For a Little While

"For A Little While" is a song written by Steve Mandile, Jerry Vandiver and Phil Vassar, and performed by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in November 1998 as the sixth and final single from his album Everywhere. The song peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart but reached number-one on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

Content

The song is about a man's wistful reminiscing, particularly one summer season that he spent with a woman who is no longer with him.

Critical reception

Deborah Evans Price, of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, saying that the "gentle rolling piano, sturdy fiddle, and out-in-front guitar work make the strong melody come alive, but McGraw's vocal is what really sells this song." ^[1] Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe gave the song a B grade, saying that compared to the other singles from this album, this one is the "most frothy and least substantial." He went on to say that it could be "the most historically significant of the singles, given that it’s the blueprint for countless Kenny Chesney hits that followed."^[2]

Chart performance

The song debuted at number 74 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart dated November 7, 1998. It charted for twenty weeks on that chart, and peaked at number 2 on the chart dated February 6, 1999. It also peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Chart (1998-1999)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)^[3]	1
US Billboard Hot 100^[4]	37
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[5]	2

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)	Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)^[6]	40
US Country Songs (Billboard)^[7]	28

Other versions

Phil Vassar, who co-wrote the song, recorded a version of it for his 2006 album, Greatest Hits, Vol. 1.

References

↑ Billboard, November 14, 1998
↑ CountryUniverse.net Song review
↑ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 7470." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. March 8, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
↑ "Tim McGraw Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Tim McGraw.
↑ "Tim McGraw Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Tim McGraw.
↑ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1999". RPM. December 13, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
↑ "Best of 1999: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013.

External links

Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Preceded by "Unbelievable" by Diamond Rio	RPM Country Tracks number-one single March 1, 1999	Succeeded by "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Mark Chesnutt

Tim McGraw singles

Discography

Tim McGraw	"Welcome to the Club" "Memory Lane" "Two Steppin' Mind"

Not a Moment Too Soon	"Indian Outlaw" "Don't Take the Girl" "Down on the Farm" "Not a Moment Too Soon" "Refried Dreams"

All I Want	"I Like It, I Love It" "Can't Be Really Gone" "All I Want Is a Life" "She Never Lets It Go to Her Heart" "Maybe We Should Just Sleep on It"

Everywhere	"It's Your Love" (with Faith Hill) "Everywhere" "Just to See You Smile" "One of These Days" "Where the Green Grass Grows" "For a Little While"

A Place in the Sun	"Please Remember Me" "Something Like That" "My Best Friend" "Some Things Never Change" "My Next Thirty Years"

Set This Circus Down	"Grown Men Don't Cry" "Angry All the Time" "The Cowboy in Me" "Unbroken"

Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors	"Red Rag Top" "Tiny Dancer" "She's My Kind of Rain" "Real Good Man" "Watch the Wind Blow By"

Live Like You Were Dying	"Live Like You Were Dying" "Back When" "Drugs or Jesus" "Do You Want Fries with That" "My Old Friend"

Reflected: Greatest Hits Vol. 2	"When the Stars Go Blue" "My Little Girl"

Let It Go	"Last Dollar (Fly Away)" "I Need You" (with Faith Hill) "If You're Reading This" "Suspicions" "Kristofferson" "Let It Go" "Nothin' to Die For"

Southern Voice	"It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You" "Southern Voice" "Still"

Number One Hits	"Felt Good on My Lips"

Country Strong soundtrack	"Me and Tennessee" (with Gwyneth Paltrow)

Emotional Traffic	"Better Than I Used to Be" "Right Back Atcha Babe"

Two Lanes of Freedom	"Truck Yeah" "One of Those Nights" "Highway Don't Care" (with Taylor Swift) "Southern Girl"

Tim McGraw & Friends	"Twisted" (with Colt Ford)

Sundown Heaven Town	"Lookin' for That Girl" "Meanwhile Back at Mama's" (with Faith Hill) "Shotgun Rider" "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools" (with Catherine Dunn)

Guest singles	"Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me" (with Faith Hill) "Let's Make Love" (with Faith Hill) "Bring On the Rain" (with Jo Dee Messina) "Over and Over" (with Nelly) "Like We Never Loved at All" (with Faith Hill) "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" (with Tracy Lawrence and Kenny Chesney) "Nine Lives" (with Def Leppard) "Feel Like a Rock Star" (with Kenny Chesney)