Why (Rascal Flatts song): Difference between revisions

"Why"
"Why"
Single by Rascal Flatts
from the album Unstoppable
Released	September 29, 2009
Genre	Country
Length	4:55
Label	Lyric Street
Songwriter(s)	Rob Mathes, Allen Shamblin
Producer(s)	Dann Huff, Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts singles chronology

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"Why" is a song recorded by American country music band Rascal Flatts. It is the third single from their sixth studio album, Unstoppable. It was released to radio stations on September 29, 2009 and debuted at number 44 on the U.S. Billboard US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of October 10, 2009. It was written by Rob Mathes and Allen Shamblin.

The song was recorded earlier by Faith Hill for a possible inclusion on her 2005 album Fireflies, but ultimately did not make the cut. It was eventually released in 2016 on Deep Tracks.^[1]

Content

The song is a ballad, sung from the perspective of a man whose close friend has died by suicide. All three members of Rascal Flatts stated that they had experienced some degree of difficulty recording the song, because each member knew someone close to them that suffered the same fate.^[2]

Critical reception

Roughstock gave the song a favorable review. Bobby Peacock of the website says of the song, “The lyrics alone are beautiful.”^[3] Chris Neal of Country Weekly gave it three stars out of five, saying that lead singer Gary LeVox "handles the lyric as delicately as its subject matter[…] calls for" but said that the "climactic arena rock guitar solo[…]rob[s] some of the song of its intimacy."^[4]

Reviewing the album Unstoppable upon release, Matt Bjorke of Roughstock specifically cited "Why" as the best track of the album, writing, "This is the kind of song that got me to personally like Rascal Flatts and it's certainly the best track on Unstoppable" and "There's gotta be 'Song of the Year' accolades somewhere down the line for this song as it's that powerful."^[5]

Chart performance

"Why" peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts dated for November 14, 2009. It held the peak before falling to No. 19 on the week of November 28 before returning to number 18 a week later. The song did not reach the Billboard Hot 100 proper, but peaked at number 2 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100, which is equivalent to number 102 on Hot 100.

Chart (2009)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[6]	18
US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100^[7]	2

References

^ Bonaguro, Alison (November 21, 2016). "Faith Hill: "Rebel Without Walls"". CMT. Viacom. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
^ Dunham, Nancy (2010-06-23). "Rascal Flatts Explain 'Why' They Cut Tough Song About Suicide". The Boot. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
^ Roughstock “Why” Review
^ Neal, Chris (2009-11-16). "Reviews: Singles". Country Weekly. 16 (40): 54. ISSN 1074-3235.
^ "Rascal Flatts - "Unstoppable"". Archived from the original on April 11, 2009. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
^ "Rascal Flatts Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. p. 732. ISBN 978-0-89820-188-8.

[1] Bonaguro, Alison (November 21, 2016). "Faith Hill: "Rebel Without Walls"". CMT. Viacom. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.

[2] Dunham, Nancy (2010-06-23). "Rascal Flatts Explain 'Why' They Cut Tough Song About Suicide". The Boot. Retrieved 2023-12-31.

[3] Roughstock “Why” Review

[4] Neal, Chris (2009-11-16). "Reviews: Singles". Country Weekly. 16 (40): 54. ISSN 1074-3235.

[roughstock-5] "Rascal Flatts - "Unstoppable"". Archived from the original on April 11, 2009. Retrieved April 7, 2009.

[sc_Billboardcountrysongs_Rascal_Flatts-6] "Rascal Flatts Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.

