The Hole (song)

"The Hole" is a song written by Skip Ewing and James Dean Hicks, and recorded by American country music singer Randy Travis. It was released in June 1998 as the second single from his album You and You Alone. It peaked at number 9 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) chart, and number 4 in Canada.

Background

Co-producer James Stroud told Billboard Magazine that when Randy went to sing the song for the first time in front of a room full of Nashville players, "his voice just filled the room. And when we stopped, these great professional musicians stood up and gave him a standing ovation. I have never seen that done in this town before. Never."^[1]

Content

"The Hole" is a song describing a man who is burdened by his sins, which are compared to a hole in the ground. He is described as digging the hole deeper in a futile attempt to get out: "Now he won't let go of the shovel, and he can't dig out of the hole."

Music video

The music video was directed by Joe Murray, who also directed Randy Travis's previous video "Out of My Bones". It reached #1 on the CMT Top 12 Countdown.^[2]

Use in media

The song was featured in the 1998 movie Deep Impact.

Chart performance

"The Hole" debuted at number 72 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of June 13, 1998.

Chart (1998)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)^[3]	4
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)^[4]	5
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[5]	9

Year-end charts

Chart (1998)	Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)^[6]	46
US Country Songs (Billboard)^[7]	63

References

↑ Billboard, March 14, 1999
↑ Archived page of Randy-Travis.com from January 1999. Retrieved September 19, 2009
↑ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 7079." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. September 28, 1998. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
↑ "Randy Travis – Chart history" Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 for Randy Travis.
↑ "Randy Travis – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Randy Travis.
↑ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1998". RPM. December 14, 1998. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
↑ "Best of 1998: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1998. Retrieved July 14, 2013.

Randy Travis

Albums Singles

Studio albums	Randy Traywick Storms of Life Always & Forever Old 8×10 No Holdin' Back Heroes & Friends High Lonesome Wind in the Wire This Is Me Full Circle You and You Alone A Man Ain't Made of Stone Inspirational Journey Rise and Shine Worship & Faith Passing Through Glory Train: Songs of Faith, Worship, and Praise Around the Bend Anniversary Celebration Influence Vol. 1: The Man I Am Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am

Compilation albums	Greatest Hits, Volume 1 Greatest Hits, Volume 2 Forever & Ever... The Best of Randy Travis Greatest #1 Hits Super Hits, Volume 1 Trail of Memories: The Randy Travis Anthology The Essential Randy Travis The Very Best of Randy Travis The Platinum Collection I Told You So: The Ultimate Hits of Randy Travis Three Wooden Crosses: The Inspirational Hits of Randy Travis I'll Fly Away Top 10 Randy Travis Forever Country: 15 Original Hits Hymns: 17 Timeless Songs of Faith On the Other Hand: All the Number Ones

Holiday albums	An Old Time Christmas Songs of the Season

Live albums	Randy Ray: Live at the Nashville Palace Live: It Was Just a Matter of Time

Notable singles	"1982" "On the Other Hand" "Diggin' Up Bones" "No Place Like Home" "Forever and Ever, Amen" "I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)" "Too Gone Too Long" "I Told You So" "Honky Tonk Moon" "Deeper Than the Holler" "Is It Still Over?" "Promises" "It's Just a Matter of Time" "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart" "He Walked on Water" "A Few Ole Country Boys" (with George Jones) "Heroes and Friends" "Point of Light" "Forever Together" "Better Class of Losers" "I'd Surrender All" "If I Didn't Have You" "Look Heart, No Hands" "An Old Pair of Shoes" "Cowboy Boogie" "Before You Kill Us All" "Whisper My Name" "This Is Me" "The Box" "Are We in Trouble Now" "Would I" "Out of My Bones" "The Hole" "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man" "Stranger in My Mirror" "A Man Ain't Made of Stone" "Baptism" "Three Wooden Crosses"

Related articles	Warner Bros. Records DreamWorks Records "She's Got the Rhythm (And I Got the Blues)"

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