Ashes by Now

"Ashes by Now"
Single by Lee Ann Womack
from the album I Hope You Dance
B-side "Lonely Too"[1]
Released October 9, 2000
Format CD single
Genre Country
Length 4:11
Label MCA Nashville
Writer(s) Rodney Crowell
Producer(s) Mark Wright
Lee Ann Womack singles chronology
"I Hope You Dance"
(2000)		 "Ashes by Now"
(2000)		 "Why They Call It Falling"
(2001)

"Ashes by Now" is a song written and recorded by American country artist Rodney Crowell, whose version reached number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981. Before its release as a single, it served as the b-side to his 1978 single "Elvira."[2]

A cover version was recorded by fellow country artist Lee Ann Womack. Womack's rendition of the song was released in October 2000 as the second single from her third studio album, I Hope You Dance, and peaked at number 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, as well as number 45 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.[1]

Background

Wade Jessen of Billboard wrote, "The Earnhardt tragedy may have played a role in a minor decline in plays of Womack's Ashes by Now."[3]

Reception

Editors at The Toronto Sun wrote, "A thorough makeover of the Rodney Crowell classic, from one of the exceedingly rare albums with the power to unite staunch old-timers and New Country types alike."[4] Editors at Billboard wrote, "The inventive percussion that opens this terrific single is just the beginning of the magic that producer Mark Wright and Lee Ann Womack weave. One listen to this great single and it's obvious the song is sure to throw fuel on the fire.[5]

Music video

A music video was created for Lee Ann Womack's version of the song, it was directed by Gregg Horne.[6]

Chart performance

Rodney Crowell version

Chart (1980) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks 78
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 37

Lee Ann Womack version

In the October 21, 2000 issue of Billboard, "Ashes by Now" debuted at number 49.[7]

Chart (2000) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[8] 4
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 45

Year-end charts

Chart (2001) Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[10] 23

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Whitburn, p. 473
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 109. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
  3. ↑ Jessen, Wade. Billboard Country Corner (March 10, 2001)
  4. ↑ The Toronto Sun DE LA SOUL'S DONE WITH FOOLIN' (June 7, 2000)
  5. ↑ Billboard COUNTRY: LEE ANN WOMACK, JO DEE MESSINA, KEITH URBAN (October 14, 2000)
  6. ↑ Stark, Phyllis. Billboard Nashville Scene (September 8, 2001)
  7. ↑ Jessen, Wade. "LABEL CHANGE PUTS WOMACK IN FAST LANE." Billboard 118.33 (2006): 51. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 6 June 2011.
  8. ↑ "Lee Ann Womack Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Lee Ann Womack.
  9. ↑ "Lee Ann Womack Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Lee Ann Womack.
  10. ↑ "Best of 2001: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2001. Retrieved August 14, 2012.