It Was
{{for|the song by Ayumi Hamasaki|Secret (Ayumi Hamasaki album)}}
{{Infobox song
| name = It Was
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Chely Wright
| album = Single White Female
| B-side = Rubbin' It In
| released = October 4, 1999
| format =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Country
| length = 3:51
| label = MCA Nashville
| writer = Mark Wright
Gary Burr
| producer = Tony Brown
Buddy Cannon
Norro Wilson
| prev_title = Single White Female
| prev_year = 1999
| next_title = She Went Out for Cigarettes
| next_year = 2000
}}
"It Was" is a song recorded by American country music artist Chely Wright. The song was released on October 4, 1999 by MCA Nashville as the second single from her fourth studio album Single White Female (1999). It was written by Mark Wright and Gary Burr and was produced by Tony Brown, Buddy Cannon, and Norro Wilson.
The song reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in April 2000.{{cite web|title=Chely Wright Hot Country Songs Chart History|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=chely wright|chart=Country Songs}}|work=Billboard|accessdate=January 28, 2012}}
Critical reception
Deborah Evans Price of Billboard gave the song a favorable review, saying that it "has a hauntingly beautiful melody and affecting lyric about the mercurial nature of love" and that "Wright possesses a strong voice, full of emotional depth and presence."{{cite news|last=Price|first=Deborah Evans|title=Reviews & Previews|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cggEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22chely+wright%22&pg=PA31|accessdate=January 28, 2012|newspaper=Billboard|date=October 2, 1999}}
Music video
The music video was directed by Deaton-Flanigen Productions and premiered in August 1999.{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/videos/wright_chely/69917/.jhtml|title=CMT : Videos : Chely Wright : It Was|publisher=Country Music Television|accessdate=January 28, 2012}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
Chart performance
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (1999–2000) !align="center"|Peak |
| {{singlechart|Canadacountry|37|chartid=9996|publishdate=December 6, 1999|accessdate=July 8, 2013}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|64|artist=Chely Wright}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|11|artist=Chely Wright}} |
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| scope="col"|Chart (2000)
!scope="col"|Position |
|---|
| US Country Songs (Billboard){{Cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2000/hot-country-songs| title=Best of 2000: Country Songs | work=Billboard | publisher=Prometheus Global Media |year=2000 | accessdate=August 16, 2012}}
| align="center" | 47 |
Release history
| class="wikitable"
|+Release dates and format(s) for "It Was" !Region !Date !Format(s) !Label(s) !{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| United States
|October 4, 1999 |{{Cite news |date=October 1, 1999 |title=Going for Adds - Country |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1999/RR-1999-10-01.pdf |work=Radio & Records |page=82}} |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Chely Wright}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Mark Wright (record producer)
Category:Songs written by Gary Burr
Category:Song recordings produced by Tony Brown (record producer)
Category:Song recordings produced by Buddy Cannon
Category:Song recordings produced by Norro Wilson
Category:Music videos directed by Deaton-Flanigen Productions