On this day (January 30) in 1994, Clay Walker topped the Hot Country Songs chart with “Live Until I Die.” It was the second single from his self-titled debut album and his second consecutive No. 1. His emotional connection to the song made its status as a hit a little more special to Walker.
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Walker released his debut single, “What’s It to You,” in July 1993. It reached the top of the country chart in October. He followed that success with “Live Until I Die” later that month. It climbed the chart, peaking at No. 1 at the end of January. However, this was more than a hit song for Walker. It was inspired by his family and childhood memories, making it near and dear to his heart.
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Clay Walker Reflects on “Live Until I Die”
Clay Walker didn’t initially plan to record “Live Until I Die.” When he wrote it, he didn’t have a recording contract. So, he wanted to pitch the song to someone like Randy Travis, hoping a hit would lead him to a recording contract. However, that’s no the way things worked out. In the end, he landed a deal in time to record the song himself.
“I grew up in a rural area. My grandmother had an 84-acre tract of land outside the city limits,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “We had a farm with lots of animals. It was different from growing up downtown, where you might be riding a bicycle in the street and stuff like that,” he added. “The part in ‘Live Until I Die’ where I talk about muddy roads and muddy feet–well, I walked those muddy roads. That song is very dear to me. In fact, it’s like [an] autobiography. I think everybody has one point in his life when he’s a child or teenager that he wishes he could go back to, and that’s mine.”
Featured Image by Pam Francis/Getty Images
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