[whitburn2010-7] Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. p. 732. ISBN 978-0-89820-188-8.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Infobox song
-{{Infobox Single <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Songs -->
-| Name           = Why
+| name       = Why
-| Cover          = Rascal Flatts - Why Promo Cover2.JPG
+| cover      = Rascal Flatts - Why Promo Cover2.JPG
-| Artist         = [[Rascal Flatts]]
+| alt        =
+| type       = single
-| Album          = [[Unstoppable (Rascal Flatts album)|Unstoppable]]
-| Released       = {{Start date|2009|9|29}}
+| artist     = [[Rascal Flatts]]
-| Format         = [[CD single]], [[music download]]
+| album      = [[Unstoppable (Rascal Flatts album)|Unstoppable]]
+| released   = {{Start date|2009|9|29}}
-| Recorded       =
+| recorded   =
-| Genre          = [[Country music|Country]]
-| Length         = 4:53
+| studio     =
+| venue      =
-| Label          = [[Lyric Street Records|Lyric Street]]
-| Writer         = Rob Mathes, [[Allen Shamblin]]
+| genre      = [[Country music|Country]]
+| length     = 4:55
-| Producer       = [[Dann Huff]], Rascal Flatts
+| label      = [[Lyric Street Records|Lyric Street]]
-| Audio sample?  =
+| writer     = Rob Mathes, [[Allen Shamblin]]
-| Certification  =
-| Last single    = "[[Summer Nights (Rascal Flatts song)|Summer Nights]]"<br />(2009)
+| producer   = [[Dann Huff]], Rascal Flatts
+| prev_title = [[Summer Nights (Rascal Flatts song)|Summer Nights]]
-| This single    = "'''Why'''"<br />(2009)
+| prev_year  = 2009
-| Next single    = "[[Unstoppable (Rascal Flatts song)|Unstoppable]]"<br />(2010)
+| next_title = [[Unstoppable (Rascal Flatts song)|Unstoppable]]
-| Misc           =
+| next_year  = 2010
 }}
-"'''Why'''" is the title of a song recorded by American [[country music|country]] band [[Rascal Flatts]]. It is the third single from their sixth studio album, ''[[Unstoppable (Rascal Flatts album)|Unstoppable]]''. It was released to radio stations on September 29, 2009 and debuted at #44 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' [[Hot Country Songs|US Billboard Hot Country Songs]] chart for the week of October 10, 2009. It was written by Rob Mathes and [[Allen Shamblin]].
+"'''Why'''" is a song recorded by American [[country music]] band [[Rascal Flatts]]. It is the third single from their sixth studio album, ''[[Unstoppable (Rascal Flatts album)|Unstoppable]]''. It was released to radio stations on September 29, 2009 and debuted at number 44 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' [[Hot Country Songs|US Billboard Hot Country Songs]] chart for the week of October 10, 2009. It was written by Rob Mathes and [[Allen Shamblin]].
+The song was recorded earlier by [[Faith Hill]] for a possible inclusion on her 2005 album ''[[Fireflies (Faith Hill album)|Fireflies]]'', but ultimately did not make the cut. It was eventually released in 2016 on ''[[Deep Tracks (Faith Hill album)|Deep Tracks]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bonaguro |first1=Alison|title=Faith Hill: "Rebel Without Walls"|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/1773832/faith-hill-rebel-without-walls/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122193542/http://www.cmt.com/news/1773832/faith-hill-rebel-without-walls/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 22, 2016|website=[[Country Music Television|CMT]]|publisher=[[Viacom (2005–present)|Viacom]]|access-date=December 2, 2016|date=November 21, 2016}}</ref>
 ==Content==
-The song is a slow-tempo song, sung from the perspective of a man whose close friend has committed [[suicide]]. All three members of Rascal Flatts said that they had difficulty recording the song, because they all knew someone close to them that committed suicide.
+The song is a ballad, sung from the perspective of a man whose close friend has died by [[suicide]]. All three members of Rascal Flatts stated that they had experienced some degree of difficulty recording the song, because each member knew someone close to them that suffered the same fate.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dunham |first=Nancy |date=2010-06-23 |title=Rascal Flatts Explain 'Why' They Cut Tough Song About Suicide |url=https://theboot.com/rascal-flatts-why-lyrics/ |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=The Boot |language=en}}</ref>
+==Critical reception==
-==Reception==
-Roughstock gave the song a favorable review. Bobby Peacock of the website says of the song, “The lyrics alone are beautiful.”<ref>[http://www.roughstock.com/blog/rascal-flatts-why- Roughstock “Why” Review]</ref> The song also received special mention in Matt Bjorke's original review of the ''Unstoppable'' album, where he wrote that "Levox has NEVER sounded better vocally."<ref>[http://www.roughstock.com/reviews/rascal-flatts-unstoppable| Roughstock “Unstoppable” Review]</ref> Chris Neal of ''[[Country Weekly]]'' gave it three stars out of five, saying that lead singer [[Gary LeVox]] "handles the lyric as delicately as its subject matter[…] calls for" but said that the "climactic [[arena rock]] guitar solo[…]rob[s] some of the song of its intimacy."<ref>{{cite journal|last=Neal|first=Chris|date=2009-11-16|title=Reviews: Singles|journal=[[Country Weekly]]|volume=16|issue=40|pages=54|issn=1074-3235|accessdate=2009-11-07}}</ref>
