, grew up in Bandera, Texas near San Antonio, and he currently resides in Austin, Texas...
, Darrell ScottDarrell ScottJames Darrell Scott known as Darrell Scott , the son of musician Wayne Scott with whom he has collaborated, is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He moved as a child to East Gary, Indiana. He was playing professionally by his teens in Southern California, later living in...
) - 5:00 - "Live Like You Were DyingLive Like You Were Dying (song)"Live Like You Were Dying" is a song written by Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman and performed by American country music artist Tim McGraw. The song appears on his Live Like You Were Dying album. It reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard country music charts, and held that position for a total of seven...
" (Wiseman, Tim NicholsTim NicholsTim Nichols Tim Nichols Tim Nichols (born in Portsmouth, Virginia is an American country music singer and songwriter. Active since the late 1980s, Nichols has written for several country music singers, including Keith Whitley, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Jo Dee Messina, and Alan Jackson...
) - 4:58 - "Drugs or JesusDrugs or Jesus"Drugs or Jesus" is a song recorded by country music singer Tim McGraw. It is the third single from his 2004 album Live Like You Were Dying. It peaked at #14, thus becoming his first single since 1993's "Two Steppin' Mind" to miss the top ten...
" (Brett JamesBrett JamesBrett James Cornelius is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Signed to Career Records as a solo artist in 1995, James charted three singles and released a self-titled debut album that year...
, Chris Lindsey, Aimee MayoAimee MayoAimee Mayo is an American songwriter, primarily known for writing country hits for artists such as Lonestar, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Kellie Pickler. Mayo owns her own publishing company, Little Blue Typewriter Music.-Biography:Aimee Mayo grew up in Gadsden, Alabama...
, Troy VergesTroy VergesTroy Verges is an American country music songwriter. His credits include the singles "Who I Am" by Jessica Andrews, "Blessed" by Martina McBride and "Wasted", all of which went to number one on the country music charts...
) - 4:39 - "Back WhenBack When"Back When" is the title of a song written by Stan Lynch, Stephony Smith and Jeff Stevens, and recorded by American country music singer Tim McGraw. It was released in August 2004 as the second single from McGraw's 2004 album Live Like You Were Dying...
" (Jeff StevensJeff Stevens (singer)Jeffery David "Jeff" Stevens is an American country music singer, songwriter and record producer. He recorded two albums on Atlantic America Records with his brother Warren Stevens and cousin Terry Dotson as Jeff Stevens and the Bullets, and later as a solo artist on the same label...
, Stan Lynch, Stephony Smith) - 4:59 - "Something's Broken" (Casey BeathardCasey BeathardCasey Beathard is an American country music songwriter. The son of former NFL general manager Bobby Beathard, he has co-written singles for several country music recording artists, including Top Ten singles for Gary Allan, Billy Ray Cyrus, Trace Adkins, and Kenny Chesney...
, Kevin Horne) - 3:42 - "Open Season on My Heart" (Rodney CrowellRodney CrowellRodney Crowell is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music....
, James T. SlaterJames T. SlaterJames Slater is a grammy nominated singer/songwriter based in Nashville. He has contributed several hit songs to the canon of American popular music.-Background:...
) - 3:39 - "Everybody Hates Me" (Beathard, Ed Hill) - 3:28
- "Walk Like a Man" (Tom DouglasTom Douglas (songwriter)Thomas Stevenson "Tom" Douglas is an American country music songwriter. Active since the early 1990s, he has written Top Ten hits for John Michael Montgomery, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Collin Raye and others....
) - 3:35 - "Blank Sheet of Paper" (Don SchlitzDon SchlitzDonald Alan "Don" Schlitz, Jr. is a country music songwriter. For his songwriting efforts, Schlitz has earned two Grammys, as well as four ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year awards...
, Brad Warren, Brett Warren) - 4:07 - "Just Be Your Tear" (Wiseman, Tony Mullins) - 4:47
- "Do You Want Fries with ThatDo You Want Fries with That"Do You Want Fries with That" is a song recorded by country music artist Tim McGraw. It is the fourth single released from his 2004 album Live Like You Were Dying. It peaked at #5 in the United States.-Content:...
" (Beathard, Kerry Kurt Phillips) - 3:59 - "Kill Myself" (Bob DiPieroBob DiPieroBob DiPiero is an American country music songwriter. He has written 15. U.S. Number 1 hits and countless top 20 hits for the likes of Tim McGraw, The Oak Ridge Boys, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Shenandoah, Neal McCoy, Highway 101, Restless Heart, Ricochet, John Anderson, Montgomery...
, Anthony Smith, Bobby Terry) - 3:07 - "We Carry On" (Slater, Douglas) - 4:12
The Dance Hall Doctors
- Dean Brown – fiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single... - David Dunkley – percussion
- Denny Hemingson – electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, steel guitarSteel guitarSteel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
, baritone guitarBaritone guitarThe baritone guitar is a variation on the standard guitar, with a longer scale length that allows it to be tuned to a lower range. It first appeared in the classical music realm...
, slide guitarSlide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
, Melobar, DobroDobroDobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar... - John Marcus – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Billy MasonBilly MasonBilly "Thunder" Mason is an American drummer who is a member of Tim McGraw's touring band, The Dancehall Doctors. He has toured and/or recorded with numerous artists such as Tobin Sprout, Faith Hill, Bill Anderson, Paulette Carlson, among others. Mason has also trained with drummer Charlie Adams....
– drums - Jeff McMahon – Wurlitzer electric pianoWurlitzer electric pianoWurlitzer 200A|250px|thumbThe Wurlitzer electric piano was one of a series of electromechanical stringless pianos manufactured and marketed by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, Corinth, Mississippi, U.S. and Tonawanda, New York...
, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3 organ, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Bob Minner – acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, mandolin - Darran Smith – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Background vocals
- Robert Bailey – track 6
- Greg Barnhill – tracks 4, 5, 6, 11, 16
- Kim CarnesKim CarnesKim Carnes is an American singer-songwriter. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner noted for her distinctive raspy vocal style. Some people have called her "The Female Rod Stewart" due to her raspy voice....
– tracks 4, 6 - Rodney CrowellRodney CrowellRodney Crowell is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music....
– track 9 - Kim Fleming – track 6
- Vicki Hampton – track 6
- Wes Hightower – tracks 10, 15, 16
- Faith HillFaith HillFaith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
– track 12 - Steve McEwan – track 2
- Gene Miller – tracks 13, 16
- Chris Rodriguez – track 13
- Russell Terrell – tracks 1, 3, 4, 8, 14
- Brett Warren – track 12
Strings on tracks 5, 6, 11, 16
- Charlie Bisharat, Darius Campo, Susan Chatman, Mario deLeon, Berj Garabedian, Armen Garabedian, Natalie Leggett, Sara Parkins – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
s - Evan Wilson, Bob Becker - violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
s - Larry Corbett, Suzie Katayama – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
s
- David Campbell – string arrangement
- Steve Churchyard – string engineer
- Suzie Katayama – string contractor
- Greg Lawrence – other string engineer
Chart positions
Live Like You Were Dying debuted on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart at # 1, his third #1 album, and on the Top Country Albums number-one album, his seventh album at #1.Charts
| Charts (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 1 |
Sales and Certifications
| Region | Provider | Certification | Sales/Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | RIAA | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000+ |