Is That a Tear
Encyclopedia
"Is That a Tear" is the title of a song written by John Jarrard and Kenny Beard, and recorded by American country music
artist Tracy Lawrence
. It was released in October 1996 as the fourth and final single from his 1996 album Time Marches On
. It peaked at number two on the United States Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, while it was a number-one hit in Canada.
and steel
guitar. It begins when the narrator finds an unexpected message on his phone from an estranged lover. In the message, she says she's sorry she missed him and that she's doing fine. He plays the message over and over again, swearing he heard sadness and regret, or "a tear" in her voice. The song ends with the narrator contemplating whether he should call her back.
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 Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence is an American country music artist. He started at a country music restaurant called "Live At Libby's" where owner Libby Knight would help local talent find their way into country music...
. It was released in October 1996 as the fourth and final single from his 1996 album Time Marches On
Time Marches On
Time Marches On is the fourth studio album released by country music artist Tracy Lawrence. The title track spent three weeks at Number One on the Billboard country charts in 1996, becoming Lawrence's biggest chart hit to date...
. It peaked at number two on the United States Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, while it was a number-one hit in Canada.
Content
"Is That a Tear" is a mid-tempo song prominently featuring the fiddleFiddle
The 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...
and steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
guitar. It begins when the narrator finds an unexpected message on his phone from an estranged lover. In the message, she says she's sorry she missed him and that she's doing fine. He plays the message over and over again, swearing he heard sadness and regret, or "a tear" in her voice. The song ends with the narrator contemplating whether he should call her back.
Music video
The music video was directed by Marc Ball, and is one of many music videos Lawrence filmed in the mid 1990s that featured a "quantum leap" theme (with Marc Ball as director). Beginning with the ending of the video for "Texas Tornado," it features Lawrence driving a taxicab, and helping a woman follow a group of men for an undisclosed purpose.Chart positions
| Chart (1996-1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 | 4 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |