A Lesson in Leaving
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| "A Lesson in Leaving" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Dottie West | ||
| from the album Special Delivery | ||
| Released | 1980 | |
| Format | Album | |
| Genre | Countrypolitan | |
| Length | 3:59 | |
| Label | United Artists | |
| Chart positions | ||
|
#1 U.S. Country |
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| "Lesson in Leavin'" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by Jo Dee Messina | ||
| from the album I'm Alright | ||
| Released | 1999 | |
| Format | Album | |
| Genre | Country | |
| Length | 3:38 | |
| Label | Curb | |
| Chart positions | ||
|
#2 U.S. Country |
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"A Lesson in Leaving" is the name of a popular 80s Country Music song. It was originally recorded and made famous by Country Music singer Dottie West. The song became a hit all over again in 1999 when country singer Jo Dee Messina covered the song for her album I'm Alright.
[edit] Dottie West version
By 1980, Dottie West was at the peak of her career. She had two successful years hooking up with country pop icon Kenny Rogers. Together, they recorded a series of hit duets. By 1980 though, Rogers and West decided to go their separate ways, as Kenny Rogers would later become successful again as a solo artist during the 1980s. West also wanted to prove she could become successful again as a solo artist. In 1979, she released her first single called "You Pick Me Up and Put Me Down", which was a Top 15 country hit. It was featured on her solo album, Special Delivery.
In 1980, West wanted to release another single that was to be put on the same album, called "A Lesson in Leaving". The song proved very successful, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart the week of April 26. Although she had two previous No. 1 duets with Rogers, West finally had a solo chart-topping hit and indicated to fans and critics that she was on top of her career again as a solo artist.
The album Special Delivery did very well for West as well. The song, was not written by Dottie West herself. This was unlike her other singles because West wrote most of her material. The song also sounded different than other material that was recorded before from West. In the late 1970s and into the mid 1980s, country music had its own style called countrypolitan, or songs that sounded more pop-oriented. "A Lesson in Leaving," with its bluesy, disco feel, reflected this.
[edit] Jo Dee Messina version
Jo Dee Messina recorded her version of the song — titled simply "Lesson In Leavin'" — in 1997 for her album, I'm Alright. Messina gave the song a decided "kiss-off" feel (unlike West's angry, heartbroken hope for vengeance), which caught on with Messina's fans.
Released in the spring of 1999, "Lesson in Leavin'" quickly climbed the charts and was destined to become Messina's fourth No. 1 song. However, thanks to the concurrent success of Lonestar's power ballad, "Amazed," Messina's song stalled at No. 2 for seven weeks during the summer of 1999 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart ("Amazed" spent eight weeks at No. 1). Despite the song's inability to reach No. 1, "Lesson in Leavin'" became the year's No. 3 song on Billboard's year-end Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart; also, despite the fact that three other songs from I'm Alright went No. 1, "Lesson In Leavin'" arguably was the album's most successful track.
In interviews, Messina has said she covered the song in memory of Dottie West, one of her biggest influences. Messina had said that most of her fans didn't even knew who Dottie West was when her version of "Lesson in Leavin'" became popular.
