Either Way (Lee Ann Womack song) explained

Either Way
Cover:Chris-stapleton-either-way-single-cover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Chris Stapleton
Released:[1]
Studio:RCA Studio A (Nashville, Tennessee)
Genre:Country
Label:Mercury Nashville
Producer:
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Prev Year:2016
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Next Year:2017

"Either Way" is a song written by Chris Stapleton, Tim James and Kendell Marvel. It is the first single off Stapleton's 2017 album .[2] The song was first recorded by Lee Ann Womack on her 2008 album Call Me Crazy. It won the award for Best Country Solo Performance at the 60th Grammy Awards.[3]

Content

"Either Way" is a country ballad performed with an acoustic guitar.[4] [5] Lyrically, is about the end of a relationship.[6] Some reviewers opined in the song Stapleton offers a sparsely arranged requiem for a dormant marriage, telling the painful tale of a union nearing its end.[7] [8]

Critical reception

For Will Hermes of Rolling Stone, the ballad is set to acoustic guitar "that goes from broken whisper to chilling holler, with extravagantly curled phrasing informed, one imagines, by hours spent watching smoke plumes rise toward the ceiling."[5] Also in Rolling Stone, reviewer Robert Crawford wrote the studio version "doesn't differ much from that first live performance, with Stapleton screaming heartbroken lyrics over acoustic guitar arpeggios. Simple and stunning."[9]

Writing for Taste of Country, Billy Dukes commented the record "is a tremendous vocal performance that assures fans he’ll continue to be the gold standard moving forward. His guitar shadows him as Stapleton works up the scale at each thundering chorus. Contrast the power of his vocals with the dark, fragile and hopeless nature of his lyrics."[10]

Commercial performance

The song debuted on Billboards Hot Country Songs at No. 17 as the third best-selling country song of the week, with 23,000 copies sold.[11] After his performance on the finale of The Voice, it sold a further 21,000 copies.[12] It has sold 87,000 copies as of June 2017.[13]

Live performances

On May 23, 2017, Stapleton performed "Either Way" on the season 12 finale of The Voice.[14]

Cover versions

Australian Judah Kelly covered the song on his debut album, Count On Me (2017).

Charts

Year-end charts

Notes and References

  1. News: https://web.archive.org/web/20170504001607/https://www.allaccess.com/country/future-releases. Country > Future Releases . All Access . May 5, 2017 . May 4, 2017.
  2. News: Chris Stapleton Announces New Album, 'From A Room: Volume 1,' and Track List . April 6, 2017 . Nash Country Daily.
  3. News: Grammy Awards Winners List: Updating Live . January 28, 2018 . Variety . January 28, 2018.
  4. News: Chris Stapleton From A Room: Volume 1 . May 4, 2017 . Slant . May 5, 2017.
  5. Review: Chris Stapleton's Second Album Is Equal Parts Otis and Waylon . Hermes . Will . May 4, 2017 . Rolling Stone . May 5, 2017.
  6. News: Chris Stapleton Previews From a Room: Volume 1 in Nashville . https://web.archive.org/web/20170406223140/http://www.cmt.com/news/1779667/chris-stapleton-previews-from-a-room-volume-1-in-nashville/ . dead . April 6, 2017 . Tingle . Lauren . April 6, 2017 . CMT . April 11, 2017.
  7. News: Chris Stapleton: From A Room, Vol. 1 Review . Salmon . Ben . May 4, 2017 . Paste . May 5, 2017.
  8. News: Chris Stapleton – From a Room Vol. 1 . Ham . Robert . May 4, 2017 . Consequence of Sound . May 5, 2017.
  9. Chris Stapleton's 'From A Room: Volume 1': Track-by-Track Guide . Crawford . Robert . May 4, 2017 . Rolling Stone . May 5, 2017.
  10. News: ToC Critic's Pick: Chris Stapleton, 'Either Way' [Listen] ]. Dukes . Billy . April 11, 2017 . Taste of Country . May 6, 2017.
  11. Chris Stapleton's 'Room' Cleans Up on Country Albums Chart; 'Traveller' Lifts to No. 2 . Jim . Asker . May 16, 2017. Billboard .
  12. News: Top 30 Digital Singles Chart: May 31, 2017 . Matt . Bjorke . May 31, 2017 . Roughstock .
  13. News: Top 30 Digital Country Singles Chart: June 27, 2017 . Matt . Bjorke . June 27, 2017 . Roughstock .
  14. News: Chris Stapleton Performs 'Either Way' on 'The Voice' Season 12 Finale . May 24, 2017 . Taste of Country . May 23, 2017.
  15. Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2017. Billboard. April 20, 2020.