THEME = Remake Wednesday: original (Dottie West) & cover (Jo Dee Messina)

Today’s feature is “A Lesson In Leavin’”….

#1 (original)
This song came near the end of West’s colorful career. Debuting 02/09/1980, this single spent 15 weeks on the country charts & claimed #1. It crossed over, reaching #73 on the Billboard Hot 100. For West, it was 1 of 3 chart toppers in a 2-year timespan; the other 2 were 1980-1’s “Are You Happy Baby?” & 1981’s “What Are We Doin’ In Love” (duet with Kenny Rogers). Through her career, spanning late 1963 to mid 1985, she notched 5 chart toppers & 10 additional Top 10 tunes, of over 60 releases.

#2 (cover)
For Messina, this release came near the start of her brief career. Her version hit the airwaves 05/01/1999 & spent 34 weeks on the country charts, 7 of those at its peak of #2. What kept it from the top spot? Lonestar’s “Amazed”, which had debuted a month earlier & spent 8 straight weeks at #1 that summer! Her version also crossed over, reaching #28 on the Billboard Hot 100. Messina’s 3 prior releases all had been multi-week country chart toppers: 1998’s “I’m Alright” (3 weeks), 1998’s “Bye Bye” (2 weeks) & 1998-9’s “Stand Beside Me” (3 weeks). Her career spanned early 1996 to early 2008; my favorites of hers are 1996’s “Heads Carolina, Tails California” (#2), 1996’s “You’re Not In Kansas Anymore” (#7), 2000-1’s “Burn” (#2), 2003’s “Was That My Life” (#21) & 2005’s “My Give A Damn’s Busted” (#1, 2 weeks).