Lee Ann Womack Reflects On 25 Years Of ‘I Hope You Dance’ As Music Video Surpasses 100 Million Views
Womack admits she “couldn’t have anticipated” the impact that would come from the iconic song.
Photo Courtesy Lee Ann Womack
Lee Ann Womack is taking a moment to reflect on the legacy of her signature hit, “I Hope You Dance,” as the iconic track just surpassed 100 million views on YouTube and turns 25 years old this year.
“Grateful doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Womack shared on social media, thanking every single fan who viewed the heartfelt music video since its release in 2000. “I Hope You Dance” quickly became a cultural phenomenon as it was one of the most successful singles across multiple genres.
The No. 1 hit on country radio served as the title track and lead single from Womack’s album that dropped the same year. It earned multiple awards including CMA Single of the Year, Best Country Song from GRAMMY’s and Song of the Year from ACM, NSAI and BMI awards. The song has since been certified double platinum in digital and retail sales.
“I Hope You Dance” was penned by Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers. It ended up in the hands of Lee Ann Womack after the songstress instantly fell in love with the demo and recorded it just a few months after it was written.
In lieu of the song’s milestone anniversary this year, Womack reflected on her journey with the narrative and watching the success that came out of it. When asked if she thought the music video would ever reach 100 million views, she admitted “I could never have imagined that anything would be a hundred million anything. That’s a big number to me. So no, I couldn’t have anticipated that.”
The video opens with Lee Ann Womack’s oldest daughter, Aubrie Sellers, gently guiding her younger sister, Annalise Liddell, through an iron gate and into a picturesque setting. As they enter, the story unfolds through an elegant ballet performance, with young girls twirling in classic pink tights and leotards and their graceful movements guided by a string orchestra.
In between the choreography are clips of Womack donning a shimmering silver dress as she sings directly to her daughters. The visuals mirror the heart of the song’s lyrics that center around a mother’s wish for her children to embrace life to the fullest, to take risks, and to lead with love and faith.
“When we were talking about making the video, I knew I wanted to have my girls in it because that’s what the song meant to me. Just to think that something we created that long ago has touched that many people. It’s incredible,” she shared.
Womack goes on to say that she started to really notice the song’s traction when she got a call from a friend back in Texas informing her that it was being played on a pop radio station in town. This was no mistake, “I Hope You Dance” had officially become so big that it was reching audiences beyond country music.
“At that point I thought, well, maybe it’s just because that’s where I’m from, east Texas. But before I knew it, it was playing everywhere. So when you start getting air play on all different kinds of stations and stuff, that’s when you know something’s about to have happened.”
The track went on to become a major crossover success. It reached the No. 1 spot on both the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks, the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts. This wide reach lead the beloved tune to become a standard soundtrack to milestone events, including graduation ceremonies, weddings and even funerals.
“I didn’t know that ‘I Hope You Dance’ was going to be as big as it was for sure. I didn’t, but sure. I’m glad it was,” Womack admitted.
Even 25 years later, its powerful message of hope and resilience continues to resonate with audiences around the world. It continues to be a staple across multiple generations, which the female country icon joked makes her feel old. For Lee Ann Womack, that kind of legacy is more than she ever dreamed of.
“I don’t want to discourage people at all from telling me that it was my grandmother’s favorite song, stuff like that. So it makes you feel old, but I mean, you know that you have a song that’s going to live on forever. You can’t ask for more than that.”
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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