It Won't Be Like This for Long
Encyclopedia
"It Won't Be Like This for Long" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American
singer Darius Rucker
, lead vocalist of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish
. It is the second single released from his first country music
album, Learn to Live
. Rucker co-wrote the song with Chris DuBois and Ashley Gorley.
and piano
. The song describes a couple who have just had a baby, and throughout it chronicles how their lives change by the child's presence. In the first verse, the child is crying at night, keeping both parents awake. The mother then tells the father that evenings will change when the child grows.
In the second verse, the daughter is four years old, and is being taken to preschool. She hangs on to her father's leg because she is afraid, and the teacher tells him "it won't be like this for long". By the third verse and bridge, the father is observing the daughter and realizing that the daughter will soon be grown up, and he will not be able to observe her much longer.
According to Country Weekly
magazine, Rucker met with Chris DuBois and Ashley Gorley to write the song. The three songwriters were talking about their kids and "how quickly life changes." As the songwriters were talking, they decided to write the song.
' early 2008 hit "You're Gonna Miss This
", which was also co-written by Ashley Gorley and contains a theme of a parent observing a daughter's growing up. Allen Jacobs of Roughstock gave the song a more favorable review. Jacobs said in his review that "Rucker's butter-smooth vocals catch a country cadence, as his balladeers a promise of improvement in a loved one - and his own life."
was released for the song in February 2009. As with his previous two music videos ("Don't Think I Don't Think About It" and "Winter Wonderland
"), the video for "It Won't Be Like This for Long" was directed by Wayne Isham
.
chart dated November 1, 2008 and peaked at number 1 on the chart dated March 28, 2009 and remained there for the next two weeks.
|-
! Country
! Certification
(sales thresholds)
|-
| United States
| Gold
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer Darius Rucker
Darius Rucker
Darius Rucker is an American musician. He first gained fame as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, which he founded in 1986 at the University of South Carolina along with Mark Bryan, Jim "Soni" Sonefeld and Dean Felber...
, lead vocalist of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish
Hootie & the Blowfish
Hootie & the Blowfish is an American rock band that enjoyed popularity in the second half of the 1990s. They were originally formed in 1986 at the University of South Carolina by Darius Rucker, Dean Felber, Jim Sonefeld, and Mark Bryan. The band has recorded five studio albums to date, and has...
. It is the second single released from his first 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...
album, Learn to Live
Learn to Live
Learn to Live is the second solo studio album by American country artist, Darius Rucker. The album was released September 16, 2008 on Capitol Nashville Records and was produced by Frank Rogers...
. Rucker co-wrote the song with Chris DuBois and Ashley Gorley.
Content
The song is a mid-tempo mostly accompanied by acoustic guitarAcoustic 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...
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. The song describes a couple who have just had a baby, and throughout it chronicles how their lives change by the child's presence. In the first verse, the child is crying at night, keeping both parents awake. The mother then tells the father that evenings will change when the child grows.
In the second verse, the daughter is four years old, and is being taken to preschool. She hangs on to her father's leg because she is afraid, and the teacher tells him "it won't be like this for long". By the third verse and bridge, the father is observing the daughter and realizing that the daughter will soon be grown up, and he will not be able to observe her much longer.
According to Country Weekly
Country Weekly
Country Weekly is an American tabloid style weekly magazine established in 1994. The magazine focuses on country music stars and events, and regularly features exclusive interviews with recording artists and country music news...
magazine, Rucker met with Chris DuBois and Ashley Gorley to write the song. The three songwriters were talking about their kids and "how quickly life changes." As the songwriters were talking, they decided to write the song.
Reception
The song received a "thumbs down" review from the country music site The 9513. Brady Vercher stated that "the lyric itself is too straightforward to carry much emotional resonance despite Rucker's best efforts." He also considered it derivative of Trace AdkinsTrace Adkins
Tracy Darrell "Trace" Adkins is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1996 with the album Dreamin' Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville. Since then, Adkins has released seven more studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations...
' early 2008 hit "You're Gonna Miss This
You're Gonna Miss This
"You're Gonna Miss This" is a single by American country music artist Trace Adkins. It is the second single released from his 2007 album American Man: Greatest Hits Volume II...
", which was also co-written by Ashley Gorley and contains a theme of a parent observing a daughter's growing up. Allen Jacobs of Roughstock gave the song a more favorable review. Jacobs said in his review that "Rucker's butter-smooth vocals catch a country cadence, as his balladeers a promise of improvement in a loved one - and his own life."
Music video
A music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was released for the song in February 2009. As with his previous two music videos ("Don't Think I Don't Think About It" and "Winter Wonderland
Winter Wonderland
"Winter Wonderland" is a winter song, popularly treated as a Christmastime pop standard, written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith . Through the decades it has been recorded by over 150 different artists.-History:...
"), the video for "It Won't Be Like This for Long" was directed by Wayne Isham
Wayne Isham
Wayne Isham is an American music video director who has directed music videos of many popular artists; such as Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Roxette, Mötley Crüe, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Whitesnake, David Cook, Simple Plan, Avenged Sevenfold, Pantera, *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys,...
.
Chart performance
The song debuted at number 45 on the 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 dated November 1, 2008 and peaked at number 1 on the chart dated March 28, 2009 and remained there for the next two weeks.
| Chart (2008-2009) | Peak position |
|---|
Certifications
{| class="wikitable"|-
! Country
! Certification
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
(sales thresholds)
|-
| United States
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
| Gold