The Man I Want to Be (song)

Last updated
"The Man I Want to Be"
Chris Young I Want To Be.png
Single by Chris Young
from the album The Man I Want to Be
ReleasedNovember 16, 2009
Recorded2009
Genre
Length3:26
Label RCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) James Stroud
Chris Young singles chronology
"Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)"
(2009)
"The Man I Want to Be"
(2009)
"Voices"
(2010)
Music video
"The Man I Want to Be" on YouTube

"The Man I Want to Be" is a song written by Brett James and Tim Nichols, and recorded by American country music artist Chris Young. It was released in November 2009 as the third single and title track from his album The Man I Want to Be (2009). The song is about the singer wanting to change who he is to make amends to a former lover.

Contents

The song received positive reviews from critics who praised Young's vocal performance and James Stroud's production for saving the bland lyrics. "The Man I Want to Be" was Young's second of five consecutive number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It also peaked at numbers 48 and 81 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian Hot 100 respectively. The song was certified Platinum by the RIAA for selling over a million units in the United States.

An accompanying music video for the song, directed by Chris Hicky, features Young at a bus stop making a call to God through a phone booth to help him find his former girlfriend.

Content

"The Man I Want to Be" is a moderate up-tempo country song. The song's male narrator describes the kind of "man [he] wants to be." The first verse finds him realizing that he hasn't been the man he should ("I've spent my whole life gettin' it all wrong") and describing that he wants God's help to change. In the second verse, he longs to have his old lover back, and for him to be the perfect man for her ("I wanna be the kind of man that she sees in her dreams").

Critical reception

Juli Thanki of Engine 145 gave the song a "thumbs up," saying that while "some lyrics are a little too bland to be particularly moving," that "Young sells it, truly sounding as though he’s at the end of his rope and praying to anyone who’ll listen." Thanki also described Young's vocal performance as "slightly reminiscent" of Keith Whitley and "the best voice to hit commercial country since Josh Turner." [1] Leeann Ward of Country Universe gave the song a B− rating, stating that while he "deserves lots of credit for a stellar vocal performance, solid contemporary country production and for being a generally inoffensive composition," the song itself has "lyrical and melodic weaknesses [that] are still impossible to overlook." [2] In 2017, Billboard contributor Chuck Dauphin placed "The Man I Want to Be" at number one on his top 10 list of Young's best songs. [3]

Music video

The music video, which was directed by Chris Hicky, premiered on CMT on December 3, 2009. [4] In the video, Young takes a seat next to a man waiting for a bus, who hands Young a quarter and advises him to make a phone call to God (rather than trying to call his girlfriend). Young then goes to a telephone booth, and while he makes his call, scenes of his former love interest lying in her bedroom are shown. A sign from God comes in the form of a large arrow in the bed of a passing pickup truck. He continues to follow signs, which lead him to a downtown coffee shop, where he meets his love interest on the sidewalk. The video ends with him making amends with her, while the man from the bus stop looks through the window of a passing Greyhound and smiles to himself. [5]

Chart performance

"The Man I Want to Be" debuted at number 58 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of November 28, 2009, and it debuted at number 98 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of March 27, 2010. On the chart dated May 22, 2010, "The Man I Want to Be" became Young's second consecutive Number One single.

Weekly charts

Chart (2009–2010)Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [6] 1
US Billboard Hot 100 [7] 48
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [8] 81

Year-end charts

Chart (2010)Position
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [9] 5

Decade-end charts

Chart (2010–2019)Position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard) [10] 30

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [11] Platinum1,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'll Wait for You (Joe Nichols song)</span> 2006 single by Joe Nichols

"I'll Wait for You" is a song written by Bill Anderson and Harley Allen and recorded by American country music artist Joe Nichols. It was released in July 2006 as the third single from Nichols' album III. The song reached number 7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and peaked at #71 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What Do You Want</span> 2010 song by Jerrod Niemann

