The second single from Brad Paisley's debut album, Who Needs Pictures, this became his first Country #1 in December 1999, holding the top spot for one week.
The song was penned by Paisley with his frequent co-writer and best friend Kelley Lovelace and based on the latter's relationship with his stepson McCain Merren. "'He Didn't Have to Be' was probably the most life-changing three minutes that I've ever written, because I really believe we wouldn't be sitting here anymore talking," Paisley said. "Maybe we'd be sitting here with me having written a #1 song for somebody else, but I don't think I'd still have a record deal without that song. It broke the ice for me with radio. It was like you could see potential in it, and that's an important thing. I was really lucky, it wasn't like we knew what we were doing. I just happened [to write] that with my best friend from the bottom of my heart about his situation."
This was written from the perspective of a son of a single mother; we hear how the single mom begins dating a new man who immediately builds a relationship with the child as well. Lovelace co-penned it from personal experience having become a step-dad to McCain Merren when he married his wife, Karen. According to an interview with the songwriter in USA Weekend magazine, Paisley said to him, "Let's make a song about you two that will make your wife cry."
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