I 'd be Better Off ( in a Pine Box ) - wikipedia I 'd be Better Off ( in a Pine Box ) `` I 'd Be Better Off ( In a Pine Box ) '' Single by Doug Stone from the album Doug Stone B - side `` It 's a Good Thing I Do n't Love You Anymore '' Released February 1, 1990 Format CD Single, Cassingle, 7 '' single Recorded Genre Country Length 3 : 20 Label Epic 73895 Songwriter ( s ) Johnny MacRae, Steve Clark Producer ( s ) Doug Johnson Doug Stone singles chronology `` I 'd Be Better Off ( In a Pine Box ) '' ( 1990 ) `` Fourteen Minutes Old '' ( 1990 ) `` I 'd Be Better Off ( In a Pine Box ) ' '' ( 1990 ) `` Fourteen Minutes Old '' ( 1990 ) `` I 'd Be Better Off ( In a Pine Box ) '' is the title of a debut single written by Johnny MacRae and Steve Clark, and recorded by American country music artist Doug Stone. It was released in February 1990 as the first single from his self titled debut album. It peaked at # 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and # 5 on The Canadian RPM Tracks chart. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. Contents 1 Content 2 Music video 3 Critical reception 4 Chart performance 4.1 Year - end charts 5 References Content In this song, the narrator says he would rather be dead or imprisoned than live without his lover. Music video The music video was directed by directing duo Deaton - Flanigen. The video features Stone singing the song in a motel room, with him hitchhiking for a ride. At the end of the video, it shows his former lover getting married to another man. As Stone walks away, the woman takes a glance at him as the limo that she and her new husband is in leaves the church. Critical reception Brian Mansfield of Allmusic praised the song by calling it `` a towering expression of self - pity that most singers could spend a career trying to top ''. Chart performance Chart ( 1990 ) Peak position Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) 5 US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) Year - end charts Chart ( 1990 ) Position Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) 65 US Country Songs ( Billboard ) 34 References Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2008 ). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 405. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 177 - 2. Jump up ^ AOL Music Profile for `` I 'd Be Better Off ( In a Pine Box ) '' Jump up ^ Mansfield, Brian. `` Doug Stone ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 2009 - 06 - 05. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Country Tracks : Issue 7924. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. June 9, 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Doug Stone -- Chart history '' Billboard Hot Country Songs for Doug Stone. Jump up ^ `` RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1990 ''. RPM. December 22, 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Best of 1990 : Country Songs ''. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013. Doug Stone Studio albums Doug Stone I Thought It Was You From the Heart The First Christmas More Love Faith in Me, Faith in You Make Up in Love The Long Way In a Different Light My Turn Compilation albums Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 Super Hits Live at Billy Bob 's Texas Notable singles `` I 'd Be Better Off ( In a Pine Box ) '' `` Fourteen Minutes Old '' `` These Lips Do n't Know How to Say Goodbye '' `` In a Different Light '' `` I Thought It Was You '' `` A Jukebox with a Country Song '' `` Come In Out of the Pain '' `` Warning Labels '' `` Too Busy Being in Love '' `` Made for Lovin ' You '' `` Why Did n't I Think of That '' `` I Never Knew Love '' `` Addicted to a Dollar '' `` More Love '' `` Little Houses '' `` Faith in Me, Faith in You '' `` Born in the Dark '' `` Make Up in Love '' `` Take a Letter Maria '' Related articles Discography Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I%27d_Be_Better_Off_(In_a_Pine_Box)&oldid=765952772 '' Categories : 1990 singles Doug Stone songs Debut singles Music videos directed by Deaton - Flanigen Productions Epic Records singles Song recordings produced by Doug Johnson ( record producer ) 1990 songs Songs written by Johnny MacRae Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Canadacountry Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 17 February 2017, at 10 : 33. About Wikipedia

Question: who wrote i'd be better off in a pine box
Answer: Johnny MacRae