Mark Chesnutt – “She Never Got Me Over You”
Songwriters: Dean Dillon, Hank Cochran, and Keith Whitley.
Mark Chesnutt’s new single is an anachronism of the highest order.
Penned by Keith Whitley and famed songwriters Hank Cochran and Dean Dillon in the late ’80s, Whitley’s recording of the song has never been officially released. This is the first time most people will hear it, even though the hype about Chesnutt doing the first proper recording of it isn’t exactly true: Ohio singer Scott Hisey, with a voice eerily like Whitley’s, previously recorded it for his independent 2007 release.
“She Never Got Me Over You” is an interesting choice for a single because it lacks all the pop concessions, high-tempo honky-tonkin’ frivolity, star power, and badass shock value (no cocaine and whores) that sometimes spell success for an actual country song in today’s market. It’s just a straight-up, stone-cold Possum-esque ballad about a memory of a past relationship that lingers to taint future relationships. In his smooth hard-country croon, Chesnutt sings: “She got me standing upright/Even had me coming home nights/But she never got me over you.” Now that’s heartbreak.
May 9 will mark 20 years since Whitley drank himself to death. Ideally, that sad anniversary would see Chesnutt’s recording of the song scaling the charts, giving the influential stylist one more well-deserved hit as a songwriter.
But the sad truth is that if a country ballad as legitimately great as “Choices” could barely get George Jones into the Top 30 a decade ago (that chart performance partially the result of a perfect storm that saw it released on the heels of a near-fatal car accident), a song like “She Never Got Me Over You” stands virtually no chance of doing anything for Mark Chesnutt today.
Because it’s not an undeniable masterpiece. It’s just a hearty slab of classic country written by a guy who has been gone for 20 years, sung by a guy who hasn’t been a real chart presence in the last 10. The release of this single feels more like a biting-of-the-thumb at the current state of affairs at country radio than a real play at relevance in today’s market. But when that gesture can be made this well, it’s one well worth making.
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Dean Dillion // Hank Cochran // Keith Whitley // Mark Chesnutt // She Never Got Me Over You
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March 25, 2009 at 9:37 am Permalink
It’s sad but true that this single has no chance on radio. Mark is one of my favorites and it’s really disappointing that radio doesn’t play him anymore.
March 25, 2009 at 9:41 am Permalink
On top of that, this is supposedly the last song Keith Whitley ever wrote. I haven’t listened to the Scott Hisey version, but Whitley’s recording is a sparse demo with only an acoustic guitar backing him. It does contain a few glitches in the recording quality, so I doubt it will ever be released in any official capacity, but Chesnutt almost sounds kinda happy compared to Whitley.
March 25, 2009 at 10:00 am Permalink
AWESOME SONG sung by one of the best voices in music!
March 25, 2009 at 10:41 am Permalink
I first heard this song last year when I bought the Rollin With the Flow album. And I found Whitley’s acoustic recording on youtube after I saw Mark on the Live with Ralph Emery show on RFD.
Good song – but as you said, not ‘powerful’ enough to take it very far.
March 25, 2009 at 10:49 am Permalink
I think your last paragraph sums it all up perfectly for this song.
March 25, 2009 at 11:37 am Permalink
While this is a classic sounding country song, it is not where the current state of country music. While it is admirable that Chesnutt shows his roots whenever possible, this release will not really do anything to put his career on an upswing. The only real marketability is that it was the last song written by Whitley before his death.
March 25, 2009 at 11:53 am Permalink
While I agree that it isnt as great of a song as “Choices” is, I cant help but have a bit of “wouldnt it be great if…” type of thoughts as I sadly assume that this song will never even sniff the Top 40.
March 25, 2009 at 12:27 pm Permalink
J.R. JOURNEY: “I found Whitley’s acoustic recording on youtube”
Wish I could find this…all I come up with is some other guy doing a cover of it.
March 25, 2009 at 4:47 pm Permalink
Mark already found out that covering rock classics can get him back on Top 40 country radio while these traditional country songs are a dead end. There just has to be another Aerosmith, or Guns & Roses, or Metallica song that can get him back on the “country” charts…
If Top 40 country radio were to split into two formats, ie Young/Modern/Pop-Rock/Crap Country vs. Roots/Real/Traditional/Good Country, this song would thrive on “Good Country” stations. I would bet that a “Real Country” station (not a “Classic Country” station that only plays older songs) competing against an Americana station in the same market would draw a bigger audience. Oh well……
March 25, 2009 at 6:32 pm Permalink
I like Mark, and I like this song. :-)
March 25, 2009 at 10:18 pm Permalink
Man, Mark keeps it country! I don’t care if another of his songs ever chart…. I just want him to keep making that classic country music has been making for years. Love Mark and have nothing but respect for him for keeping with his roots. Just wish he got more credit.
March 26, 2009 at 1:32 pm Permalink
Sounds good to me.
I’d like to hear it on the radio too.
March 28, 2009 at 8:40 pm Permalink
there’s nothing like Mark Chesnutt singing a Keith Whitley song (Brother Jukebox)
I love “She Never Got Me Over You” (Keith’s version is on Youtube) but you’re right it won’t go anywhere.
On the plus side, I have the exact same shirt as Mark Chesnutt!
March 30, 2009 at 6:17 pm Permalink
I found this song through a fan made video on You Tube & I bought the new record. It doesn’t stand a chance at radio but it’s first rate real country!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5NqLTQ-NAo
April 11, 2009 at 3:04 pm Permalink
It’s such a shame that this song isn’t getting played enough… it’s probably the best new thing on radio right now. Kudos to Chesnutt for hitting it out of the park on this one.
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