All My Ex's Live in Texas

"All My Ex's Live In Texas" is a song written by Sanger D. Shafer and Lyndia J. Shafer, and recorded by American country music singer George Strait. It was released in April 1987 as the second single from Strait's album Ocean Front Property. "All My Ex's Live In Texas" was nominated for Best Male Country Vocal Performance at the 1988 Grammy Awards.

"All My Ex's Live in Texas"
Single by George Strait
from the album Ocean Front Property
B-side"I'm All Behind You Now"
ReleasedApril 10, 1987
RecordedSeptember 23, 1986
Genre
Length3:22
LabelMCA 53087
Songwriter(s)Sanger D. Shafer
Lyndia J. Shafer [3]
Producer(s)Jimmy Bowen, George Strait
George Strait singles chronology
"Ocean Front Property"
(1986)		 "All My Ex's Live in Texas"
(1987)		 "Am I Blue"
(1987)

A version of the song recorded by its co-author Sanger D. Shafer appeared in the film Road House, the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[4] and TV show Ash vs Evil Dead. Rapper Drake mentions the song in his single "HYFR".

The song "Tip Your Bartender" by New York post-hardcore band Glassjaw, contains the lyric: "All my ex's live with hexes."

The format of the song is that of a list song.

Content

The narrator explains that he had lived most of his life in Texas along the Frio River (Brazos River in Shafer's original recording, Colorado River in his later performances), but that a string of failed relationships with women in that state that ended disastrously (such as going insane, sending the law after him and walking out before the honeymoon) prompted him to flee to Tennessee; he still relives his more pleasant times in Texas by way of Transcendental Meditation each night. The song is known for its Western Swing style rhythm.

Critical reception

"All My Ex's Live in Texas" is widely regarded as one of Strait's best songs. Billboard and American Songwriter ranked the song number two and number five, respectively, on their lists of the 10 greatest George Strait songs.[5][6]

Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe gave the song a B+ grade, saying that "you can almost hear the guy smirking as he sings this swinging hit, running down a list of jilted lovers from all over the Lone Star state."[7]

Charts
Chart (1987) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[8] 1
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[9] 1

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[10] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "George Strait, Troubadour". Country Universe. December 3, 2008. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  2. Weiner, Natalie (May 18, 2022). "Best George Strait Songs: 20 Country Anthems". uDiscoverMusic. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  3. "All My Ex's Live in Texas". BMI Repertoire. BMI.
  4. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Box Set) - Original Game Soundtrack". AllMusic. Retrieved May 28, 2008.
  5. Dauphin, Chuck (June 27, 2017). "George Strait's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  6. Walthall, Catherine (December 28, 2021). "The Top 10 George Strait Songs". American Songwriter. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  7. Coyne, Kevin John (May 28, 2012). "Retro Single Review: George Strait, 'All My Ex's Live in Texas'". Country Universe.
  8. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 336.
  9. "George Strait Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  10. "American single certifications – George Strait – All My Ex's Live in Texas". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 25, 2021.


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