What was I Thinkin ' - wikipedia What was I Thinkin ' `` What Was I Thinkin ' '' Single by Dierks Bentley from the album Dierks Bentley B - side `` Whiskey Tears '' Released April 13, 2003 Format CD single Recorded 2003 Genre Country Length 4 : 21 Label Capitol Nashville Songwriter ( s ) Deric Ruttan Brett Beavers Dierks Bentley Producer ( s ) Brett Beavers Dierks Bentley singles chronology `` What Was I Thinkin ' '' ( 2003 ) `` My Last Name '' ( 2003 ) `` What Was I Thinkin ' '' ( 2003 ) `` My Last Name '' ( 2003 ) `` What Was I Thinkin ' '' is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Dierks Bentley. It was released in April 2003 as the first single from his self - titled debut album. The song became his first number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts in September 2003. Contents 1 Content 2 Critical reception 3 Music video 4 Chart positions 4.1 Year - end charts 5 References 6 External links Content Bentley co-wrote `` What Was I Thinkin ' '' with his record producer, Brett Beavers, and Deric Ruttan. The song is an up - tempo in which he recalls escaping one night with a `` beauty from south Alabama, '' named Becky while the narrator spends the song constantly questioning `` what was I thinkin ' '', being mesmerized by Becky into committing all manner of foolish activities. The night begins with Becky and the narrator sneaking out of her father 's house but her father catches them leaving the property and shoots the tailgate of the truck on their way out with his shotgun. Shortly after they are caught in a police chase where the narrator drives his truck through a cornfield to escape, much to Becky 's delight. Later into the night he encounters a large man with a `` Born to Kill '' tattoo whom he starts a fight with after the man tries to get between him and Becky and has to frantically run away from once he `` ( knocks ) out his front tooth. '' He returns Becky to her home `` at a half - past two '' ( 2 : 30 AM ) but her father is already waiting `` in a lawn chair '' in the driveway for the pair. The narrator shuts off his truck and waits as the father advances towards them but Becky, being the rowdy girl she is, grins and then sends them speeding off into the night once again. Critical reception Rick Cohoon of Allmusic gave the single a mixed review, comparing its sound and theme to David Lee Murphy 's `` Dust on the Bottle '' and calling the song `` catchy enough, yet overdone. '' Deborah Evans Price of Billboard wrote that the song had an `` infectious '' melody and `` lots of energy. '' Because of the line `` I was thinkin ' ' bout a little white tank top / Sittin ' right there in the middle by me, '' Bentley told Billboard magazine that he began seeing female fans wearing white tank - tops to concerts. Music video The music video was directed by Peter Zavadil and premiered in mid-2003. It tells the story of the song 's events in retrospect as the narrator looks over the damage he incurred from his wild night with Becky ( such as pulling a corn leaf from the undercarriage of his Ford Ranchero or looking at the scar he picked up from his fight with the `` mountain of a man with a ' Born to Kill ' tattoo '', which apparently is Becky 's ex-boyfriend ) while wondering if it was really worth it. The video features Lauren Elaine as `` Becky '', the white tank - top wearing `` beauty from South Alabama ''. Elaine also appears in `` How Am I Doin ' '' and `` Lot of Leavin ' Left to Do '', as the same character. The video was shot in Kingsbury, Texas in May 2003. The video opens the night of the date when Bentley takes Becky back home. She asks if he would want to do it again, and though he is unsure, he reluctantly agrees. Throughout he is seen performing with his band. Chart positions `` What Was I Thinkin ' '' reached its peak position of number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts dated for the week ending September 27, 2003. The song succeeded Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett 's duet `` It 's Five O'Clock Somewhere '' at this peak. Chart ( 2003 ) Peak position US Billboard Hot 100 22 US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) Year - end charts Chart ( 2003 ) Position US Country Songs ( Billboard ) 6 Preceded by `` It 's Five O'Clock Somewhere '' by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett Hot Country Songs number - one single September 27, 2003 Succeeded by `` It 's Five O'Clock Somewhere '' by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett References Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2008 ). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 48. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 177 - 2. ^ Jump up to : Stark, Phyllis ( August 30, 2003 ). `` Women Notice What Bentley Was Thinkin ' ''. Billboard : 33. ^ Jump up to : `` Singles ''. Billboard : 41. May 10, 2003. Jump up ^ Cohoon, Rick. `` What Was I Thinkin ' ''. Allmusic. Retrieved March 26, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Dierks Bentley lands first No. 1 ''. Jump up ^ `` Dierks Bentley Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Dierks Bentley Chart History ( Hot Country Songs ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Best of 2003 : Country Songs ''. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2003. Retrieved July 13, 2012. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Dierks Bentley Studio albums Do n't Leave Me in Love Dierks Bentley Modern Day Drifter Long Trip Alone Feel That Fire Up on the Ridge Home Riser Black Compilation albums Greatest Hits / Every Mile a Memory 2003 -- 2008 Singles `` What Was I Thinkin ' '' `` My Last Name '' `` How Am I Doin ' '' `` Lot of Leavin ' Left to Do '' `` Come a Little Closer '' `` Settle for a Slowdown '' `` Every Mile a Memory '' `` Long Trip Alone '' `` Free and Easy ( Down the Road I Go ) '' `` Trying to Stop Your Leaving '' `` Feel That Fire '' `` Sideways '' `` I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes '' `` Up on the Ridge '' `` Draw Me a Map '' `` Am I the Only One '' `` Home '' `` 5 - 1 - 5 - 0 '' `` Tip It On Back '' `` Bourbon in Kentucky '' `` I Hold On '' `` Drunk on a Plane '' `` Say You Do '' `` Riser '' `` Somewhere on a Beach '' `` Different for Girls '' ( feat. Elle King ) `` Black '' `` What the Hell Did I Say '' `` Woman, Amen '' Featured singles `` The South '' ( w / The Cadillac Three, Florida Georgia Line and Mike Eli ) Concert tours Riser Tour Sounds of Summer Tour Somewhere on a Beach Tour Related articles Discography `` Murder on Music Row '' ( w / George Jones ) `` Flatliner '' ( w / Cole Swindell ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=What_Was_I_Thinkin%27&oldid=827802446 '' Categories : 2003 singles Dierks Bentley songs Billboard Hot Country Songs number - one singles Debut singles Music videos directed by Peter Zavadil Songs written by Dierks Bentley Songs written by Deric Ruttan Songs written by Brett Beavers Capitol Records Nashville singles Song recordings produced by Brett Beavers 2003 songs Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from October 2012 Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 26 February 2018, at 20 : 40. 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Question: who sings the song what was i thinking
Answer: Dierks Bentley