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.
Live A Little
Mark Chesnutt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sit a spell, learn to whittle
Live a little now and then
Unwind, take your time, leave your cares all behind
And see what's around the bend
This life ain't coming 'round again
So give a little, take a little
Live a little now and then
In a hurry late for work
Rush and worry but what's it worth
You might earn a rich man's pay
But it won't buy you one more day
You've got to give a little, take a little
Sit a spell, learn to whittle
Live a little now and then
Unwind, take your time, leave your cares all behind
And see what's around the bend
This life ain't coming 'round again
So give a little, take a little
Live a little now and then
Busy making your weight in gold
But you can't take it when you go
Don't care how high you build your stack
They don't make a hearse with a luggage rack
You've got to give a little, take a little
Sit a spell, learn to whittle
Live a little now and then
Unwind, take your time, leave your cares all behind
And see what's around the bend
This life ain't coming 'round again
So give a little, take a little
Live a little now and then
This life ain't coming 'round again
So lean back, chew the fat
Take a day just to peddle
Live a little now and then
"Live a Little" by Mark Chesnutt is a song that urges the listener to slow down, take a break, and enjoy life because you never know when you'll get another chance. The song advises people to focus more on the little things in life that bring joy and less on the stress and material possessions. The lyrics are a reminder that no matter how busy and demanding life gets, it's important to take breaks, relax, and appreciate the moment.
The first verse starts by asking the listener to be more giving and receiving. The song then advises the listener to learn to appreciate the simple things in life, like the act of whittling, which is a metaphor for taking the time to enjoy life's pleasures. The second verse is about how life can be full of stress and how it's easy to get caught up in the daily grind. But at the end of the day, all that stress and hard work loses its worth when one realizes that time is finite.
The chorus repeats the advice to give and take, and then urges the listener to sit and relax, to take life slow and leave all their worries behind. Finally, the song reminds everyone that life will not come around again, so take this opportunity to live it up, make connections, and enjoy life to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got to give a little, take a little
Life requires give and take, compromise and balance.
Sit a spell, learn to whittle
Take a break and enjoy the simple things that bring pleasure.
Live a little now and then
Don't let life pass you by, take risks, and enjoy new experiences.
Unwind, take your time, leave your cares all behind
Relax, slow down, and forget about your troubles for a while.
And see what's around the bend
Explore the unknown and discover new things.
This life ain't coming 'round again
Life is a precious and fleeting gift, so make the most of it.
So give a little, take a little
Be generous and open-minded, and be willing to compromise.
Busy making your weight in gold
Don't become so consumed with success and wealth that you forget what's truly important.
But you can't take it when you go
You can't take material possessions with you when you die, so focus on what really matters.
Don't care how high you build your stack
Success and wealth are not the only measures of achievement and worth.
They don't make a hearse with a luggage rack
You can't take your things with you when you die, so live in the moment.
So lean back, chew the fat
Relax, have a conversation, and enjoy the company of others.
Take a day just to peddle
Do something you enjoy without worrying about productivity or success.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ROGER SPRINGER, TONY MARTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
L nelson
I've never heard this, but it's a cute tune for an opener or closer. The light-hearted lesson is don't make mistakes, there isn't enough time to make mistakes.
Diane Couch
love this song it is so true
Kathryn Howell
Real good, Feel good, little picker upper!!!!
Wolfsky9
I think I remember this ! Can't recall where I heard it, but it's so very familiar. -------------------------WolfSky9, 74 y/o
L nelson
I've never heard this, but it's a cute tune for an opener or closer. The light-hearted lesson is don't make mistakes, there isn't enough time to make mistakes.