Better Class of Losers: Difference between revisions

"Better Class of Losers"
"Better Class of Losers"
Single by Randy Travis
from the album High Lonesome
B-side	"I'm Gonna Have a Little Talk"
Released	December 9, 1991
Recorded	1991
Genre	Country
Length	2:41
Label	Warner Bros. Nashville 19069
Songwriter(s)	Randy Travis, Alan Jackson
Producer(s)	Kyle Lehning
Randy Travis singles chronology

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"Better Class of Losers" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Randy Travis. It was released in December 1991 as the third single from his album High Lonesome. It peaked at number 2 in both the United States and Canada. Travis co-wrote this song with Alan Jackson. Travis' performance earned him the Grammy nomination for Best Male Country Vocal Performance, his fifth nomination in that category.

Content

The song is narrated from the point of view of a husband, who married a woman from "high society." Over the course of their relationship, he has grown to dislike both her friends and the high-class lifestyle she leads and has announced his intent to end the relationship. Instead, he intends to associate with people who live a much simpler lifestyle, such as those who "buy their coffee beans already ground" and who don't "pay their bills on home computers" (which, in 1991, was a rarity).

Music video

The music video was directed by Jim Shea, and features Travis walking through various sets that convey the song's description, such as a high-rise penthouse set to a farm style set.

Musicians

As listed in liner notes.^[1]

Eddie Bayers - drums
Russ Barenberg - acoustic guitar
Dennis Burnside - piano
Jerry Douglas - dobro
Doyle Grisham - steel guitar
David Hungate - bass guitar
Mac McAnally - acoustic guitar
Brent Mason - 6 string bass, electric guitar
Mark O'Connor - fiddle
John Wesley Ryles - background vocals
Randy Travis - lead vocals
Dennis Wilson - background vocals
Curtis Young - background vocals

Use in media

This song was performed by Travis in the 2007 movie National Treasure: Book of Secrets, where he guest starred performing for the President of the United States at Mount Vernon.^{[citation needed]}

It was also performed, in part, by Travis on a 1993 episode (The Mark) of "Matlock". Travis plays character Billy Wheeler, a country singer hired by Matlock (Andy Griffith) to paint his house, and later accused of killing a con artist.

Chart performance

Chart (1991–1992)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)^[2]	2
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[3]	2

Year-end charts

Chart (1992)	Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)^[4]	27
US Country Songs (Billboard)^[5]	13

References

^ High Lonesome (CD). Randy Travis. Warner Bros. Records. 1991. 26661.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 2064." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. February 29, 1992. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
^ "Randy Travis Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
^ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1992". RPM. December 19, 1992. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
^ "Best of 1992: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1992. Retrieved August 15, 2013.

[1] High Lonesome (CD). Randy Travis. Warner Bros. Records. 1991. 26661.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[sc_Canadacountry_-2] "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 2064." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. February 29, 1992. Retrieved August 15, 2013.

[sc_Billboardcountrysongs_Randy_Travis-3] "Randy Travis Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.

[4] "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1992". RPM. December 19, 1992. Retrieved August 15, 2013.

