What a Way to Live

What a Way to Live
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 13, 1994 (1994-09-13)
Recorded1993–1994
Studio
GenreCountry
Length33:25
LabelDecca
ProducerMark Wright
Mark Chesnutt chronology
Almost Goodbye
(1993)
What a Way to Live
(1994)
Wings
(1995)
Singles from What a Way to Live
  1. "She Dreams"
    Released: July 12, 1994
  2. "Goin' Through the Big D"
    Released: October 18, 1994
  3. "Gonna Get a Life"
    Released: February 21, 1995
  4. "Down in Tennessee"
    Released: June 12, 1995
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [1]

What a Way to Live is the fifth studio album by American country music artist Mark Chesnutt. His first album for Decca Records, it earned RIAA gold certification in the United States for sales of 500,000 copies. The tracks "She Dreams", "Goin' Through the Big D", "Gonna Get a Life", and "Down in Tennessee" were all released as singles, peaking at #6, #2, #1, and #23, respectively, on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. "She Dreams" was co-written and originally recorded by Tim Mensy on his 1992 album This Ol' Heart, from which it was released as a single, peaking at #74 on the country charts that year. Mark duets with Waylon Jennings on the track "Rainy Day Woman" which Jennings first recorded on his 1974 album The Ramblin' Man. The title track was originally recorded by Willie Nelson in 1960.

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."What a Way to Live"Willie Nelson, Hank Craig2:40
2."Live a Little"Roger Springer, Tony Martin2:46
3."She Dreams"Tim Mensy, Gary Harrison3:43
4."Goin' Through the Big D"Mark Wright, Ronnie Rogers, John Wright2:34
5."Down in Tennessee"Wayland Holyfield3:21
6."Gonna Get a Life"Frank Dycus, Jim Lauderdale3:43
7."It's Almost Like You're Here"Charles Quillen, John Priestley, Jonathan Clift3:34
8."Rainy Day Woman" (duet with Waylon Jennings)Waylon Jennings3:51
9."This Side of the Door"Mensy, Shawn Camp3:23
10."Half of Everything (And All of My Heart)"David Lott, Glenn Gordon, Mark Chesnutt3:50

Personnel

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Background Vocals: Curtis "Mr. Harmony" Young, John Wesley Ryles, Bergen White, Jana King, Lisa Silver, Dennis Wilson, Cindy Walker, Tom Flora, Chris Harris, Matt Kaminski, Ann Wright, Kim Rogers. Strings by the Nashville String Machine, conducted by Carl Gorodetzky and arranged by Bergen White.

Production

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Recording Engineers

  • Warren Peterson
  • Robert Charles
  • King Williams
  • Larry Jeffries

Mixers

Master Editor

  • Glenn Meadows

Production Coordinator

  • Joe Johnston

Art Direction/Design

  • Simon Levy

Photography

Hair & Make-up

  • Lucy Santamassino

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[5] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. What a Way to Live at AllMusic
  2. ^ "Mark Chesnutt Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  3. ^ "Mark Chesnutt Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  4. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  5. ^ "American album certifications – Mark Chesnutt – What a Way to Live". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 21, 2021.