Album: Unbelievable (1998)

Charted: 36

License This Song 

Songfacts®:

• This is a tribute to a woman who is "kissable, huggable, loveable, unbelievable" - a tongue-twisted admirably articulated by Diamond Rio front man, Marty Roe. The song was originally written by the coveted songwriters, Al Anderson and Jeffrey Steele, for the country musician, George Jones. Anderson told us: "It's beautiful. We wrote that for George Jones. It was supposed to go, 'she's so kissable,' way down low like that and we did it with a string bass. We did it in a key of A or E or something. Perfect George Jones." Jones never got around to recording the song, so Diamond Rio grabbed it instead. Anderson continued: "I know all of a sudden they liked it and cut it and put it out, and it was the most played Arista record that year. We got an award twice for that, for two years." (Here's our full Al Anderson interview.)
• This was Diamond Rio's first single to crack the Hot 100 chart in the US. It was also a #1 hit on Canada's Country chart.
• The "Weird Al" Yankovic of country music, Cledus T. Judd, parodied this song on his 1999 album, Juddmental, as "She's Inflatable," which is an ode to an inflatable sex toy.
• Unbelievable, Diamond Rio's fifth studio album, spawned a second Top 5 smash, "You're Gone," which peaked at #4 on the US country chart.

Comments: 1

• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1999 {February 14th} Diamond Rio's "Unbelievable"* peaked at #2 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart, for the two weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for both those weeks was "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" by Mark Chesnutt...
  The next day on February 15th, 1999 "Unbelievable" reached #1 {for 2 weeks} on the Canadian RPM Country Singles chart...
  Between 1991 and 2006 the Nashville, Tennessee band had thirty-four records on the Hot Country Singles chart, nineteen made the Top 10 with five reaching #1, "In The Middle" for two weeks in May of 1991, "How Your Love Makes Me Feel" for three weeks in September of 1997, "One More Day" for one week in March of 2001, "Beautiful Mess" for two non-consecutive weeks in September of 2002, and "I Believe" for two weeks in May of 2003...
  One of their thirty-four charted records was a duet with Jed Zeppelin, "Workin' Mans Blues" {#48 in 1994}...
  * "Unbelievable" was Diamond Rio's fifth of five of their records to peak at #2, the other four #2 records were "Norma Jean Riley" {1992}, "In A Week Or Two" {1993}, "Love A Little Stronger" {1994}, and "Walkin' Away" {1996}...
  And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of Hot Country Singles' Top 10 on February 14th, 1999:
  At #3. "For a Little While" by Tim McGraw
  #4. "Stand Beside Me" by Jo Dee Messina
  #5. "Hold On To Me" by John Michael Montgomery
  #6. "No Place That Far" by Sara Evans
  #7. "You Were Mine" by Dixie Chicks
  #8. "Wrong Night" by Reba
  #9. "That Don't Impress Me Much" by Shania Twain
  #10. "Busy Man" by Billy Ray Cyrus

More Songfacts:

Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)Billy Ocean

Billy Ocean's "Caribbean Queen" was originally released as "European Queen," and it underperformed. When it was issued in America as "Caribbean Queen" it went to #1 and revived his career.

I Love ItIcona Pop

Icona Pop consider "I Love It" a kiss-off to their boyfriends. "We just wanted to get the song out and get the pigs to hear it," group member Jawo said.

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)Doris Day

"Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" was written for Doris Day to sing in the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Man Who Knew Too Much.

Against The WindBob Seger

Bob Seger's "Against The Wind" has the famous mind-bending line, "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Seger was going to cut it, but his Eagles buddies Glenn Frey and Don Henley told him it was the best line in the song.

Different DrumLinda Ronstadt

Mike Nesmith wrote Linda Ronstadt's first hit, "Different Drum," before he joined The Monkees. He played an intentionally bad version of it on the show.

Hold OnWilson Phillips

The lyric to "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips was inspired by Chynna Phillips' struggles with addiction. "Hold on for one more day" is something she heard in AA meetings.

Editor's Picks

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)Songwriter Interviews

The former Metallica bassist talks about his first time writing a song with James Hetfield, and how a hand-me-down iPad has changed his songwriting.

Dan ReedSongwriter Interviews

Dan cracked the Top 40 with "Ritual," then went to India and spent 2 hours with the Dalai Lama.

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."

Brandi CarlileSongwriter Interviews

As a 5-year-old, Brandi was writing lyrics to instrumental versions lullabies. She still puts her heart into her songs, including the one Elton John sings on.