Jezebel (Chely Wright song) explained

Jezebel
Cover:Chely Wright--Jezebel.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Chely Wright
Album:Never Love You Enough
B-Side:Never Love You Enough
Released:December 3, 2001
Genre:Country
Length:3:10
Label:MCA Nashville
Prev Title:Never Love You Enough
Prev Year:2001
Next Title:Back of the Bottom Drawer
Next Year:2004

"Jezebel" is a song recorded by American country music artist Chely Wright. The song was written by Rascal Flatts member Jay DeMarcus and Marcus Hummon, with the song being produced by Wright and Paul Worley. MCA Nashville released the single to country radio on December 3, 2001 as the second and final single from Wright's fifth studio album Never Love You Enough (2001). It was also her final single for the label.

The song reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.[1]

Content

The song is an up-tempo "fusion of contemporary country and traditional elements" about a woman confronting another woman with whom her man has had an affair.[2]

Critical reception

Deborah Evans Price of Billboard reviewed the song favorably, comparing the song's theme to "Jolene" by Dolly Parton: "[w]hile 'Jolene' left Parton begging with the temptress to release her man, 'Jezebel' finds Wright passionately staking her claim and boldly confronting her competition." She also praised Wright's "engaging vocal personality" and the production.[2]

Music video

The music video for "Jezebel" opens up with Wright in what seems to be in a hotel. There are cut scenes that feature her boyfriend in a nightclub with another woman, the "Jezebel" in this case. Fearing her boyfriend is cheating on her, Wright decides to visit a psychic. The psychic uses tarot cards to read into what her boyfriend is doing. In the next scene, Wright is shown playing with a voodoo doll. She uses the doll on the other woman, making her sweat and accidentally dropping her wine on herself. The following scene then shows Wright outside her apartment building in the rain, waiting for her lover to come home. The other woman is then left alone in the soaking rain, while Wright's boyfriend returns back to her, following the lyrics of the song.

The music video premiered on CMT and Great American Family on December 7, 2001.[3]

Chart performance

"Jezebel" debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart the week of December 22, 2001, at number 50. The song slowly rose up to its peak of number 23 on the chart the week of April 13, 2002.

Charts

Year-end charts

Release history

Release dates and format(s) for "Jezebel"!Region!Date!Format(s)!Label(s)!
United StatesDecember 3, 2001country radioMCA Nashville[5]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Hot Country Songs: 1944-2012, Eighth edition. Joel Whitburn . Record Research . 2013 . 380.
  2. December 1, 2001. Singles. Billboard. 22.
  3. News: December 7, 2001 . Country . . 60.
  4. News: December 13, 2002 . Top 100 of 2002 Country . . 63 . 1483.
  5. News: November 30, 2001 . Going for Adds - Country . . 64.