"What Do You Want" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Jerrod Niemann. It was released in October 2010 as the second single from his album Judge Jerrod & the Hung Jury. The song is his second top 40 hit on the Hot Country Songs charts, following his number-one single "Lover, Lover".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lookin' for a Good Time</span> 2008 single by Lady Antebellum

"Lookin' for a Good Time" is a song recorded by American country music trio Lady Antebellum. It was released on June 9, 2008, as the second single from their self-titled debut studio album, as well as their second top 20 hit on the Billboard country chart. The song was co-written by the trio's three members; Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood along with Keith Follesé, and it features lead vocals from both Scott and Kelley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waitin' on a Woman</span> 2008 single by Brad Paisley

"Waitin' on a Woman" is a song written by Don Sampson and Wynn Varble, and recorded three times by American country music artist Brad Paisley. His first recording of the song was included on his 2005 album Time Well Wasted. Three years later, Paisley re-recorded the song for inclusion on a re-issue of his 2007 album 5th Gear. This re-recorded version was issued on 9 June 2008 and became the twenty-first chart single of Paisley's career and became the twelfth number 1 single of his career and his eighth consecutive number 1 single. The song also appeared on Play with a guest vocal from Andy Griffith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roll with Me</span> 2008 single by Montgomery Gentry

"Roll with Me" is a song written by Clint Daniels and Tommy Karlas, and recorded by American country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in August 2008 as the second single from their album Back When I Knew It All. It became their twentieth single to reach the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and on the weeks of December 20—27, 2008, became their fifth and final Number One song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiss a Girl</span> 2009 single by Keith Urban

"Kiss a Girl" is a song recorded by Australian country music singer Keith Urban. It was released in March 2009 as the second single from his 2009 album Defying Gravity. The song reached number three on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The song also became his highest peak on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 16, and his only top 20 on that chart to date. Urban co-wrote this song with Monty Powell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Then (Brad Paisley song)</span> 2009 single by Brad Paisley

"Then" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Brad Paisley. It is his twenty-third entry on the Billboard country charts, debuting at number 26 on the chart week of April 4, 2009. The song is the lead-off single from his seventh studio album, American Saturday Night, which was released via Arista Nashville on June 30, 2009. It is one of Paisley's four songs certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, the others being "She's Everything", "Whiskey Lullaby", and "Remind Me". Paisley wrote this song with Ashley Gorley and Chris DuBois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">People Are Crazy</span> 2009 single by Billy Currington

"People Are Crazy" is a song written by Hunter Montgomery, Bobby Braddock, and Troy Jones, and recorded by American country music singer Billy Currington. It was released in March 2009 as the second single from Currington’s 2008 album Little Bit of Everything. The song became Currington's third number one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. On December 2, 2009, the song was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song. The song was also nominated for "Song of the Year" at the 2010 Academy of Country Music Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Wesley</span> American country music singer (born 1970)

James Wesley Prosser is an American country music singer. In 1999, Prosser released the album Life Goes On through Warner Bros. Records. Ten years later, he signed to Broken Bow Records under the name James Wesley. Wesley released five singles for this label, including the top 30 hits "Real" and "Didn't I". He recorded a second studio album, Real, for the label, but it went unreleased.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Today (Gary Allan song)</span> 2009 single by Gary Allan

"Today" is a song written by Brice Long and Tommy Lee James, and recorded by American country music artist Gary Allan. It was released in June 2009 as the first single from his 2010 album Get Off on the Pain. The song reached number 18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in early 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)</span> 2009 single by Chris Young

"Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Chris Young. It was released in February 2009 as the second single from his 2009 album The Man I Want to Be (2009). Young wrote the song with Kent Blazy and Cory Batten. The song garnered positive reviews from critics who praised the suggestive lyrics for sounding sexy and for being a great non-sellout single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Liar</span> 2009 single by Miranda Lambert

"White Liar" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Miranda Lambert. It was released in August 2009 as the second single from her album Revolution. Lambert performed "White Liar" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on October 6, 2009, and on the 2009 CMA Awards on November 11, 2009. In December 2009, the song became Lambert's second Top 10 hit and reached a peak of number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of February 6, 2010. The song was written by Lambert and Natalie Hemby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Undo It</span> 2010 single by Carrie Underwood

