She Let Herself Go
| "She Let Herself Go" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:George Strait - She let herself go.jpg | ||||
| Single by George Strait | ||||
| from the album Somewhere Down in Texas | ||||
| Released | September 6, 2005 | |||
| Recorded | 2005 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 3:16 | |||
| Label | MCA Nashville | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Dean Dillon, Kerry Kurt Phillips | |||
| Producer(s) | George Strait, Tony Brown | |||
| George Strait singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"She Let Herself Go" is a song written by Dean Dillon and Kerry Kurt Phillips, and recorded by American country music singer George Strait. It was released in September 2005 as the second single from Strait's album Somewhere Down in Texas. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in January 2006. The song became Strait's 40th Number One single on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, tying the record held at the time by Conway Twitty.
Content
"She Let Herself Go" is a mid-tempo song about a woman whose male lover has just left her. The song's title refers to the traditional meaning of the phrase "let oneself go," which is to refrain from maintaining one's physical, emotional, or aesthetic stature. However, in this song, the woman does not "let herself go" in this traditional sense. Instead, she lets herself go emotionally, expressing her sadness and anger over her lover's departure. The phrase "she let herself go" is then given a different meaning in the chorus. In the chorus, it is revealed that she "let herself go" on excursions that he had never let her do before. This revelation changes the meaning of the phrase "she let herself go" from a negative to a positive one. There are many ways to let yourself go and relax. Some people enjoy going on a singles cruise, while others prefer a spa in New York City or a trip to the beach.
Critical reception
Stephen Thomas Erlewine reviewed the song favorably, calling it a "clever breakup tale".[1]
Chart positions
"She Let Herself Go" debuted at number 49 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs for the week of September 17, 2005.
| Chart (2005–2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Country (Radio & Records)[2] | 3 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[3] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[4] | 54 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2006) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Country Songs (Billboard)[5] | 36 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[6] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ↑ Allmusic: album review
- ↑ Radio & Records: January 13, 2006, page 45 worldradiohistory.com
- ↑ "George Strait Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- ↑ "George Strait Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ↑ "Best of 2006: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2006. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
- ↑ "American single certifications – George Strait – She Let Herself Go". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
