I'm Alive (Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews song)
Encyclopedia
"I'm Alive" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music
singer Kenny Chesney
. He wrote the song with Dean Dillon
and Mark Tamburino, and it was first recorded by Willie Nelson
on his album Moment of Forever
, which Chesney also produced. Chesney himself later recorded it (as a duet with Dave Matthews
) on the 2008 album Lucky Old Sun
. This version later appeared on his 2009 Greatest Hits II
album, from which it was released to radio in August 2009.
first recorded the song on his 2008 album Moment of Forever
, which Chesney co-produced. Chesney later recorded the song as a duet with Dave Matthews
on Lucky Old Sun
(also released in 2008), but did not release it as a single from that album. Chesney told Country Standard Time
, "It was never meant to be some kind of a message — except to maybe myself[…]It's one thing when Willie Nelson at 70 sings it, and something totally different when Dave and I do. One is from a place of really knowing; for us, it was more just the fact that we realize it." He also said that he was inspired to write the song after his divorce from actress Renée Zellweger
: "Writing that song was a release. It was the best I'd felt in a long time after I wrote that song."
Chesney's version of the song is in the key of E-flat major, with a vocal range from B3 to F5 and a main chord progression of E-E+/G-A-Am. It is primarily accompanied by acoustic guitar
, organ and light percussion.
, J. Freedom Du Lac of the Washington Post said, "The song is supposed to be an anthem about strength and survival and soldiering on[…]Yet it sounds more like a weary wish than a declaration," and an uncredited review in the Hartford Courant said that it "may be the plainest thing Matthews has ever done." Matt Bjorke of Roughstock gave a favorable review, describing the song as "a genuine reflection[…]about the way they choose to live their lives."
chart. The song later appeared on Chesney's Greatest Hits II
compilation a year afterward, and was released in August as that album's second single. It re-entered at number 41 on the same chart dated for the week of August 15, 2009, ahead of the song's announced release date of August 17.
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...
singer Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
. He wrote the song with Dean Dillon
Dean Dillon
Dean Dillon is an American country music artist. Between 1982 and 1993, Dillon recorded six studio albums on various labels, and charted several singles on the Billboard country charts. Although he has not charted since 1993, Dillon has continued to write several hit songs for other artists, most...
and Mark Tamburino, and it was first recorded by Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
on his album Moment of Forever
Moment of Forever
Moment of Forever is an album from American country music artist Willie Nelson. This album was released on January 29, 2008, on the Lost Highway Records label...
, which Chesney also produced. Chesney himself later recorded it (as a duet with Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
) on the 2008 album Lucky Old Sun
Lucky Old Sun
Lucky Old Sun is the thirteenth studio album released by country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released on October 14, 2008 as the first release for Blue Chair Records, Chesney's personal division of the BNA Records label...
. This version later appeared on his 2009 Greatest Hits II
Greatest Hits II (Kenny Chesney album)
Greatest Hits II is a compilation album by country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released on May 19, 2009, and it is his second greatest hits album since Greatest Hits in 2000...
album, from which it was released to radio in August 2009.
Song information
Willie NelsonWillie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
first recorded the song on his 2008 album Moment of Forever
Moment of Forever
Moment of Forever is an album from American country music artist Willie Nelson. This album was released on January 29, 2008, on the Lost Highway Records label...
, which Chesney co-produced. Chesney later recorded the song as a duet with Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
on Lucky Old Sun
Lucky Old Sun
Lucky Old Sun is the thirteenth studio album released by country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released on October 14, 2008 as the first release for Blue Chair Records, Chesney's personal division of the BNA Records label...
(also released in 2008), but did not release it as a single from that album. Chesney told Country Standard Time
Country Standard Time
Country Standard Time is a website dedicated to country music and related genres such as Bluegrass and Rockabilly. It provides news and musical reviews pertaining to the genre. It was established in 1992 by Jeffrey B. Remz as a print magazine, which was first published only in New England but went...
, "It was never meant to be some kind of a message — except to maybe myself[…]It's one thing when Willie Nelson at 70 sings it, and something totally different when Dave and I do. One is from a place of really knowing; for us, it was more just the fact that we realize it." He also said that he was inspired to write the song after his divorce from actress Renée Zellweger
Renée Zellweger
Renée Kathleen Zellweger is an American actress and producer. Zellweger first gained widespread attention for her role in the film Jerry Maguire , and subsequently received two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her roles as Bridget Jones in the comedy Bridget Jones's Diary ...
: "Writing that song was a release. It was the best I'd felt in a long time after I wrote that song."
Chesney's version of the song is in the key of E-flat major, with a vocal range from B3 to F5 and a main chord progression of E-E+/G-A-Am. It is primarily accompanied by acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An 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...
, organ and light percussion.
Critical reception
CM Wilcox of The 9513 gave the song a thumbs-down review. He said that the song had "somewhat ambitious" lyrics, and made note of Matthews' vocal performance, but said that Chesney sounded like a "workaday singer" and that the duet did not have a sense of interplay between the two vocalists. In his review of Lucky Old SunLucky Old Sun
Lucky Old Sun is the thirteenth studio album released by country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released on October 14, 2008 as the first release for Blue Chair Records, Chesney's personal division of the BNA Records label...
, J. Freedom Du Lac of the Washington Post said, "The song is supposed to be an anthem about strength and survival and soldiering on[…]Yet it sounds more like a weary wish than a declaration," and an uncredited review in the Hartford Courant said that it "may be the plainest thing Matthews has ever done." Matt Bjorke of Roughstock gave a favorable review, describing the song as "a genuine reflection[…]about the way they choose to live their lives."
Chart performance
As an album cut from Lucky Old Sun, "I'm Alive" spent one week at number 55 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country SongsHot 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. The song later appeared on Chesney's Greatest Hits II
Greatest Hits II (Kenny Chesney album)
Greatest Hits II is a compilation album by country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released on May 19, 2009, and it is his second greatest hits album since Greatest Hits in 2000...
compilation a year afterward, and was released in August as that album's second single. It re-entered at number 41 on the same chart dated for the week of August 15, 2009, ahead of the song's announced release date of August 17.
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US 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... Bubbling Under Hot 100 |
18 |
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |