Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)

"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" is a debut song recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in March 1989 as his debut single, and was served as the first single from his self-titled debut album. It was also featured on The Garth Brooks Collection, The Hits and The Ultimate Hits. It was co-written by Garth Brooks and Randy Taylor. In the U.S., the song peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)"
Single by Garth Brooks
from the album Garth Brooks
B-side"Alabama Clay"
ReleasedMarch 6, 1989
Recorded1987
GenreCountry
Length2:58 (album version)
LabelCapitol Nashville 44342
Songwriter(s)Randy Taylor & Garth Brooks
Producer(s)Allen Reynolds
Garth Brooks singles chronology
"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)"
(1989)		 "If Tomorrow Never Comes"
(1989)

Content

This song is about a rodeo cowboy who has been competing for years and just doesn't have the strength to keep at it anymore with the stress of being away from home all the while watching a younger crowd taking over the business.

Background and Production

The fact that Chris LeDoux was mentioned in this song led to the champion rodeo bareback rider and country music singer-songwriter being introduced to a wider audience. Chris was surprised to hear his name in the song on the radio one day and set out to meet Garth: "We finally met about eight months after that song had come out. A promoter put us together on the same bill. At the Cocky Bull in Victorville, California. And Garth for some reason insisted on opening for me, but it was great. One of the things that impressed me about him, The first thing he said to me, 'You know Chris using your name in that song, you wouldn't believe how that's helped my career.' We hit it off pretty good."[1] Brooks, who is a major fan of his, convinced Capitol Records to give him a record contract and would later sing a duet with him on "Whatcha Gonna Do with a Cowboy".

Garth provided the following background information on the song in the CD booklet liner notes from The Hits:

"'Much Too Young' will always be my sentimental favorite because it was my very first single. It was a baby that I watched grow up. Whenever I hear it today, I have a smile on my face. It want to give a big thanks to Randy Taylor and Chris LeDoux. Randy was the writer and Chris was probably the reason that it was played. Hey Chris, Randy and I decided that we owe you a beer, pal."[2]

Texas Swing fiddler, Randy Elmore, played the fiddle on the original 1989 release of this song.

Music video

A music video was not made at the time of the song's release. A video that was included on The Ultimate Hits Collection featured an overdubbed and edited performance of the song for the 15th season of Austin City Limits in 1990.

Chart positions

"Much Too Young" debuted at number 94 on Billboard's Country Singles chart on March 25, 1989. It peaked at number 8 on that chart on July 15, 1989.[3]

Chart (1989) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[4] 9
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[5] 8

Year-end charts
Chart (1989) Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[6] 98
US Country Songs (Billboard)[7] 64

References
  1. Transcription from "The Garth Brooks Story" (1996)
  2. Garth Brooks - The Hits: transcription from the CD booklet (bar code 7-2438-29689-2-4)
  3. PlanetGarth.com info on "Much Too Young"
  4. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 6423." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 24, 1989. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  5. "Garth Brooks Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  6. "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1989". RPM. December 23, 1989. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  7. "Best of 1989: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1989. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
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