[5] "Best of 1992: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1992. Retrieved August 15, 2013.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Infobox song
-{{Infobox Single <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Songs -->
-| Name           = Better Class of Losers
+| name       = Better Class of Losers
-| Cover          = Randy Travis - Better Class of losers.JPG
+| cover      = Randy Travis - Better Class of losers.JPG
-| Artist         = [[Randy Travis]]
+| alt        =
+| type       = single
-| Album          = [[High Lonesome (Randy Travis album)|High Lonesome]]
-| A-side         =
+| artist     = [[Randy Travis]]
-| B-side         = "I'm Gonna Have a Little Talk"
+| album      = [[High Lonesome (Randy Travis album)|High Lonesome]]
-| Released       = December 9, 1991
+| B-side     = I'm Gonna Have a Little Talk
+| released   = December 9, 1991
-| Format         = [[7" single]], [[CD Single]]
-| Recorded       = 1991
+| recorded   = 1991
+| studio     =
-| Genre          = [[Country music|Country]]
-| Length         = 2:41
+| venue      =
-| Label          = [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]] 19069
+| genre      = [[Country music|Country]]
+| length     = 2:41
-| Writer         = Randy Travis, [[Alan Jackson]]
-| Producer       = [[Kyle Lehning]]
+| label      = [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros. Nashville]] 19069
+| writer     = Randy Travis, [[Alan Jackson]]
-| Certification  =
-| Last single    = "[[Forever Together]]"<br>(1991)
+| producer   = [[Kyle Lehning]]
+| prev_title = [[Forever Together]]
-| This single    = "'''Better Class of Losers'''"<br>(1992)
+| prev_year  = 1991
-| Next single    = "[[I'd Surrender All]]"<br>(1992)
+| next_title = [[I'd Surrender All]]
-| Misc           =
+| next_year  = 1992
 }}
-"'''Better Class of Losers'''" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer [[Randy Travis]].  It was released in December 1991 as the third single from his album ''[[High Lonesome (Randy Travis album)|High Lonesome]]''.  It peaked at number 2 in both the United States and Canada. Travis co-wrote this song with [[Alan Jackson]].
+"'''Better Class of Losers'''" is a song co-written and recorded by American [[country music]] singer [[Randy Travis]].  It was released in December 1991 as the third single from his album ''[[High Lonesome (Randy Travis album)|High Lonesome]]''.  It peaked at number 2 in both the United States and Canada. Travis co-wrote this song with [[Alan Jackson]]. Travis' performance earned him the [[Grammy Award|Grammy]] nomination for [[Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance|Best Male Country Vocal Performance]], his fifth nomination in that category.
 ==Content==
-The song is narrated from the point of view of a husband, who married a woman from "high society".  Over the course of their relationship, he has grown to dislike both her friends and the high class lifestyle she leads, and has announced his intent to associate with people who "buy their coffee beans already ground" and who don't "pay their bills on home computers" (which, in 1991, was a rarity).
+The song is narrated from the point of view of a husband, who married a woman from "high society." Over the course of their relationship, he has grown to dislike both her friends and the high-class lifestyle she leads and has announced his intent to end the relationship.  Instead, he intends to associate with people who live a much simpler lifestyle, such as those who "buy their coffee beans already ground" and who don't "pay their bills on home computers" (which, in 1991, was a rarity).
-However, the song is ambiguous as to the meaning of "going back".  Though the narration is directed toward the wife, it is unclear whether he intends to seek a divorce, or simply stop attending high society functions with her.
 ==Music video==
@@ Line 31: / Line 30: @@
 ==Musicians==
-As listed in liner notes.<ref>{{cite album-notes |title=High Lonesome |bandname=Randy Travis |year=1991 |format=CD |publisher=Warner Bros. Records |publisherid=26661}}</ref>
+As listed in liner notes.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=High Lonesome |others=Randy Travis |year=1991 |type=CD |publisher=Warner Bros. Records |id=26661}}</ref>
 *[[Eddie Bayers]] - [[drums]]
 *[[Russ Barenberg]] - [[acoustic guitar]]
@@ Line 42: / Line 41: @@
 *[[Mark O'Connor]] - [[fiddle]]
 *[[John Wesley Ryles]] - background vocals
+*[[Randy Travis]] - lead vocals
 *Dennis Wilson - background vocals
 *Curtis Young - background vocals
@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 ==Use in media==
 This song was performed by Travis in the 2007 movie ''[[National Treasure: Book of Secrets]]'', where he guest starred performing for the President of the United States at [[Mount Vernon]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}
+It was also performed, in part, by Travis on a 1993 episode (The Mark) of "Matlock".  Travis plays character Billy Wheeler, a country singer hired by Matlock (Andy Griffith) to paint his house, and later accused of killing a con artist.
 ==Chart performance==
 {|class="wikitable sortable"
-!align="left"|Chart (1991-1992)
+!align="left"|Chart (1991–1992)
 !align="center"|Peak<BR>position
 |-
@@ Line 67: / Line 69: @@
 | align="center" | 27
 |-
-| US [[Hot Country Songs|Country Songs]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1992/hot-country-songs| title=Best of 1992: Country Songs | work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]] | date=1992| accessdate=August 15, 2013}}</ref>
+| US [[Hot Country Songs|Country Songs]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref>{{Cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1992/hot-country-songs| title=Best of 1992: Country Songs | magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]] | date=1992| accessdate=August 15, 2013}}</ref>
 | align="center" | 13
 |}
@@ Line 73: / Line 75: @@
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
-==External links==
-* {{MetroLyrics song|randy-travis|better-class-of-losers}}<!-- Licensed lyrics provider -->
 {{Randy Travis}}
+{{authority control}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Better Class Of Losers}}
+[[Category:1991 songs]]
 [[Category:1991 singles]]
 [[Category:Randy Travis songs]]
@@ Line 84: / Line 87: @@
 [[Category:Songs written by Randy Travis]]
 [[Category:Song recordings produced by Kyle Lehning]]
-[[Category:Warner Bros. Records singles]]
+[[Category:Warner Records singles]]
-{{1990s-country-song-stub}}

v t e Randy Travis
Albums Singles
Studio albums	Storms of Life Always & Forever Old 8×10 No Holdin' Back Heroes & Friends High Lonesome Wind in the Wire This Is Me Full Circle You and You Alone A Man Ain't Made of Stone Inspirational Journey Rise and Shine Worship & Faith Passing Through Glory Train: Songs of Faith, Worship, and Praise Around the Bend Anniversary Celebration Influence Vol. 1: The Man I Am Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am
Compilation albums	Greatest Hits, Volume One Greatest Hits, Volume Two The Very Best of Randy Travis I Told You So: The Ultimate Hits of Randy Travis Three Wooden Crosses: The Inspirational Hits of Randy Travis
Holiday albums	An Old Time Christmas Songs of the Season
Notable singles	"On the Other Hand" "1982" "Diggin' Up Bones" "No Place Like Home" "Forever and Ever, Amen" "I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)" "Too Gone Too Long" "I Told You So" "Honky Tonk Moon" "Deeper Than the Holler" "Is It Still Over?" "Promises" "It's Just a Matter of Time" "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart" "He Walked on Water" "A Few Ole Country Boys" "Heroes and Friends" "Point of Light" "Forever Together" "Better Class of Losers" "I'd Surrender All" "If I Didn't Have You" "Look Heart, No Hands" "An Old Pair of Shoes" "Cowboy Boogie" "Before You Kill Us All" "Whisper My Name" "This Is Me" "The Box" "Are We in Trouble Now" "Would I" "King of the Road" "Out of My Bones" "The Hole" "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man" "Stranger in My Mirror" "A Man Ain't Made of Stone" "Baptism" "Three Wooden Crosses" "Where That Came From"
Other songs	"Voices That Care" "Singing the Blues" "Somewhere in My Broken Heart" "She's Got the Rhythm (And I Got the Blues)"
Related articles	Awards and nominations Filmography