Better Than I Used to Be (song) explained

Better Than I Used to Be
Type:single
Artist:Sammy Kershaw
Album:Better Than I Used to Be
Released:March 30, 2010
Genre:Country
Label:Big Hit
Producer:Buddy Cannon
Prev Title:Real People
Prev Year:2008
Next Title:The Snow White Rows of Arlington
Next Year:2010

"Better Than I Used to Be" is a song written by Ashley Gorley and Bryan Simpson. The song was originally recorded by American country music artist Sammy Kershaw in 2010 for the album of the same name, released August 31, 2010, on Big Hit Records.[1] The version released by Sammy Kershaw was released as a single, but did not enter the charts.

Tim McGraw version

Better Than I Used to Be
Cover:BetterThanIUsedtoBe.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Tim McGraw
Album:Emotional Traffic
Released:November 28, 2011
Genre:Country
Label:Curb
Prev Title:Me and Tennessee
Prev Year:2011
Next Title:Feel Like a Rock Star
Next Year:2012

The song was later covered by Tim McGraw in 2011 and was released to iTunes and country radio on December 1, 2011, via Curb Records. The song served as the first single for his final Curb album, Emotional Traffic, which was released on January 24, 2012.

Critical reception

Giving McGraw's version four stars out of five, Taste of Country reviewer Billy Dukes said, "It's the first time fans get to experience many of the burdens the singer has talked of shedding in recent years."[2] Matt Bjorke of Roughstock was positive, calling it "a strong story song from a mature singer/songwriter." He went on to say that it was McGraw's "most country song to date with strong lyrical imagery and one of Tim’s best vocal performances in years."[3] Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe gave it a 'B+', calling the song "classic McGraw" and saying that the production is, "clean, tasteful, and decidedly country."[4]

Chart performance

McGraw's version of the song debuted at number 51 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of December 17, 2011.[5] It also debuted at number 81 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of December 31, 2011. It also debuted at number 71 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart for the week of February 11, 2012.

Certifications

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Better Than I Used to Be. Allmusic. 15 December 2011.
  2. Web site: Tim McGraw — "Better Than I Used to Be" review. Dukes. Billy. Taste of Country. 15 December 2011.
  3. Web site: Tim McGraw — "Better Than I Used to Be". Bjorke. Matt. 1 December 2011. Roughstock. 11 January 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120202182225/http://www.roughstock.com/blog/single-review-tim-mcgraw-better-than-i-used-to-be. 2 February 2012.
  4. Web site: Tim McGraw — "Better Than I Used to Be". Coyne. Kevin John. 23 December 2011. Country Universe. 24 December 2011.
  5. News: Morris. Edward. Sweet Harmony: Lady Antebellum Claim Both Top Album and Song. https://web.archive.org/web/20120108042735/http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1675732/sweet-harmony-lady-antebellum-claim-both-top-album-and-song.jhtml. dead. January 8, 2012. December 15, 2011. Country Music Television. December 10, 2011.
  6. Web site: Best of 2012: Country Songs . . . 2012 . December 14, 2012.