"Better Man, Better Off" is a song written by Stan Paul Davis and Brett Jones, and recorded by American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

artist

Tracy Lawrence Tracy Lee Lawrence (born January 27, 1968) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born in Atlanta, Texas, and raised in Foreman, Arkansas, Lawrence began performing at age 15 and moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 19 ...

. It was released in February 1997 as the first single from his album '' The Coast Is Clear''. The song was Lawrence's eighteenth chart single and it peaked at number 2 on the U.S. ''Billboard''

Hot Country Singles & Tracks Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data along with digital sales and streaming. ...

charts in 1997 and reached number 3 on the Canadian ''RPM'' Country Tracks chart. It also peaked at number 8 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, making it a minor crossover hit.

Content

"Better Man, Better Off" is a mid-tempo in the key of

D major D major is a major scale based on D (musical note), D, consisting of the pitches D, E (musical note), E, F♯ (musical note), F, G (musical note), G, A (musical note), A, B (musical note), B, and C♯ (musical note), C. Its key signature has two S ...

. In it, the narrator admits his mistakes in a failed relationship, but says that he will be a "better man, better off" for having learned from his mistakes.

Critical reception

Deborah Evans Price, of ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it lyrically similar to

Clint Black Clint Patrick Black (born February 4, 1962) is an American country music singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. Signed to RCA Nashville in 1989, Black's debut album '' Killin' Time'' produced four straight number one singles ...

's " A Better Man". She goes on to say that the production "gives the tune a radio-ready feel, and Lawrence sings with a that adds to the strength of the song."''

'', February 22, 1997

Music video

The music video was directed by Michael Merriman, and premiered on CMT on February 24, 1997.

no longer had a mullet, so he shaved off his mustache, and his hair was shorter.

Personnel

Compiled from the liner notes. *Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitar * Deryl Dodd – background vocals * Paul Franklin –

steel guitar A steel guitar () is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conventional guitar i ...

*Rob Hajacos – fiddle *Tony Harrell – piano, keyboards *Liana Manis – background vocals * Terry McMillan – percussion * Dave Pomeroy – bass guitar *

Brent Rowan Brent Rowan (born May 28, 1956, in Waxahachie, Texas) is an American session musician and record producer who works primarily in country music. Active since the 1970s, Rowan began working with John Conlee through the recommendation of record produ ...

– electric guitar,

mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...

*Milton Sledge – drums

Chart positions

"Better Man, Better Off" debuted at number 55 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of February 22, 1997.

Year-end charts

References

{{authority control 1997 singles Tracy Lawrence songs Song recordings produced by Don Cook Atlantic Records singles Breakup songs 1997 songs Songs written by Brett Jones (songwriter)