"A Lesson in Leavin'", also titled as "Lesson in Leavin"', is a song written by

Randy Goodrum Charles Randolph Goodrum (born July 7, 1947) is an American songwriter, pianist, and producer. Goodrum has written number one songs in each of the four decades since his first number one hit, 1978's " You Needed Me". Goodrum's songs have appear ...

and

Brent Maher Brent Maher is a producer, engineer, and songwriter currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee. He has produced and engineered six Grammy-winning records and received awards from the CMA, ACM, CCMA, ASCAP, SOCAN and NSAI. Maher engineered cla ...

. It was originally recorded in 1979 by American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, o ...

singer,

Dottie West Dorothy Marie Marsh West (October 11, 1932 – September 4, 1991) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with her friends and fellow recording artists Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, she is considered one of the genre's most in ...

, for her Special Delivery album. Following several hit duets with

Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted m ...

including three chart-toppers, as well as many more years of solo chart action, including her top five smash "Country Sunshine" the song went to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart in 1980, giving West her first solo chart topper. In 1999, it was re-recorded by American country music singer,

Jo Dee Messina Jo Dee Marie Messina (born August 25, 1970) is an American country music artist. She has charted six number-one singles on the ''Billboard'' country music charts. She has been honored by the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country ...

, whose version spent seven weeks at No. 2 on the same chart. Messina recorded the song as a tribute to West who died in 1991.

Content

Both versions of "A Lesson in Leavin'" are set at a mid-beat tempo. The song discusses how a woman is angry that her male lover has left her. She hopes that the man's next lover treats him the way the woman was treated, saying that he will be given "a lesson in leavin'."

Dottie West version

Dottie West was the first singer to release the song as a single and titled it "A Lesson in Leavin'". West's version was recorded in

country pop Country pop (also known as pop country or urban cowboy) is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres ...

style that was apparent on most her singles in the 1980s. West's version peaked at No. 1 on the

Hot Country Singles & Tracks Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sa ...

chart the week of April 26, 1980, and was her first No. 1 hit as a solo artist, along with another No. 1 single shortly afterwards titled, "

Are You Happy Baby? "Are You Happy Baby?" is a song written by Bob Stone, and recorded by American country music artist Dottie West. It was released in December 1980 as the first single from the album ''Wild West''. "Are You Happy Baby?" was Dottie West's second nu ...

." In addition the single was reached No. 73 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and was a minor hit on the

Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by st ...

chart. The song helped to revitalize West's career, after having a series of unsuccessful solo singles in the 1970s. The song helped West endure popularity during the early 1980s.

Peak chart positions

Year-end charts

Jo Dee Messina version

released a cover of West's original "A Lesson in Leavin'", but retitled the song, "Lesson in Leavin'". The song was released in 1999 as the fourth single from Messina's second album, 1998's '' I'm Alright''. The song was a major hit in 1999, spending seven weeks at No. 2 on the ''Billboard''

chart that summer.

Peak chart positions

"Lesson in Leavin'" debuted at number 56 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of May 1, 1999.

Year-end charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lesson in Leaving 1980 singles 1999 singles Dottie West songs Jo Dee Messina songs Songs written by Randy Goodrum Song recordings produced by Larry Butler (producer) Song recordings produced by Byron Gallimore Song recordings produced by Tim McGraw United Artists Records singles Curb Records singles Songs written by Brent Maher 1979 songs