"Gonna Get a Life" is a song written by

Jim Lauderdale James Russell Lauderdale (born April 11, 1957) is an American country, bluegrass, and Americana singer-songwriter. Since 1986, he has released 31 studio albums, including collaborations with artists such as Dr. Ralph Stanley, Buddy Miller, ...

and Frank Dycus, and recorded by American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

singer

Mark Chesnutt Mark Nelson Chesnutt (born September 6, 1963) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Between 1990 and 1999, he had his greatest chart success recording for Universal Music Group Nashville's MCA and Decca branches, with a total of ei ...

. It was released in February 1995 as the third single from his album ''

What a Way to Live ''What a Way to Live'' is the fifth studio album by American country music artist Mark Chesnutt. His first album for Decca Records, it earned RIAA gold album, gold certification in the United States for sales of 500,000 copies. The tracks "She D ...

''. The song became Chesnutt's sixth U.S. Country Music charts Number One in May of that year.

Background and writing

Jim Lauderdale told Taste of Country that he was working at co-writer Frank Dycus' house that day and while taking a break he played a melody that he came up with. Dycus came up with the title and then wrote the rest of the lyrics.

Critical reception

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it a "spicy mix of country and cajun."

Music video

The music video was directed by Sherman Halsey and premiered in early 1995. It was filmed in

Lafayette, Louisiana Lafayette ( , ) is the most populous city in and parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, Lafayette Parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located along the Vermilion River (Louisiana), Vermilion River. It is Louisiana's List of municipaliti ...

. It features Chesnutt performing the song in concert, in a treehouse, and at a cajun party surrounded by various people.

Chart performance

"Gonna Get a Life" debuted at number 68 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of February 25, 1995.

Year-end charts

References

1995 singles 1994 songs Mark Chesnutt songs Songs written by Jim Lauderdale Decca Records singles Music videos directed by Sherman Halsey Song recordings produced by Mark Wright (record producer) Songs written by Frank Dycus {{1995-country-song-stub