"Everything I Love" is a song written by

Harley Allen Harley Lee Allen (January 23, 1956March 30, 2011) was an American bluegrass and country singer and songwriter. Early life Allen was born in Dayton, Ohio, the son of bluegrass performer Red Allen. Discography Studio albums Singles Musi ...

and

Carson Chamberlain Carson Chamberlain (born in Berea, Kentucky) is an American songwriter, record producer and session musician who works mainly in the field of country music. He worked as a bandleader and steel guitarist for Keith Whitley until Whitley died in ...

, and recorded 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, ...

singer

Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson (born October 17, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for blending traditional honky-tonk and mainstream country pop sounds (for a style widely regarded as "neotraditional country"), as well as penning many ...

. It was released in January 1997 as the second single and title track from his album of the same name. The song reached number 9 on the U.S. country singles charts with it.

Content

"Everything I Love" is a mid-tempo ballad where the narrator lists off various vices that are harmful to him, such as "cigarettes, Jack Daniels and caffeine." He then adds his former lover to the list, before saying "Everything I love / I'm gonna have to give up / 'Cause everything I love is killin' me." The song was written by

and Carson Chamberlain, who also wrote " Between the Devil and Me", the album's fifth single.

Critical reception

In his review of ''Everything I Love'',

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine cited the track as a standout, saying that it had a "wry sardonic streak" and "classic country sentiment."

Chart performance

"Everything I Love" debuted at number 73 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of January 18, 1997.

Year-end charts

References

{{authority control 1997 singles Alan Jackson songs Songs written by Harley Allen Songs written by Carson Chamberlain Song recordings produced by Keith Stegall Arista Nashville singles 1996 songs