Mark Chesnutt’s stature is easily gauged. He has 14 #1 hits, 23 Top 10 singles, four platinum albums and five gold records to his credit; he maintains a front-and-center presence with a hefty tour schedule year after year. Country music critics and fans alike need look no further when it comes to Country music basics. If you ask Chesnutt, he’ll tell you, “It’s the music and the fans that have kept me around this long.” In a creative forum that sometimes confuses style with substance, Mark Chesnutt possesses both.
Remaining true to himself as a traditional country artist, while keeping the pace with the ever-changing country recording landscape, Mark Chesnutt has a knack for picking great songs, delivering them with world-class style and a heart-felt emotion that’s lived-in. With a trademarked voice, Chesnutt has set the bar for his generation and those that follow in his footsteps shaping the music of today’s country music newcomers and the new country music format. Mark Chesnutt’s personal integrity combined with his principal to record a genuine country song has made him a fixture on radio and in honky tonks across the globe.
Chesnutt got his start in the honky-tonks of Beaumont, Texas, learning from his father, Bob Chesnutt, a singer, record collector and major fan of classic country music. Playing alongside his dad, Mark embraced his father’s influence one set at a time and to begin making a name for himself. Mark sang covers by Lefty, Merle, George and Waylon to develop his unmatched crowd-pleasing rapport and his authentic country style.
Bob Chesnutt often traveled to Nashville to record and to broaden his exposure. He began taking Mark along to record when he was just 17. After nearly a decade of recording on regional labels, word got out about this young country vocalist. Music Row executives came to hear Mark on his own Texas turf and recognized the depth of Mark Chesnutt’s raw talent.
In 1989, he was signed to MCA Nashville and his list of accolades tells the rest of his story. With the release of his first single“ Too Cold At Home,” Mark established himself as one of country’s most authentic and talented vocalists. He won the CMA Horizon Award attracting the attention of country legend [and Mark’s greatest mentor] George Jones who introduced him as “A boy from Beaumont, Texas who is the real deal.” That recognition and initial success opened the door to offer Mark his chance of a lifetime, to do what he loved most—sing country music for country fans; this time, on a national level. “The first couple years it was non-stop.” Mark says.
“I can remember one time during a tour, I didn’t step foot on the front porch for ten months, with exception of a day or a day-and-a- half, then, it was right back out again.” Mark’s dedication paid off. He developed a true blue fan base. Fans, he confides, “are the reason for my success.”
His fans helped his records to climb the charts one right after the other making him one of Billboard’s Ten Most-Played Radio Artists of the ‘90’s. Mark’s singles were some the decade’s most memorable; from the fun tempo “Bubba Shot The Jukebox” to emotional ballad “I’ll Think Of Something.” Mark is easily identified for his string of hits including “Brother Jukebox,” “Blame It On Texas,” “Old Flames Have New Names,” “Old Country,” “It Sure Is Monday,” “Almost Goodbye,” “I Just Wanted You To Know,” “Going Through The Big D,” “It’s A Little Too Late,” “Gonna Get A Life,” and one of his biggest, “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing;” a song that held its position at the top of the charts for four consecutive weeks.
Of all the recorded highlights Chesnutt has enjoyed, they take a back seat to his first love; Mark Chesnutt lives to perform on stage. “I just make records because want people to come see my show,” he says with a grin. “Recording music for folks to just listen to music is great,” he says, “but I’ve got to be out there on stage making it.” Fans who have seen him perform agree. Known as one of the industry’s hardest-working concert performers, maintaining a hefty tour schedule and steady presence in front of his fans, Mark’s dedication to deliver live music is unsurpassed. Mark has been on the road since 1990. Whether you hear Mark Chesnutt with a new release on the radio, or see his face on the cover of a new CD, folks can always find Mark doing what he was born to do playing. “The clubs and honky tonks are home for me; it’s comfortable and I’m always with friends,” says Chesnutt.
Married since 1992, Mark and Tracie Chesnutt are the loving parents of three boys, Waylon, Casey & Cameron.
A Hard Secret To Keep
Mark Chesnutt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lately she's begun to wonder why
She don't know I'm scared that I'll start talking in my sleep
You're a hard secret to keep
And every time she asks me where I've been
A cheaters paranoia begins
Scrambling for an answer anything she might believe
One slip of the tongue's all it would take
Just one little note that I forgot to throw away
The slightest trace of make-up on a shirt that won't come clean
You're a hard secret to keep
I never meant for you to touch my heart
I never meant to take one night this far
How much longer can I live this double life I lead?
