He Did n't Have to Be - wikipedia He Did n't Have to Be `` He Did n't Have to Be '' Single by Brad Paisley from the album Who Needs Pictures B - side `` I 've Been Better '' Released August 30, 1999 Format CD 7 '' 45 RPM Genre Country Length 4 : 42 Label Arista Nashville Songwriter ( s ) Brad Paisley Kelley Lovelace Producer ( s ) Frank Rogers Brad Paisley singles chronology `` Who Needs Pictures '' ( 1999 ) `` He Did n't Have to Be '' ( 1999 ) `` Me Neither '' ( 2000 ) `` Who Needs Pictures '' ( 1999 ) `` He Did n't Have to Be '' ( 1999 ) `` Me Neither '' ( 2000 ) `` He Did n't Have to Be '' is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Brad Paisley. It was released in August 1999 as the second single from his debut album, Who Needs Pictures. In December 1999, it became his first number one single, holding the top spot for one week. Contents 1 Background 2 Content 3 Music video 4 Chart performance 4.1 Year - end charts 5 References 6 External links Background The song was based on Paisley 's frequent co-writer and best friend, Kelley Lovelace 's stepson McCain Merren, who attended the 2000 ACM Awards as Paisley 's guest. According to Lovelace, Paisley said to him, `` Let 's make a song about you two that will make your wife cry. '' Content This song is written from the perspective of a son of a single mother. The single mother begins dating a new man who almost immediately includes the child in things like going to the movies. In the final verse, the son now is about ready to become a father himself, standing in the hospital next to his stepfather and hoping that he can be `` at least half the dad '' that his stepfather `` did n't have to be. '' This song is set in the key of A major in cut time, and has a vocal range from A3 to D5. Music video The music video was directed by Deaton Flanigen and premiered on August 17, 1999 on CMT. Chart performance `` He Did n't Have to Be '' debuted at number 72 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs for the week of September 4, 1999. `` He Did n't Have to Be '' spent 30 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs, peaking at number one in December 1999 and holding that position for one week. Chart ( 1999 ) Peak Position Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) 5 US Billboard Hot 100 30 US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) Year - end charts Chart ( 1999 ) Position Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) 51 Chart ( 2000 ) Position US Country Songs ( Billboard ) 33 References ^ Jump up to : Whitburn, Joel ( 2008 ). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 313. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 177 - 2. Jump up ^ Anon ( 2001 ). `` '' Biography : Part II `` ''. Archived from the original on June 10, 2001. Retrieved 2001 - 06 - 10. aristanashville.com. Retrieved September 17, 2009 Jump up ^ USA WEEKEND Magazine Jump up ^ Contemporary Country ( 1st ed. ). Hal Leonard Corporation. 1999. pp. 67 -- 73. ISBN 0 - 634 - 01594 - X. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Country Tracks : Issue 9713. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. January 31, 2000. Retrieved July 7, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Brad Paisley Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved July 7, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Brad Paisley Chart History ( Hot Country Songs ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved February 6, 2011. Jump up ^ `` RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1999 ''. RPM. December 13, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Best of 2000 : Country Songs ''. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2000. Retrieved August 15, 2012. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Brad Paisley singles Who Needs Pictures `` Who Needs Pictures '' `` He Did n't Have to Be '' `` Me Neither '' `` We Danced '' Part II `` Two People Fell in Love '' `` Wrapped Around '' `` I 'm Gonna Miss Her ( The Fishin ' Song ) '' `` I Wish You 'd Stay '' Mud on the Tires `` Celebrity '' `` Little Moments '' `` Whiskey Lullaby '' ( with Alison Krauss ) `` Mud on the Tires '' Time Well Wasted `` Alcohol '' `` When I Get Where I 'm Going '' ( with Dolly Parton ) `` The World '' `` She 's Everything '' 5th Gear `` Ticks '' `` Online '' `` Letter to Me '' `` I 'm Still a Guy '' `` Waitin ' on a Woman '' Play `` Start a Band '' ( with Keith Urban ) American Saturday Night `` Then '' `` Welcome to the Future '' `` American Saturday Night '' `` Water '' Hits Alive `` Anything Like Me '' This Is Country Music `` This Is Country Music '' `` Old Alabama '' ( with Alabama ) `` Remind Me '' ( with Carrie Underwood ) `` Camouflage '' Wheelhouse `` Southern Comfort Zone '' `` Beat This Summer '' `` I Ca n't Change the World '' `` The Mona Lisa '' Moonshine in the Trunk `` River Bank '' `` Perfect Storm '' `` Crushin ' It '' `` Country Nation '' Love and War `` Today '' `` Last Time for Everything '' `` Heaven South '' Other songs `` Is It Raining at Your House '' `` Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy '' `` Everything and All '' ( with Randy Travis ) `` Accidental Racist '' ( with LL Cool J ) `` Without a Fight '' ( with Demi Lovato ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=He_Didn%27t_Have_to_Be&oldid=853101535 '' Categories : 1999 singles Brad Paisley songs Billboard Hot Country Songs number - one singles Songs written by Brad Paisley Songs written by Kelley Lovelace Music videos directed by Deaton - Flanigen Productions Song recordings produced by Frank Rogers ( record producer ) Arista Nashville singles 1999 songs Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Canadacountry Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 2 August 2018, at 12 : 45 ( UTC ). 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Question: who sings half the dad he didn't have to be
Answer: Brad Paisley