Mark Chesnutt is one of Country’s true musical treasures. Critics have hail… Read Full Bio ↴Mark Chesnutt is one of Country’s true musical treasures. Critics have hailed him as a classic Country singer of the first order and some of Country music’s most elite entertainers, from George Jones to George Strait, echo the sentiment.

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.

Jolie
Mark Chesnutt Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well I left Louisiana
Lookin' for some higher ground
Trying to make my crazy dream come true
But six months in Atlanta
Done tuned my heart around
Tell me you still want me too
Let me come back home to you

Please Jolie
Put me under your spell again
Won't you make me feel well again
Take me out of this Hell I'm in
Oh please, Jolie
This time I'm gonna treat you right
All I want to do is hold you tight
Believe me I've seen the light Jolie

That day I left you cryin'
On the shores of Ponchatrain
I left the only dream I'll ever need
Baby I ain't lying
I can't put out this flame
Gonna get down on my knees
Meet me down in New Orleans

Please Jolie
Put me under your spell again
Won't you make me feel well again
Take me out of this Hell I'm in
Oh please, Jolie
This time I'm gonna treat you right
All I want to do is hold you tight
Believe me I've seen the light Jolie

Please Jolie
Put me under your spell again
Won't you make me feel well again
Take me out of this Hell I'm in
Oh please, Jolie
This time I'm gonna treat you right
All I want to do is hold you tight
Believe me I've seen the light Jolie

Tell your momma tell your daddy too
Tell 'em that I'm comin' home for you
Gotta ring for your pretty little hand
Gonna be your ever lovin' man
Tell your momma tell your daddy too
Tell 'em that I'm comin' home for you

Gotta ring for your pretty little hand
Gonna be your ever lovin' man.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mark Chesnutt's song Jolie describe the singer's longing for his lover named Jolie. The song begins with him leaving Louisiana in search of a higher purpose and a dream that he hopes to fulfill in Atlanta. However, after spending six months in Atlanta, the singer realizes that he has lost touch with his roots and yearns to go back to Louisiana and confess his love to Jolie once again. He asks Jolie to put him under her spell again, make him feel better, and take him out of the hell he feels he is in. He pledges to treat her right and promises to hold her tight now that he has seen the light.

The second stanza of the song describes the singer's memory of leaving Jolie crying on the shores of Ponchatrain – the lake located in Louisiana. He feels that he has made a mistake and that he has left the only dream he will ever need behind. He states that he cannot put out the flame of his love for Jolie and begs her to accept him back in her life. Finally, he expresses his desire to marry her, telling her to inform her parents that he is coming back to her with a ring for her pretty little hand.

The song's narrative is simple and straightforward, encapsulating the various emotions of love, loss, and regret. It is a classic country love song that represents the genre's quintessential themes - love, heartbreak, and homecoming. The lyrics are relatable, and the melody is catchy, making it one of Mark Chesnutt's most popular songs.

Line by Line Meaning

Well I left Louisiana
I departed from Louisiana

Lookin' for some higher ground
Searching for a better future

Trying to make my crazy dream come true
Striving to fulfill my ambitious dream

But six months in Atlanta
After staying in Atlanta for six months

Done tuned my heart around
My heart has changed its tune

Tell me you still want me too
Let me know if you still desire me

Let me come back home to you
Allow me to return home to be with you

Please Jolie
I request you, Jolie

Put me under your spell again
Enchant me like before

Won't you make me feel well again
Make me feel good and healthy again

Take me out of this Hell I'm in
Please rescue me from this unpleasant situation