a stepson, wrote it. "Brad said, 'You really love that little guy,' " Lovelace recalls. " 'Let's write a song about you two that'll make your wife cry.' Later, Brad performed it for some studio executives, and by the end, they were all weeping." Says Paisley, whose new album, "5th Gear," is in stores this month: "It demonstrates a song's depth and gets a huge response in concert." Are you thinking of... "He Didn't Have to Be", by Brad Paisley?  It's about a step-father being the father "he didn't have to be", and it always makes me cry because my husband is such a good father to my children!  Here are the lyrics: He Didn't Have to Be When a single mom goes out on a date with somebody new It always winds up feeling more like a job interview My momma used to wonder if she'd ever meet someone Who wouldn't find out about me and then turn around and run I met the man I call my dad when I was five years old He took my mom out to a movie and for once I got to go A few months later I remember lying there in bed I overheard him pop the question and prayed that she'd say yes And then all of a sudden Oh, it seemed so strange to me How we went from something's missing To a family Lookin' back all I can say About all the things he did for me Is