'Fore She Was Mama
Encyclopedia
"'Fore She Was Mama" is a song written by Casey Beathard
and Phil O'Donnell and recorded by American
country music singer Clay Walker
. It was released in 2006 as the first single to his album Fall. It peaked at #21 on the Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks in 2007. It was also his first chart entry since "Jesus Was a Country Boy" in 2004.
, Walker revealed, “It’s great when a song can be humorous without being hokey, and the writers made a good country song without it being a novelty. Anytime we do it, it gets a huge reaction. I think a lot of moms are looking in the rearview mirror saying, ‘I hope the kids aren’t looking at my face right now, because I’m blushing.”
described "'Fore She Was Mama" as having "Just the right balance of humor and drama. Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe described the song as "Funny as hell" Shelly Fabian of About.com
gave the song a favorable rating by writing "Clay does ballads so well, but he also can rock out the mid-tempo songs, like this one. It's got a really catchy chorus that will stick in your head."
The website New Country Star called it "A fun and funny little song" and also wrote "The lyrics aren't your usual CW style, but the voice is incredibly classic Clay." Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic in his review of "Fall" called "'Fore She Was Mama" "wry" and "funny". The editors at USA Today
said the song is "slightly creepy, but it also feels true to life. Walker is at his best at moments like that."
Casey Beathard
Casey 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...
and Phil O'Donnell and recorded by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music singer 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...
. It was released in 2006 as the first single to his album Fall. It peaked at #21 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...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks in 2007. It was also his first chart entry since "Jesus Was a Country Boy" in 2004.
Background
In an interview with the Associated PressAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, Walker revealed, “It’s great when a song can be humorous without being hokey, and the writers made a good country song without it being a novelty. Anytime we do it, it gets a huge reaction. I think a lot of moms are looking in the rearview mirror saying, ‘I hope the kids aren’t looking at my face right now, because I’m blushing.”
Content
The singer tells a first-person account of when he was ten years old and found a "box of forget-me-nots" in his parents' closet. The box was filled with pictures of his mother partaking in various 1960s activities, including hanging out with hippies, riding motorcycles, and smoking marijuana, the latter of which was censored by some radio stations. When his mother finds out that her box has been spotted, she burns it, but that does not stop her children from reminding her about her past.Reception
In a review of Walker's album "Fall", The Associated PressAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
described "'Fore She Was Mama" as having "Just the right balance of humor and drama. Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe described the song as "Funny as hell" Shelly Fabian of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
gave the song a favorable rating by writing "Clay does ballads so well, but he also can rock out the mid-tempo songs, like this one. It's got a really catchy chorus that will stick in your head."
The website New Country Star called it "A fun and funny little song" and also wrote "The lyrics aren't your usual CW style, but the voice is incredibly classic Clay." Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic in his review of "Fall" called "'Fore She Was Mama" "wry" and "funny". The editors at USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
said the song is "slightly creepy, but it also feels true to life. Walker is at his best at moments like that."
Chart positions
This song debuted at #56 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart dated September 23, 2006. "'Fore She Was Mama" is Walker's twenty-sixth Top 40 single on the chart. The song peaked at #21 on the chart week of February 24, 2007.Charts
| Chart (2006–2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 21 |
| U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles | 16 |