Strait's success began when his first single "Unwound" was a hit in 1981. During the 1980s, seven of his albums reached #1 on the country charts. In the 2000s, Strait was named Artist of the Decade by the Academy of Country Music, was elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and won his first Grammy award for the album Troubadour. Strait was named CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1989, 1990 and 2013, and ACM Entertainer of the Year in 1990 and 2014. He has been nominated for more CMA and ACM awards and has more wins in both categories than any other artist.
By 2009, he broke Conway Twitty's previous record for the most #1 hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart when his 44 #1 singles surpassed Twitty's 40. Counting all music charts, Strait has amassed a total of 60 #1 hits, breaking a record also previously set by Twitty, giving him more #1 songs than any other artist in any genre of music.
Strait is also known for his touring career when he designed a 360-degree configuration and introduced festival style tours. For example, the Strait Tours earned $99 million in three years. His concert at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in June 2014 drew 104,793 people, marking a new record for largest indoor concert in North America.
In more than 30 years of recording, all of which have been spent with MCA Records, George Strait has garnered 61 #1 songs on all country charts (including Mediabase 24/7, the former Radio & Records chart, and the now-defunct Gavin Report chart), and has more #1 hits than any other artist in a single genre. His 44 Billboard country #1 hits are a record, four more than Conway Twitty's total that includes several duets with Loretta Lynn. Additionally, Strait is also the first artist in the history of Billboard to have at least one single enter the top 10 of a Billboard chart for 30 consecutive years, starting in 1981 when his debut single "Unwound" peaked at number six on the Hot Country Singles chart. All of his top-10 singles have been on that chart. Strait has sold more than 68 million records in the United States alone, and his certifications from the RIAA include 13 multiplatinum, 33 platinum, and 38 gold albums.
George Strait Discography:
Strait Country (1981)
Strait from the Heart (1982)
Right or Wrong (1983)
Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind (1984)
Something Special (1985)
#7 (1986)
Ocean Front Property (1987)
If You Ain't Lovin' You Ain't Livin' (1988)
Beyond the Blue Neon (1989)
Livin' It Up (1990)
Chill of an Early Fall (1991)
Holding My Own (1992)
Pure Country (1992)
Easy Come, Easy Go (1993)
Lead On (1994)
Blue Clear Sky (1996)
Carrying Your Love with Me (1997)
One Step at a Time (1998)
Always Never the Same (1999)
George Strait (2000)
The Road Less Traveled (2001)
Honkytonkville (2003)
Somewhere Down in Texas (2005)
It Just Comes Natural (2006)
Troubadour (2008)
Twang (2009)
Here for a Good Time (2011)
Love Is Everything (2013)
Cold Beer Conversation (2015)
Honky Tonk Time Machine (2019)
Check Yes Or No
George Strait Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to sit beside Emmylou Hayes
A pink dress, a matching bow in her ponytail
She kissed me on the school bus but told me not to tell
Next day I chased her 'round the playground
'Cross the monkey bars to the merry-go-round
And Emmylou got caught passing me a note
Before the teacher took it I read what she wrote
"Do you love me? Do you wanna be my friend?
And if you do
Well then don't be afraid to take me by the hand
If you want to
I think this is how love goes
Check yes or no"
Now we're grown up and she's my wife
Still like two kids with stars in our eyes
Ain't much changed, I still chase Emmylou
Up and down the hall, around the bed in our room
Last night I took her out in a white limousine
Twenty years together she still gets to me
Can't believe it's been that long ago
When we got started with just a little note
"Do you love me? Do you wanna be my friend?
And if you do
Well then don't be afraid to take me by the hand
If you want to
I think this is how love goes
Check yes or no"
"Do you love me? Do you wanna be my friend?
And if you do
Well then don't be afraid to take me by the hand
If you want to
I think this is how love goes
Check yes or no"
Check yes or no
Check yes or no
Check yes or no
Check yes or no
George Strait’s song Check Yes Or No tells the story of a love that started in third grade and has grown into a lifelong partnership filled with love and joy. He reminisces about the moments he shared with Emmylou Hayes, his childhood crush. She would talk to him, sit next to him on the school bus, and pass notes to him. The chorus focuses on the question Emmylou asked him in the note. She asked him whether he loved her and whether he wanted to be her friend. George Strait then reflects on how love works by emphasizing that when you find the right person, you don't have to worry or overthink it. You simply take their hand and say yes.
