Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 2002
The Good Stuff
Buy The Good Stuff now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'"The Good Stuff"' is a song written by Jim Collins and Craig Wiseman and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in May 2002 as the second single from Chesney's 2002 album 'No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems'.
The song became Chesney's fifth number one hit on the US 'Billboard' Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. At the time, it was also his longest-lasting number one, having spent seven weeks at that position (a record that has since been tied by his 2003 single "There Goes My Life"). The song also reached number 22 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100. It was even named the number one country single of 2002 according to 'Billboard' Year End.
Content
"The Good Stuff" is a mid-tempo song based on different meanings of the phrase "the good stuff". In the first verse, the narrator explains that he has just had a fight with his wife, so he goes to a bar. Seeing only the bartender in the bar, he then asks for "the good stuff" (i.e., a good alcoholic beverage). The bartender then explains that the "good stuff", which cannot be found at the bar, is the love between a man and woman, and the memories that they make together, such as "dropping the ring in the spaghetti plate".
In the second verse, the narrator and the bartender begin conversing, when the narrator notices a picture on the bar. The bartender explains that the picture is of his wife who died of cancer eight years ago. He also says that for five years after her death, he began drinking regularly, sobering up only after realizing that the memories of the love that they shared are "the one thing stronger than the whiskey".
The bartender, in the song's bridge, then suggests that the male go home and apologize to his wife: "When you get home, she'll start to cry / When she says 'I'm sorry', say 'so am I' / Look into those eyes so deep in love / And drink it up / 'Cause that's the good stuff".
Music video
The music video was directed by Shaun Silva, and premiered on CMT on April 25, 2002, when CMT named it a "Hot Shot". It consisted of him performing the song in a recording studio, as well as singing in front of a wall containing a few pictures, and shows him at a bar talking to the bartender, which is played by Chesneys good friend and manager, Dale Morris.
Chart positions
"The Good Stuff" debuted at number 53 on the U.S. 'Billboard' Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for the week of May 4, 2002.
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
Category:2002 singles
Category:2002 songs
Category:Country ballads
Category:2000s ballads
Category:Kenny Chesney songs
Category:Songs written by Craig Wiseman
Category:Songs written by Jim Collins (singer)
Category:Music videos directed by Shaun Silva
Category:Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles of the year
Category:Song recordings produced by Buddy Cannon
Category:Song recordings produced by Norro Wilson
Category:BNA Records singles
Buy The Good Stuff now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 2002