"A Better Man" is a song by American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

artist

Clint Black Clint Patrick Black (born February 4, 1962) is an American country music singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Signed to RCA Nashville in 1989, Black's debut album '' Killin' Time'' produced four straight number one singles on the ...

. It was released in February 1989 as his debut single, and was served as the first single from his debut album, '' Killin' Time''. It was written by Black and Hayden Nicholas. When "A Better Man" went to No. 1 on the ''

Billboard magazine ''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the musi ...

Hot Country Singles Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sa ...

chart on June 10, Black was the first artist since

Freddy Fender Freddy Fender (born Baldemar Garza Huerta; June 4, 1937 – October 14, 2006) was an American Tejano, country and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. He was best ...

to ascend to the top of the country chart with his first charted single. In addition, "A Better Man" was the No. 1 song of 1989 on the Hot Country Singles chart. The success of "A Better Man," along with the follow-up " Killin' Time," were instrumental in Black winning the Country Music Association's Horizon Award in 1989.

Content

The song is a reflection on a relationship co-writer Black had recently ended with a girlfriend of seven years. He shared his dying romance story with friend Hayden Nicholas, who - after sharing an idea for the melody - came up with the hook line ("''I'm leaving here a better man/For knowing you this way.''").Roland.

Music video

This was

's first music video; it was directed by Bill Young and premiered in early 1989. Much of the video is of Black driving down a little-used country road in a late-1950s Ford F-100 pickup truck, reflecting on his now-failed relationship. Interspersed are clips of Black performing the song before people dancing to the song.

Chart positions

Year-end charts

Certifications

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Better Man 1989 debut singles 1989 songs Clint Black songs Songs written by Clint Black Songs written by Hayden Nicholas Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles of the year Song recordings produced by James Stroud Song recordings produced by Mark Wright (record producer) RCA Records singles