Most people fall in love more than once during their lifetime, but one thing holds true for everyone: Falling for the first time can only happen once.
That’s the gist of Kenny Chesney’s “Don’t Happen Twice,” which took him to No. 1 for the fourth time on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart dated June 9, 2001. Young romance was definitely a thing for Chesney in that part of his career — 1995’s “Fall in Love” became his first top 10 single and his early successes also included “Me and You” (No. 2, 1996); his first No. 1, “She’s Got It All” (1997); and six-week chart-topper “How Forever Feels” (1999).
Songwriters Thom McHugh and Curtis Lance drew the opening line of the “Don’t Happen Twice” chorus — “We sang ‘Bobby McGee’ on the hood of my car” — from Lance’s own romantic memories. They paid homage in the process to Kris Kristofferson, whose “Me and Bobby McGee” rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971 as covered by Janis Joplin.
“Don’t Happen Twice” followed “I Lost It,” which peaked at No. 3 on Hot Country Songs, as the two new singles pulled from Chesney’s Greatest Hits, which emerged as the first of his 17 sets to lead Top Country Albums, in October 2000. Chesney has amassed 23 total No. 1s on Hot Country Songs and sent a record 33 titles to the summit on the Country Airplay chart.
Chesney joined the Country Music Hall of Fame last October — that’s another thing that just don’t happen twice.
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