"Give It Away" is a song recorded by American country music artist George Strait, written by Jamey Johnson, Bill Anderson and Buddy Cannon. It was released in July 2006 as the lead single from the album It Just Comes Natural.
| "Give It Away" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by George Strait | ||||
| from the album It Just Comes Natural | ||||
| Released | July 8, 2006 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 3:30 | |||
| Label | MCA Nashville | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Bill Anderson Buddy Cannon Jamey Johnson | |||
| Producer(s) | George Strait Tony Brown | |||
| George Strait singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The song became Strait's 41st No. 1 single on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, setting a new record for most No. 1 singles on that chart. Previously, Conway Twitty held that record with 40 number-one singles.[1]
Content
editThe song, inspired by Johnson's divorce at the time and including a recitation that was out of style in the late 2000s,[2] is sung from the point of view of a man whose wife is leaving him. As she departs, he asks why she is not taking any of their possessions, and what he should do with them. She replies to him to each item to "give it away," because nothing in the house is worth the argument, since the two have worn themselves out arguing in the lead-up to the divorce. In the end, the man is left with all of his possessions, but a lonesome, broken heart—and he "can't even give it away."
Cover verisons
editCountry music singer Jamey Johnson and Lee Ann Womack covered the song from the television special George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert.
Critical reception
edit"Give It Away" is widely regarded as one of Strait's best songs. Billboard and American Songwriter both ranked the song number seven on their lists of the 10 greatest George Strait songs.[3][4]
Deborah Evans Price of Billboard reviewed the song favorably, calling it "a leavin' song that would've worked in any decade."[5]
At the Academy of Country Music awards in 2007, "Give It Away" won both the Single of the Year and Song of the Year awards; the song also won Song of the Year honors at the Country Music Association Awards the same year.[6][7] "Give It Away" received a nomination for Best Male Country Vocal Performance at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
Chart positions
edit| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Country (Billboard)[8] | 1 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[9] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[10] | 35 |
| US Billboard Pop 100 | 47 |
Year-end charts
edit| Chart (2006) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Country Songs (Billboard)[11] | 14 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[12] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ "Chart Beat". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 16, 2006. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ^ Anderson, Bill; Cooper, Peter (2016). Whisperin' Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life in Country Music. Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press. ISBN 9780820349657.
- ^ Dauphin, Chuck (June 27, 2017). "George Strait's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ Walthall, Catherine (December 28, 2021). "The Top 10 George Strait Songs". American Songwriter. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ Billboard, October 7, 2006
- ^ "Top News, Latest headlines, Latest News, World News & U.S News - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved 8 June 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "George Strait Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard.
- ^ "George Strait Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "George Strait Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Best of 2006: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2006. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
- ^ "American single certifications – George Strait – Give It Away". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
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