I'm a Survivor

"I'm a Survivor" was written by Shelby Kennedy and Philip White. It was produced by McEntire and record producer Tony Brown. The song features a variety of instrumentation, including electric guitars, played by Steve Gibson. The drums were played by Paul Leim, while the bass was performed by Michael Rhodes. The song's keyboards were provided by Steve Nathan and Matt Rollings. In addition to McEntire's vocals, background vocals were performed by Russell Terrell and Kim Parent. "I'm a Survivor" was recorded and mixed by recording engineer Justin Niebank at Emerald Studio A in Nashville, Tennessee. Niebank also recorded the overdub featured on the track with Steve Marcantonio at Ocean Way Nashville recording studio in Nashville Tennessee, assisted by Chad Brown and Leslie Richter.

"I'm a Survivor" is a country pop song with a length of 3 minutes and 8 seconds (3:08). According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by BMG Rights Management, the song is composed in a key of D major and follows a chord progression of Em–D–D/F{{music|sharp}}–G(9). It has a moderate tempo of 96 beats per minute. McEntire's vocals span from A3 to B4 while the piano arrangement ranges from A3 to G5.{{Cite web |title=Reba McEntire – 'I'm a Survivor' – Digital Sheet Music |publisher=Musicnotes.com. BMG Rights Management|first1=Shelby|last1=Kennedy|first2=Philip|last2=White|year=2001|id=MN0040431}} The song follows in the theme of McEntire previous singles, which center on struggles of strong women throughout their lives. The lyrics focus on a woman who was born prematurely and went on to become a single mother.

The song received positive reviews from music critics who felt that McEntire made the song her own. Marshall Bowden of PopMatters stated the song "rings truer coming from her than it would from the likes of Hill and Twain" while adding that it "manages to combine the trials and tribulations of a premature baby and a single mom up in one ball of wax and still come out sounding like an anthem of personal victory—no small feat."{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/mcentirereba-greatest3/|title=Reba McEntire: Greatest Hits Volume III: I'm a Survivor|website=PopMatters|publisher=PopMatters Media, Inc|last=Bowden|first=Marshall|date=October 22, 2001|accessdate=July 3, 2014}} About.com wrote positively about the song, "A perfect song for this troubled time in the world. Reba fits this song so perfectly. She *is* a survivor, and she's always done songs about strong women so well, and this is no exception."{{cite web|url=http://countrymusic.about.com/library/reviews/aaprrmghiii.htm|title=Greatest Hits: Volume III - I'm a Survivor - Reba McEntire|publisher=About.com. The New York Times Company|accessdate=June 21, 2014|archive-date=February 22, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222052659/http://countrymusic.about.com/library/reviews/aaprrmghiii.htm|url-status=dead}}

In the United States, the song exhibited a moderate commercial performance. "I'm a Survivor" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at {{abbr|No.|Number}} 81 on the issue dated September 15, 2001.{{cite magazine|date=September 15, 2001|title= Billboard Hot 100 – September 15, 2001|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|location=New York|volume=113|issue=37|page=89|issn=0006-2510|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EhEEAAAAMBAJ&q=I%27m+a+Survivor |accessdate=July 4, 2014}} The single continued ascending the chart for eleven weeks, reaching its peak at {{abbr|No.|Number}} 49 on the issue dated December 1, 2001.{{cite magazine|date=December 1, 2001|title= Billboard Hot 100 – December 1, 2001|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|location=New York|volume=113|issue=48|page=97|issn=0006-2510|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JRIEAAAAMBAJ&q=I%27m+a+Survivor |accessdate=July 4, 2014}} It lasted a total of nineteen weeks on the chart.{{cite magazine|date=January 26, 2002|title= Billboard Hot 100 – January 26, 2002|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|location=New York|volume=114|issue=4|page=71|issn=0006-2510|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wA8EAAAAMBAJ&q=I%27m+a+Survivor |accessdate=July 4, 2014}} The song fared better on the Hot Country Songs chart, where it peaked at {{abbr|No.|Number}} 3 on the issue dated November 24, 2001 and spent a total of 21 weeks on the chart.{{cite magazine|date=November 24, 2001|title= Billboard Hot 100 – November 24, 2001|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|location=New York|volume=113|issue=47|page=35|issn=0006-2510|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MxIEAAAAMBAJ&q=I%27m+a+Survivor |accessdate=July 4, 2014}}{{cite magazine|date=December 15, 2001|title= Billboard Hot 100 – December 15, 2001|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|location=New York|volume=113|issue=49|page=34|issn=0006-2510|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XBIEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22I%27m+a+Survivor%22 |accessdate=July 4, 2014}}

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|others=Reba McEntire |title=Greatest Hits Volume III: I'm a Survivor|year=2001|type= inlay cover|publisher= MCA Nashville}}

;Locations

• Recorded at Emerald Studio A (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Overdubs recorded at Ocean Way Nashville (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Mastered at Master Mix (Nashville, Tennessee)

;Personnel

• Reba McEntire – producer
• Tony Brown – producer
• Justin Niebank – recording (vocals and overdub), mixing
• Chad Brown – assistant recording (overdub)
• Leslie Richter – assistant recording (overdub)
• Steve Marcantonio – recording (overdub)
• Hank Williams – mastering

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{{Reflist|2}}

{{Reba McEntire singles}}

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Category:2001 singles

Category:2001 songs

Category:Reba McEntire songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Tony Brown (record producer)

Category:MCA Nashville Records singles

Category:Comedy television theme songs