Her 1997 self-titled debut album brought her onto the country music scene as a herald of a more neotraditional country music sound, in a genre that had begun to sound more pop-oriented with the likes of LeAnn Rimes, Faith Hill and Shania Twain topping the charts. The hits from that first album were "Never Again, Again", "The Fool" and "You've Got To Talk To Me."
Her second album, 1998's Some Things I Know, set the tone for what the pop oriented direction of country music sought to encapsulate in the late 1990s. It brought us "A Little Past Little Rock", "(Now You See Me) Now You Don't" and "I'll Think Of A Reason Later", while her third and possibly most successful album to date, 2000's I Hope You Dance, featured, along with the award-winning aforementioned title cut (to which Sons of the Desert supplied the backing vocals) also featured the hits "Why They Call It Falling" and "Does My Ring Burn Your Finger" as well as covers of the 1980 Rodney Crowell hit "Ashes By Now", and the Don Williams' 1981 classic, "Lord I Hope This Day Is Good."
Womack's fourth album, Something Worth Leaving Behind, released in 2002, was seen by many as an attempt by her to cross over to the very pop-sound of which she was the antithesis five years earlier. The title cut and "Forever Everyday" were the only two singles released. Both went into the top 40 country chart.
Her most recent album, 2005's There's More Where That Came From features "I May Hate Myself In The Morning", the album's first single, which is viewed by many as a return to the traditional sound that brought her success in her earlier career. Later in 2005, Womack won three awards at the Country Music Awards: Single of the Year for "I May Hate Myself In The Morning", Album of the Year for There's More Where That Came From, and Musical Event of the Year for her duet, "Good News, Bad News", with George Strait.
Womack has recorded a few duets that have been released as singles. In 2002, her duet with Willie Nelson, "Mendocino County Line", became his biggest hit in several years. In 2004, she worked with country band Cross Canadian Ragweed on the track "Sick and Tired". The song had moderate success and received a bit of video airplay.
Womack has two daughters; Aubrie (with ex-husband Jason Sellers) and Anna Lise (with current husband Frank Liddell). Both daughters appeared in the video for "I Hope You Dance".
In Summer of 2006, Womack announced plans to release a new studio album in the fall, titled Finding My Way Back Home but it has been pushed back to 2007. The first single, which was the album's title track, peaked at #37 in late 2006.
Discography
Studio Albums
* Lee Ann Womack (1997) Platinum
* Some Things I Know (1998) Gold
* I Hope You Dance (2000) 3x Platinum
* Something Worth Leaving Behind (2002)
* There's More Where That Came From (2005) Gold
* Finding My Way Back Home (2007)
Virtual Albums
* iTunes Originals - Lee Ann Womack
Compilation Albums
* Greatest Hits (2004)
Christmas Albums
* The Season For Romance (2002)
Trivia
* Lee Ann wore dental braces on her teeth in the late 1990's, being one of the few public figures to wear visible braces in adulthood.
* Lee Ann also sang with Chris Jericho (of WWE fame) and Olympic gymnast Carly Patterson in the FOX show "Celebrity Duets" in 2006.
* Lee Ann Sang her hit song "I Hope You Dance" at the 2004 Republican National Convention.
* Lee Ann was once married to singer/songwriter Jason Sellers. The couple had one daughter, Aubrie Lee Sellers, born that same year. The couple divorced in the late 1990s. In 1999, she married former record executive Frank Liddell, and has had a second daughter, Anne Lise Liddell.[1]
I Hope You Dance
Lee Ann Womack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin'
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'
Don't let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance (time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along)
I hope you dance
I hope you dance (tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance (where those years have gone?)
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance (time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along)
I hope you dance
I hope you dance (tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance (where those years have gone?)
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
(Where those years have gone?)
In Lee Ann Womack's “I Hope You Dance” song, the singer provides a valuable message intended for someone she cares deeply for. The song's lyrics exude a sentiment of hopefulness, encouragement, and advice that the person being addressed will hold onto throughout their lives. These words of wisdom include taking chances, never settling for the path of least resistance, having faith, and always being open for opportunities no matter how small they may seem.
