"The Secret of Life" is a song written and originally recorded by American country music singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters. The song was included on her debut album of the same name in 1996.[2]
| "The Secret Of Life" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Faith Hill | ||||
| from the album Faith | ||||
| Released | May 3, 1999[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1998 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 4:14 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. Nashville | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Gretchen Peters | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Faith Hill singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The track would become famous when country musician Faith Hill recorded it for her third studio album Faith (1998). The song would be released on May 3, 1999, via Warner Bros. Nashville as the fifth and final single from the album. The track was a success for Hill, hitting number 4 on the US Hot Country Songs chart.[3] It would also reach the runner-up spot of the Canadian RPM Country Tracks and the top-fifty of the Billboard Hot 100. Peters would later re-record the song as an acoustic recording to her 2015 studio album Blackbirds.
Background
editGretchen Peters is a well-known Nashville songwriter. Peters had success during the decade penning hits such as "Let That Pony Run" and "Independence Day". She wanted to write a song based around a group of guys after many of her songs were labeled by Nashville as "women's songs," a term that Peters did not like.[4]
Music video
editSteven Goldmann shot the music video. The night before the video was to be shot, the original location for the bar that the directors scouted out had a fire and burned. The Palace Saloon in Fernandina Beach, Florida, located on Amelia Island suffered extensive damage to the interior only.
Synopsis
editThe video opens with a street shot showing the exterior of The Palace with a banner reading "The Starlight Bar & Lounge" covering The Palace sign, as to follow the lyrics of the song. The exterior is used in several shots including Hill standing at the entrance with the doors closed. The interior of the saloon was rebuilt and remains open to this day and is billed as "Florida's oldest continuously operating bar." The video showcases Hill as an observer to the bar conversation referenced in the lyrics. Scenes of small-town life are interspersed. Throughout the video, various characters hold up photographs that seem to come to life. Some of the interior scenes were filmed at St. Nick's Lounge in Jacksonville, Florida. St. Nick's lounge has been a part of the bar scene in Jacksonville since the late 1940's.
Commercial performance
edit"The Secret of Life" debuted on the US Hot Country Songs chart the week of May 8, 1999, at number 75. The track reached number four on the chart the week ending September 18, 1999, spending 24 weeks in total on the chart.
Personnel
editInformation taken from the Faith booklet.[5]
- Steve Nathan – keyboards
- Mike Brignardello – bass
- Brent Mason, Dann Huff, Byron Gallimore – electric guitars
- Sonny Garrish – steel guitar
- Glen Duncan – fiddle
- Larry Byrom – acoustic guitar
- Lonnie Wilson – drums
- Aubrey Haynie – fiddle
- Curtis Young and Kim Parent – background vocals
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
References
edit- ^ "Going for Adds: Country". Radio & Records. No. 1297. April 30, 1999. p. 64.
- ^ The Secret of Life (liner notes). Gretchen Peters. 1996. Imprint Records. 10000
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
- ^ Ortega, Shawna. "Gretchen Peters (Independence Day) : Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
- ^ Faith (US liner notes). Faith Hill. Warner Bros. Nashville Records. 1998. 46790
- ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 8434." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. October 4, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ "Faith Hill Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Faith Hill Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Faith Hill Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "R&R Country Top 50". Radio & Records. No. 1314. August 27, 1999. p. 110.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1999". RPM. December 13, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ "Best of 1999: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ "Country: Top 99 of 1999". Radio & Records. No. 1329. December 10, 1999. p. 77.