"Undo It" is a song written by Carrie Underwood, Kara DioGuardi, Marti Frederiksen, and Luke Laird. It was made available to digital retailers on October 27, 2009, and was released as an official single on May 24, 2010. The song is the third single from Underwood's third studio album, Play On.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our Kind of Love</span> 2010 single by Lady Antebellum

"Our Kind of Love" is a song recorded by American country music group Lady Antebellum. Written by the trio along with busbee, it was released on May 31, 2010, as the third single from their album Need You Now. It debuted at number 50 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts dated for May 24, 2010. It was first released January 17, 2010 as the third and final promotional single as part of the iTunes Countdown to Need You Now, and it features lead vocals from both Scott and Kelley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Put You in a Song</span> 2010 single by Keith Urban

"Put You in a Song" is a song co-written and recorded by Australian country music singer Keith Urban. It was released on September 13, 2010 as the first single from his 2010 album Get Closer. The song peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Urban wrote this song with Sarah Buxton and Jedd Hughes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Wouldn't Be a Man</span>

"I Wouldn't Be a Man" is a song written by Mike Reid and Rory Bourke. Originally recorded by Don Williams, it has also been covered by Billy Dean and Josh Turner. Williams's version of the song was a Top Ten country hit in late 1987–early 1988, while versions by Dean and Turner also charted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You (Chris Young song)</span> 2011 single by Chris Young

"You" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Chris Young. It was released in September 2011 as the second single from his third studio album Neon. Co-written with Luke Laird, the song is about a lover being told that her charm is the only thing that affects him the most. It received mixed reviews from critics who were critical of its lackluster hook and content similar to Blake Shelton's "Honey Bee" and Jason Aldean's "Big Green Tractor". "You" was Young's fifth consecutive number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It also became his third Top 40 hit on the Hot 100, peaking at number 34. "You" was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting sales of over one million units in the United States. It also garnered chart prominence in Canada, reaching number 66 on the Canadian Hot 100. The accompanying music video for the song, directed by Chris Hicky, was shot in black-and-white and shows Young as a gas station attendant attracting the attention of three different women in various colored clothing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Young discography</span>

American country music singer and songwriter Chris Young has released nine studio albums, twenty three singles, and nineteen music videos. Eleven of his singles have reached number one on either the US Billboard Hot Country Songs or Country Airplay charts. In 2006, Young rose to fame as the winner of season four of American reality singing competition Nashville Star. He released his debut self-titled album in October of that year, which produced two singles that failed to reach the Top 40 of the Country Songs chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hey Pretty Girl</span> 2013 single by Kip Moore

"Hey Pretty Girl" is a song recorded by American country music artist Kip Moore. It was released in January 2013 as the fourth and final single from his debut album, Up All Night. Moore co-wrote the song with Dan Couch. As of June 19, 2013, the single had sold 500,000 copies in the United States and been certified Gold by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Comin' Over (song)</span> 2015 single by Chris Young

"I'm Comin' Over" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Chris Young. It was released on May 11, 2015 as the lead single to his fifth studio album of the same name, which was released on November 13, 2015. The song was written by Young, Corey Crowder and Josh Hoge.

References

  1. Engine 145: Chris Young – “The Man I Want To Be”
  2. Ward, Leeann (November 28, 2009). "Review: Chris Young, "The Man I Want To Be"". Country Universe. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
  3. Dauphin, Chuck (July 24, 2017). "Chris Young's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard . Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  4. CMT Videos : Music Binge - 12.3.09 : The Man I Want to Be
  5. CMT Blog: Are You There, God? It’s Me, Chris Young
  6. "Chris Young Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  7. "Chris Young Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. "Chris Young Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  9. "Best of 2010: Country Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media. 2010. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
  10. "Decade-End Charts: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  11. "American single certifications – Chris Young – The Man I Want to Be". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved August 9, 2018.