You're a hard secret to keep
One slip of the tongue's all it would take
Just one little note that I forgot to throw away
The slightest trace of make-up on a shirt that won't come clean
You're a hard secret to keep
I wonder if she feels you every time she touches me
You're a hard secret to keep
The lyrics for Mark Chesnutt's song A Hard Secret to Keep are about a man who is living a double life. He has a girlfriend or wife but he is also seeing someone else on the side. The man is scared that his secret will be revealed and he will lose both women. He stays up late at night reading and worrying about what may happen. The singer is constantly paranoid because he can't reveal the truth. He's struggling to maintain his lies and he's scared that he'll slip up and reveal his true feelings.
The singer talks about how difficult it is to keep his secret. He is worried that his cheating partner will leave a clue behind that his girlfriend or wife may find. He is constantly paranoid about her finding out the truth. He talks about how difficult it is to keep up with the double life he leads. He never meant to hurt anyone and he's questioning how much longer he can continue to live his life like this.
The lyrics are emotional and raw, speaking to the inner conflict that a person might feel in this situation. The stress and fear of getting caught creates an intense inner turmoil that the singer can't shake. Ultimately, the song is a warning about the dangers of infidelity and living a lie.
Interesting facts about A Hard Secret to Keep:
* The song was written by Gary Burr and Mark Spiro.
* The song was released in 1996 on Mark Chesnutt's album of the same name.
* A Hard Secret to Keep was Chesnutt's fourteenth Top 10 country hit on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.
* The song was also included on the soundtrack to the 1996 film The Evening Star.
* This song marks the fourth time Chesnutt has covered a song that was originally recorded by country artist Joe Stampley.
* A Hard Secret to Keep reached number six on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
* In 2008, Chesnutt had a No. 5 hit with "Rollin' with the Flow," a song that was originally by Joe Stampley.
* Chesnutt's version of the song features a prominent steel guitar riff and fiddle lines.
* The song has been covered by several other artists, including John Anderson and Van Preston.
* The song is known as a classic example of country music storytelling, with its vivid imagery and relatable lyrics.
Chords:
Verse: G D Am C
Chorus: G D C G D Am C x2
Bridge: Em C G D Am C G D G
Line by Line Meaning
I stay up late and read a lot at night
I spend sleepless nights reading and thinking about you
Lately she's begun to wonder why
My partner has noticed my preoccupation with you
She don't know I'm scared that I'll start talking in my sleep
I fear that my subconscious desire for you will slip out accidentally
You're a hard secret to keep
Keeping the truth about my feelings for you hidden is a tough task
And every time she asks me where I've been
My partner's suspicion is triggered whenever I'm away from her
A cheaters paranoia begins
I start feeling guilty, like someone who is cheating
Scrambling for an answer anything she might believe
I struggle to find an explanation for my behavior that my partner will accept
One slip of the tongue's all it would take
A careless comment or gesture could betray my secret
Just one little note that I forgot to throw away
A small reminder of our interactions could raise suspicion
The slightest trace of make-up on a shirt that won't come clean
Even a minor clue could blow my cover and reveal my infidelity
I never meant for you to touch my heart
I never intended to fall in love with you
I never meant to take one night this far
I didn't plan for our physical relationship to deepen into an emotional one
How much longer can I live this double life I lead?
I am torn between my feelings for you and my commitment to my partner, and it's taking a toll on me
I wonder if she feels you every time she touches me
I am haunted by the thought that my partner might sense my connection to you even in our intimate moments
You're a hard secret to keep
The burden of hiding my true feelings for you is becoming unbearable
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Margie Mendoza
Love it!!!
Donald Touchton
This is badass.!!👊🏻
James Peleska
Love your voice!
Donald Touchton
If this ain’t country I’ll kiss my own ass.!!! Dam I love this.!! And I’ve never cheated.!!!😂 Badass.!!!
Brian Miller
Love it Mark.
Nana Peak
Good song!
Tina Keeling
Your such a great singer Mark and maybe someday you'll come to Iowa n then I'll be able to hear you sing in person.but I would truly love to meet you in person that would be the greatest gift anyone could receive is to meet their favorite country music ICON and a TRUE Legend of country music and that is you my dear friend.im planning on getting all your CDs, hat's and T-shirts that I can afford when I'm able too, thanks for being the Greatest Legend of all time, love you Mark Chesnutt ❣️❣️
FJ80Coop
Back in the late 80s or early 90sme n some boys from a shut down or outage in Louisiana drive across tbat border line after we got off work one night and went into an east Texas refinery sorta town.. Walked/stumbled into a hole in the wall honky tonk where refinery workers,oil field trash and us had converged to listen to some live music drank beer chase women and fight.. That was the 1st time I'd ever heard of or heard Mark Chesnutt sing,and from that moment on I was a fan... And I have been listening to this pure country voice that so reflects me and my life ever since.. Solid gold right there... George Strait,George Jones and my distant cousin Eugene Jackson would approve...
2028 END
haunting!