"I Could Not Ask for More" is a song composed by American songwriter Diane Warren and originally recorded and released in February 1999, by American singer-songwriter

Edwin McCain Edwin Cole McCain (born January 20, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His songs " I'll Be" (1998) and "I Could Not Ask for More" (1999) were radio top-40 hits in the U.S., and five of his albums have reached the ''Billboard ...

for the original soundtrack of the 1999 romantic drama film ''Message in a Bottle'', starring

Kevin Costner Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actor ...

Robin Wright Penn Robin Gayle Wright (born April 8, 1966) is an American actress. She has won a Golden Globe Award and a Satellite Award, and has received eleven Emmy Award nominations for her work in television. Wright first gained attention for her role in ...

and Paul Newman. It was also on his third studio album '' Messenger'' (1999) and became a '' Billboard''-charted top 40 single in the summer of 1999. In 2001, 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

Sara Evans Sara Lynn Evans (; born February 5, 1971) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is also credited as a record producer, actress, and author. She had five songs reach the number one spot on the ''Billboard'' country songs cha ...

popularly covered the song on her third studio album ''

Born to Fly ''Born to Fly'' is the third studio album by American country music artist Sara Evans. It was released in October 2000 via RCA Records Nashville. The album produced four singles with its title track, "I Could Not Ask for More" (a cover of an Edw ...

'' (2000). Her rendition was released as the album's second single and peaked at number 2 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart.

Music video

The music video features McCain walking and taking a taxi through a busy city decorated like a 19th century village with people in 19th century costumes. While McCain is traveling, a number of people are sitting in a park tree. He reaches the tree just as a branch a woman is sitting on breaks and manages to catch her as she falls.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Sara Evans cover

American

singer

' cover version of the song was released in February 2001 as the second single from her 2000 album ''

''. Evans' version was a Top 5 hit on the country music charts.

Music video

The music video for Evans' rendition was directed by

Peter Zavadil Peter Zavadil is an American music video director who works primarily in the field of country music. He has directed many music videos since the late 1990s. He has won the Country Music Association Award for Video of the Year twice from seven nomin ...

, and features shots of her on location in

White Sands National Monument White Sands National Park is an American national park located in the state of New Mexico and completely surrounded by the White Sands Missile Range. The park covers in the Tularosa Basin, including the southern 41% of a field of white sand d ...

in New Mexico singing the song in different outfits and frequently sitting in different chairs throughout the video.

Chart performance

"I Could Not Ask for More" debuted at number 52 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for the week of February 17, 2001. It soon reached number 2 on that chart.

Year-end charts

References

1990s ballads 1999 songs 1999 singles 2001 singles Edwin McCain songs Sara Evans songs Songs written by Diane Warren Music videos directed by Peter Zavadil Song recordings produced by Matt Serletic Rock ballads Country ballads Song recordings produced by Paul Worley Atlantic Records singles RCA Records Nashville singles {{2000s-country-song-stub