Brad Paisley Didn't Have to Be This Good
Too often, stepdads get a bad rap. But 11 years ago, Brad Paisley changed all that. His 1999 song, "He Didn't Have to Be," was his first No. 1 hit, and it shined a big ol' spotlight on the good-guy stepfathers out there. The story goes that Paisley came to his pal and co-writer Kelley Lovelace, who had a stepson, and said, ""Let's make a song about you two that will make your wife cry." And if the song itself didn't make that happen, the video certainly would. The one that opens with the sad little 5-year-old boy sitting on the stairs while his mom's potential boyfriends come and go. But then, finally, one guy motions for him to come along. The video chronicles the life of that boy and his stepdad, all the way up until the point where the boy is bringing his own baby home and Paisley is singing, "I hope I'm at least half the dad that he didn't have to be." I honestly don't know if there's a better lyric in country music.
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countryiscool says:
This is one of my absolute favorite videos and I remember being upset that it didn’t win VOY- Faith Hill’s Breathe did. As much as I love Faith, I think Brad’s tribute to stepdads deserved it far more because of the message than her rolling around on a beach towel.
james2008 says:
I am confused by the title of this article. Did you expect Brad Paisley to be bad during his Who Needs Picture Era (1999-2000)? After all, the CD yielded the following hits:
1. Who Needs Pictures-1999-#12
2. He Didn’t Have To Be-1999-#1
3. Me Neither-2000-#18
4. We Danced-2000-#1
All the above hits are favorites of mine!
michku3 says:
One of my favorite Brad Paisley songs!
Mrs.Jonas says:
This may be one of the sweetest songs in all of country music!
Susan says:
Very touching song. Brad’s one of those artists that can make you weep one minute and make you bust a gut laughing the next!
Amarillo Sky says:
The best songs to me aren’t really a romantic kind, but a life story. Like this song, Craig Morgan’s That’s What I Love About Sunda, Tracy Lawrence’s Find Out Who Your Friends Are, and my favorite, Jason Aldean’s Amarillo Sky. And I have to say that this song ranks up there with those great songs above!!!