B-side "Best of Intentions" Format CD single Length 4:01 | Released December 18, 2000 Genre Country Label Columbia Nashville | |
"It's a Great Day to Be Alive" is a song written by Darrell Scott. It was originally recorded by American country music artist Jon Randall. It was to have been included on an album titled Great Day to Be Alive, which would have been released in the late 1990s via BNA Records. The song was also recorded by The Sky Kings, an American country-rock supergroup consisting of Bill Lloyd (Foster & Lloyd), Rusty Young (Poco), and John Cowan (New Grass Revival) around 1995/1996. Their version sat unreleased until Rhino Handmade released the compilation "From Out Of The Blue" in 2000.
Contents
The song was later covered more famously by American country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in December 2000 as the second single from his album Down the Road I Go. It peaked at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and at number 33 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
It was subsequently covered by Pat Green and Cory Morrow on their March 2001 album Songs We Wish We'd Written.
Critical reception
Deborah Evans Price, of Billboard magazine in her review of the album, called the song a "what-the-hell anthem" and a "sunny single."
Music video
The music video is a partial live recording directed by Jon Small, and begins with Travis Tritt singing the end of the song "T-R-O-U-B-L-E". It was released in early January 2001. The video was recorded at the Historic Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Chart positions
"It's a Great Day to Be Alive" debuted at number 59 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of December 16, 2000.