"Go On" is the title of a song written by Mark Nesler

Mark Nesler

Mark Nesler is an American country music artist. Signed to Elektra Records as a recording artist in 1998, Nesler charted three singles on the U.S. Billboard country charts...

 and Tony Martin

Tony Martin (songwriter)

Tony Martin is a country music songwriter who has had twelve Number One hits as a songwriter. Among his compositions are "Third Rock from the Sun" by Joe Diffie and "Just to See You Smile" by Tim McGraw....

, and recorded by American country music

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 George Strait

George Strait

George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...

. It was released in July 2000 as the lead-off single

Single (music)

In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

 from his 2000 album George Strait

George Strait (album)

George Strait is a self-titled 2000 album by country singer George Strait. The first album of his career not to achieve RIAA platinum certification, it produced three singles for him on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts: "Go On" at #2, "Don't Make Me Come over There and Love You"...

.

Content

The narrator lends a sympathetic ear to a woman who caught her ex-lover cheating. The narrator keeps interrupting her and then apologizes and tells her to "go on". The song hints at the beginning of a new relationship with the narrator and the woman.

Critical reception

An uncredited article from the Toledo Blade said that "Go On" was "typical of Strait's style on many of his mid-tempo songs[…]and the lyrics give a clever but mature view about life going on in the wake of a broken heart." Greg Crawford, in an article from the Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Sentinel

The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...

, said that Strait "push[es] the rarely heard upper limits of his vocal range," and an uncredited Hartford Courant review wrote that the song had a "breezy chorus hook

Hook (music)

A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...

." Chuck Taylor in his review of the single for Billboard Magazine said that the song has a "conversational quality that almost makes listeners feel as if they are eavesdropping on a private discussion and privy to the beginnings of a blossoming new romance." He also said that Strait delivers the lyric effortlessly and that the song has a "lilting, inviting melody that is perfectly suited for summertime airwaves."

Chart performance

"Go On" debuted at number 38 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of July 29, 2000. The song spent twenty-two weeks 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 (now 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...

) charts, peaking at number two and holding the position for three weeks. The song also reached number one on the 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 Tracks charts dated for the week ending October 16, 2000, and held that position for two weeks. The song's b-side, "Murder on Music Row

Murder on Music Row

"Murder on Music Row" is a song made popular as a 2000 duet between country music artists George Strait and Alan Jackson. Although not released officially as a single, it gained attention for its criticism of mainstream country music trends at the time, and received enough unsolicited airplay to...

", charted at number 38 on the country music charts within the same timespan.

Chart (2000)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Single & Tracks	2
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	40
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	1