+Roughstock gave the song a favorable review. Bobby Peacock of the website says of the song, “The lyrics alone are beautiful.”<ref>[http://roughstock.com/news/2009/09/20461-rascal-flatts-why Roughstock “Why” Review]</ref> Chris Neal of ''[[Country Weekly]]'' gave it three stars out of five, saying that lead singer [[Gary LeVox]] "handles the lyric as delicately as its subject matter[…] calls for" but said that the "climactic [[arena rock]] guitar solo[…]rob[s] some of the song of its intimacy."<ref>{{cite journal|last=Neal|first=Chris|date=2009-11-16|title=Reviews: Singles|journal=[[Country Weekly]]|volume=16|issue=40|pages=54|issn=1074-3235}}</ref>
-CM Wilcox of The 9513 gave a thumbs-down, saying "Rascal Flatts, who have made a career of reveling in just such melodrama, have at long last discovered a song that actually seems to justify their usual overdone style" and describing LeVox's vocal performance favorably, but adding that the song's "biggest problem" was its length.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.the9513.com/rascal-flatts-why/|title=Rascal Flatts — "Why"|last=Wilcox|first=CM|date=2009-10-09|work=The 9513|accessdate=2009-10-09}}</ref>
+Reviewing the album ''Unstoppable'' upon release, Matt Bjorke of Roughstock specifically cited "Why" as the best track of the album, writing, "This is the kind of song that got me to personally like Rascal Flatts and it's certainly the best track on ''Unstoppable''" and "There's gotta be 'Song of the Year' accolades somewhere down the line for this song as it's that powerful."<ref name="roughstock">{{cite web |url=http://www.roughstock.com/reviews/rascal-flatts-unstoppable |title=Rascal Flatts - "Unstoppable" |access-date=April 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411204157/http://www.roughstock.com/reviews/rascal-flatts-unstoppable |archive-date=April 11, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 ==Chart performance==
-"Why" peaked at number 18 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot Country Songs]] charts dated for November 14, 2009. It held the peak before falling to number 19 on the week of November 28 before returning to number 18 a week later. The song did not reach the [[Billboard Hot 100]] proper, but peaked at number 2 on the [[Bubbling Under Hot 100]], which is equivalent to number 102 on Hot 100. It is the lowest-peaking official single release of Rascal Flatts' career.
+"Why" peaked at No. 18 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot Country Songs]] charts dated for November 14, 2009. It held the peak before falling to No. 19 on the week of November 28 before returning to number 18 a week later. The song did not reach the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] proper, but peaked at number 2 on the [[Bubbling Under Hot 100]], which is equivalent to number 102 on Hot 100.
 {| class="wikitable sortable"
 |-
@@ Line 38: / Line 41: @@
 {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|18|artist=Rascal Flatts|artistid=395934}}
 |-
-|US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Bubbling Under Hot 100]]<ref name="whitburn2010">{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Top Pop Singles 1955–2010|publisher=Record Research, Inc|page=732|year=2011|isbn=0-89820-188-8}}</ref>
+|US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Bubbling Under Hot 100]]<ref name="whitburn2010">{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Top Pop Singles 1955–2010|publisher=Record Research, Inc|page=732|year=2011|isbn=978-0-89820-188-8}}</ref>
 |align=center|2
 |}
@@ Line 44: / Line 47: @@
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
-==External links==
-* {{MetroLyrics song|rascal-flatts|why}}<!-- Licensed lyrics provider -->
 {{Rascal Flatts singles}}
 [[Category:2009 singles]]
-[[Category:Songs about suicide]]
-[[Category:Songs produced by Dann Huff]]
 [[Category:Rascal Flatts songs]]
+[[Category:Faith Hill songs]]
+[[Category:Songs about suicide]]
+[[Category:Song recordings produced by Dann Huff]]
 [[Category:Songs written by Allen Shamblin]]
 [[Category:Lyric Street Records singles]]
 [[Category:Country ballads]]
+[[Category:2009 songs]]
+[[Category:2016 songs]]
+[[Category:Songs written by Rob Mathes]]

v t e Rascal Flatts singles
Rascal Flatts	"Prayin' for Daylight" "This Everyday Love" "While You Loved Me" "I'm Movin' On"
Melt	"These Days" "Love You Out Loud" "I Melt" "Mayberry"
Feels Like Today	"Feels Like Today" "Bless the Broken Road" "Fast Cars and Freedom" "Skin (Sarabeth)"
Me and My Gang	"What Hurts the Most" "Me and My Gang" "My Wish" "Stand"
Still Feels Good	"Take Me There" "Winner at a Losing Game" "Every Day" "Bob That Head" "Here"
Unstoppable	"Here Comes Goodbye" "Summer Nights" "Why" "Unstoppable"
Nothing Like This	"Why Wait" "I Won't Let Go" "Easy"
Changed	"Banjo" "Come Wake Me Up" "Changed"
Rewind	"Rewind" "Payback" "Riot" "I Like the Sound of That"
Back to Us	"Yours If You Want It"
Other songs	"Life Is a Highway" "That Should Be Me" "Words I Couldn't Say" "Back to Life" "Let It Go" "Until Grace" "How They Remember You" "Forever Country"