Maybe It Was Memphis
Encyclopedia
"Maybe It Was Memphis" is the title of a song recorded by American country music
artist Pam Tillis
on two separate occasions. She first cut the song on Warner Bros. Records
in the late 1980s under the production of Josh Leo
, but did not release it until Warner issued the album Pam Tillis Collection in the mid 1990s.
Her second version of the song was recorded on her 1991 album Put Yourself in My Place
, from which it was released as the fourth single. It was also her third Top Ten hit on the Billboard
country charts, peaking at #3 there. "Maybe It Was Memphis" was also nominated for the Country Music Association
's Song of the Year in 1992.
. Two changes were made for the song's radio edit. On the album version, the second chorus is followed by an electric guitar
solo, which was changed to a shorter pedal steel guitar
solo in the radio edit. Also, the ending on the radio edit was changed to a repetition of the chorus, instead of a tag line.
performed the song during the finale of American Idol
. Carrie Underwood
selected the song as part of the round of competition in which each contestant's idol chose their song.
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 Pam Tillis
Pam Tillis
Pamela Yvonne "Pam" Tillis is an American country music singer-songwriter and actress. She is the daughter of country music singer Mel Tillis....
on two separate occasions. She first cut the song on Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
in the late 1980s under the production of Josh Leo
Josh Leo
Josh Leo is an American guitarist, songwriter, and record producer active in Nashville, Tennessee.Leo was born in Des Moines, Iowa, but was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1973, he moved to Chicago, Illinois and subsequently became a guitarist of the short-lived Eddie Boy Band...
, but did not release it until Warner issued the album Pam Tillis Collection in the mid 1990s.
Her second version of the song was recorded on her 1991 album Put Yourself in My Place
Put Yourself in My Place (album)
Put Yourself In My Place is an album from American country music artist Pam Tillis. It was also her first album for Arista Records, following 1983's Above and Beyond the Doll of Cutey, released on Warner Bros. Records. Put Yourself in My Place reached #10 on the Top Country Albums charts...
, from which it was released as the fourth single. It was also her third Top Ten hit 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...
country charts, peaking at #3 there. "Maybe It Was Memphis" was also nominated for the Country Music Association
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
's Song of the Year in 1992.
Content
The song is a mid-tempo ballad in which the female narrator recalls a former lover whom she met in Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. Two changes were made for the song's radio edit. On the album version, the second chorus is followed by an electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
solo, which was changed to a shorter pedal steel guitar
Pedal steel guitar
The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
solo in the radio edit. Also, the ending on the radio edit was changed to a repetition of the chorus, instead of a tag line.
American Idol
On May 24, 2011, Lauren AlainaLauren Alaina
Lauren Alaina is an American singer from Rossville, Georgia. Alaina was the runner-up on the tenth season of American Idol. Her debut studio album, Wildflower was released in October 2011....
performed the song during the finale of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
. Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Marie Underwood is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, in 2005...
selected the song as part of the round of competition in which each contestant's idol chose their song.
Chart positions
| Chart (1991-1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 3 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 4 |