Released July 25, 2005 Recorded 2004 Length 4:42 | Format CD single Genre Country, bluegrass Label Capitol Nashville | |
"Better Life" is a song co-written and recorded by Australian country music artist Keith Urban. It was released in July 2005 as the fourth single from Urban's album Be Here. It became his seventh number one on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and spent six weeks at that position. The song also went to number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was written by Urban and Richard Marx.
Contents
Content
The mid-to-uptempo song is driven by a chugging banjo part set against a distinctive drum pattern. The message of an optimistic future prevailing over current struggles pervades the lyrics, summarized by the chorus. Urban's electric guitar playing further decorates the song, especially in its outro.
Music video
The music video for "Better Life" directed by Chris Hicky portrayed Urban and his band playing the song in a Los Angeles culvert, intercut with scenes of a struggling young pair of lovers having their ups and downs, and finally ending up in the culvert to watch Urban. In April 2006 Urban won the CMT Music Awards Video of the Year for it. Urban closed that awards show with a live performance of the song, featuring a long interpolation of Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising" and backing vocals from a large choir consisting of displaced persons from the previous summer's Hurricane Katrina.
Chart performance
"Better Life" debuted at number 43 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of July 30, 2005.