As the song progresses, George Strait and Emmylou Hayes had grown up and are now married, but they still have the same level of affection and interest in each other that they had in third grade. They still play around the house and chase each other in a playful manner. George Strait takes his wife out in a "white limousine" to celebrate their anniversary, highlighting their love story.
Overall, Check Yes Or No is a sweet love song about a long-lasting relationship that began with childhood infatuation and has grown into something deeper and more profound. It shows how true love can begin at a young age and continue to blossom into something beautiful and lasting.
Line by Line Meaning
It started way back in third grade
This is the beginning of a story about a romantic relationship that began in elementary school.
I used to sit beside Emmylou Hayes
The singer of the story sat next to a girl named Emmylou Hayes when they were in third grade.
A pink dress, a matching bow in her ponytail
Emmylou Hayes wore a pink dress with a matching bow in her hair when she and the singer were in third grade.
She kissed me on the school bus but told me not to tell
Emmylou Hayes kissed the artist on the school bus but asked him to keep it a secret.
Next day I chased her 'round the playground
The day after they kissed, the artist chased Emmylou around the playground.
'Cross the monkey bars to the merry-go-round
During the chase, the singer and Emmylou went across the monkey bars and to the merry-go-round in the playground.
And Emmylou got caught passing me a note
Emmylou got caught by the teacher when she was trying to give a note to the singer.
Before the teacher took it I read what she wrote
The artist was able to read what was written in the note before the teacher took it away from Emmylou.
"Do you love me? Do you wanna be my friend?
The note that Emmylou wrote had questions about their relationship.
And if you do
If the artist loved Emmylou and wanted to be her friend,
Well then don't be afraid to take me by the hand
Emmylou was encouraging the singer to take a step forward in their relationship.
If you want to
If the artist felt the same way that Emmylou did,
I think this is how love goes
Emmylou believed that this was how people fall in love.
Check yes or no"
Emmylou wanted the singer to indicate if his answer was yes or no by checking a box on the note.
Now we're grown up and she's my wife
The singer and Emmylou are no longer in elementary school and are now married.
Still like two kids with stars in our eyes
Despite being married, the couple still has a childlike wonder and excitement about being together.
Ain't much changed, I still chase Emmylou
The artist still pursues and courts Emmylou, even after many years of being with her.
Up and down the hall, around the bed in our room
The singer continues to chase Emmylou in their home, running up and down the hall and around their bed.
Last night I took her out in a white limousine
The singer and Emmylou went out for a special night in a fancy car.
Twenty years together she still gets to me
After being together for two decades, Emmylou still has a powerful emotional effect on the artist.
Can't believe it's been that long ago
The artist is amazed that so much time has passed since he and Emmylou were in third grade.
When we got started with just a little note
The note passed between the artist and Emmylou was the beginning of their relationship.
Check yes or no
The final line is a repetition of the request that Emmylou made in the note, indicating that the couple are still happily together after all these years.
Check yes or no
Check yes or no
Check yes or no
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Dana Hunt, Danny Wells
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@shgurr
I love this song way too much XD
@dreamsteal4773
I do to, long live the country lord
@frosty17012
shgurr hi I'm subscribed to you lol
@doof287
shgurr never thought I'd see you commenting on this lol
@lonniemoore3386
me too
@charlesthelesser3414
Your content seems to be replicant copies of TheOddOnesOut
@x_nderjohnson
I know that no one cares, but my grandma recently died. we were very close. every time she would pick me up from school when I was a kid this song would play on the radio. I could tell she loved it because every time, her face would light up. my fondest memory is singing this with my grandma on the way to her house after a long day of school. I love and miss you granmda Sandy❤
@chancethegreaser7312
XJ all the way That is very sad I'm sorry for your loss
@LupeCoded
Very sorry to hear that. I hope this song brings you comfort in some way. Thanks for sharing your experience.
@coganthebom6010
Sorry for loss