The singer first expresses her belief in the sense of wonder that should stay alive within a person even as they grow older. She then encourages the person to continue to be ambitious but also grateful for every breath they take, alluding to the fact that life is a precious gift that should not be taken for granted.
As the song progresses, the singer reminds the person to stay in awe of nature’s grandeur, to be hopeful, have faith, and to be unafraid to take chances. She urges them not to let bitterness take hold of their heart, especially when they experience setbacks or when things do not go according to plan. Instead, the person should reconsider, hold onto hope, and look past momentary failures or disappointments. The song concludes with the message, “when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,” reminding the person to always seize every opportunity that comes their way, to take chances, and to make the most of their life.
Line by Line Meaning
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
May you always remain fascinated and amazed by the world around you, and never lose your eagerness to learn and discover.
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
While being content and satisfied with what you have, always aspire for more and never lose your drive to improve yourself.
May you never take one single breath for granted
Always be grateful for every moment of your life and never forget to appreciate the simple things that make it worth living.
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
May you always have love in your life, and never experience the heartache and loneliness of being without it.
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
May you always feel humbled and awed by the vastness and power of nature, and never become too self-important to appreciate it.
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
When faced with setbacks and difficulties, always believe that another opportunity will arise, and never lose hope or give up.
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
Always trust in something greater than yourself, and never let doubt or cynicism prevent you from believing in the power of hope.
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
When faced with a decision, take a chance and live life to the fullest, rather than playing it safe and settling for less.
I hope you dance
May you always live with joy and passion, and never lose your willingness to take a risk and embrace life's challenges and opportunities.
Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin'
Though living can involve uncertainty and risk, it is worth it to seize the opportunities that arise and live life to the fullest.
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'
Though love can lead to heartbreak and pain, it is worth pursuing and experiencing for the joy and fulfillment it can bring.
Don't let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter
Don't let the actions or behavior of others turn you into a resentful and angry person, and keep your heart open to new opportunities and experiences.
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
Always be aware of the beauty and wonder of the world around you, and never become too busy or distracted to appreciate it.
Dance
Live life with joy, passion, and celebration, and never let your fears or doubts hold you back from fully experiencing it.
I hope you dance (time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along)
May you always recognize that time is fleeting and embrace every moment of your life, knowing that it is constantly moving forward and never stops.
I hope you dance (tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
May you always live your life in such a way that you can look back on it with pride and satisfaction, rather than regret or missed opportunities.
I hope you dance (where those years have gone?)
May you always be aware of the passing of time and make the most of every moment, so that you can look back on your life without wondering where it went.
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder
Asking the rhetorical question of whether anyone wants to live a life full of regret and missed opportunities.
Where those years have gone?
Reflecting on the fleeting nature of life and wondering how time can pass so quickly without fully experiencing it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tia Sillers, Mark Sanders
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@onyxd6270
I remember my mother sneakily had this dedicated to me at my senior prom when I was still a young lady finding my way in the world... 2002 had so many great memories. Innocent childhood relationships rarely last but it was still sweet they helped mom with this
Been about three and a half years since she passed...and I had to let go of the man I gave my heart to, after 15 wonderful years he passed just 6 months after mom. 2020 was garbage for so many people, and not just for the pandemic in my case since neither of them died from it.
Now I'm the one struggling to stay alive, even if I am finally getting past the grief there's something killing me slowly...
...but for as long as I have left, I swear... I will dance my broken and miserable little heart out. The man who has helped pull me out of the darkness...he deserves my best for as long as possible.
I implore you all... Please do the same...find your cause to dance, and don't stop
@silu5061
Who’s listening to this after Love is Blind?
@skybritnei
Me lmaoooooo
@sheritaspencer5388
Mee 😂
@johanapatriciavaldiviamend3701
Me too! Amazing song
@stacey-leedaniels4735
Me
@suzyrobinson7096
MEEE BUT I've always loved the song
@user-iz9sz6rh9y
This is the THEE official 90’s graduation song! Everybody was in tears and hugging when this one came on 🫶🏾
@chrish1384
As a grown ass man.. this song truly brought me to tears.
@cheeling794
probably bc it talks about what we want for our children❤
@user-if5jw7ey8w
Like I said, she wrote this song about her daughter. Nothing to do with being a love song for a couple.