“Is it Still Over?”
Randy Travis
Written by Ken Bell and Larry Henley
Radio & Records
#1 (2 weeks)
April 14 – April 21, 1989
Billboard
#1 (1 week)
May 13, 1989
Randy Travis reuses the “Too Gone Too Long” pattern, and leaves the seams showing.
“Is it Still Over?” revisits the groove of the earlier hit, leading again to exemplary instrumentation and a solid vocal performance from Travis. But it doesn’t reach the dizzying heights of his preceding run of singles because the song itself isn’t sturdy enough.
There are some strong lyrical moments but also some tired ones, and the melody is lacking. Travis does his best to navigate it, but he’s left selling an inferior set of goods. It works fine as radio filler. It just never rises above that level of excellence.
“Is it Still Over?” gets a C.
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While I agree this is not one of the strongest entries in Randy’s catalog, I still think the production and vocals are strong enough to not only sell it, but sell it well. Maybe it’s a bit derivative of “Too Gone Too Long” but I’ve never found them interchangeable. And when it comes to legacy, this one got more recurrent play than “TGTL” in the 90s and continues to on the oldies stations even today, at least on the stations I’ve listened to. I rarely turn down the opportunity to give it a listen when it comes on.
Grade: B+
While I wouldn’t count it as one of Randy’s strongest songs, it’s still a nice song to listen to. I do think the opening line is quite strong.
I don’t know if it’s one of Randy’s strongest but I always think of this as one of his fun songs and that’s no bad thing on its own. I’d give it a B, maybe B- to most of the Storms Of Life songs.
I think Travis revisiting familiar thematic territory is just him capably driving his flag into the ground.
Joe Diffie had to come from somewhere.
Travis is so great with this sort of self-effacing humour. There is real modest and subtle comedy to this song.
Choosing to describe being without his lover as “inconvenient” in the opening line is pretty hysterical really.
And it all sounds great instrumentally.
Another Randy TRavis winner in a continuation of the streak of country gold from this special year. A-