Track listing
1. "Better Things to Do" (Terri Clark, Tom Shapiro, Chris Waters) - 3:08
2. "If I Were You" (Clark) - 3:54
3. "Catch 22" (Clark, Waters, Bob Regan) - 3:20
4. "Is Fort Worth Worth It" (Shapiro, Waters) - 3:20
5. "When Boy Meets Girl" (Clark, Shapiro, Waters) - 3:01
6. "Tyin' a Heart to a Tumbleweed" (Clark, Terry Clayton, Stan Lawrence) - 3:18
7. "When We Had It Bad" (Clark, Shapiro, Waters) - 3:33
8. "Suddenly Single" (Clark, Shapiro, Waters) - 3:59
9. "Flowers After the Fact" (Clark, Shapiro, Waters) - 3:14
10. "The Inside Story" (Clark, Clayton) - 3:51
11. "Was There a Girl on Your Boys' Night Out" (Clark, Clayton, Lawrence) - 2:34
12. "Something You Should've Said" (Clark, Waters) - 3:02
Better Things To Do
Terri Clark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is to see if I'm all right since you've been gone
'Cause I know you and I know why we're talking
You're wanting me to say I'm barely hanging on
Well, maybe that was true for a night or two
But now, I got better things to do
(Chorus:)
I could wash my car in the rain
Change my new guitar strings
Mow the yard just the same as I did yesterday
I don't need to waste my time crying over you
I got better things to do
Maybe when I don't have so much going
Or quite so many irons in the fire
I'll take the time to miss you like you're hoping
But now, I can't put forth the effort it requires
Well, I'd love to talk to you, but then, I'd miss Donahue
That's right, I got better things to do
(Chorus:)
Check the air in my tires
Straighten my stereo wires
Count the stars in the sky or just get on with my life
I don't need to waste my time crying over you
I got better things to do
I got better things to do
In "Better Things To Do," Terri Clark sings about not wasting her time dwelling on a past relationship. She knows the reason why her ex is calling and insinuating that she's barely hanging on. However, Terri moves on and tells him that she's got better things to do than to cry over him. She lists several things she could do instead of wasting her time over him, including washing her car in the rain, changing her guitar strings, and mowing the yard. She is busy and has many things to do, and missing him is not one of them.
Terri Clark shows a fierce attitude of getting over a relationship and moving on with life. Even though she acknowledges that she may miss him in the future, now is not the right time for that. She has too much going on in her life, and she can't put forth the effort that a relationship requires. The song's overall message is that sometimes we have to make tough choices and move on from what has hurt us.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't tell me the reason that you're calling
Don't try to pretend like you're calling for a caring reason
Is to see if I'm all right since you've been gone
To inquire about my well-being after your departure
'Cause I know you and I know why we're talking
I am familiar with your true intentions for contacting me
You're wanting me to say I'm barely hanging on
You are hoping to hear me admit that I am struggling without you
Well, maybe that was true for a night or two
It may have been accurate at one point in time
But now, I got better things to do
However, my priorities have changed and I have more important activities to focus on
I could wash my car in the rain
Instead of wasting time talking to you, I could wash my car in unfavorable weather conditions
Change my new guitar strings
I have other tasks to complete, such as replacing the strings on my guitar
Mow the yard just the same as I did yesterday
I could repeat mundane tasks, such as mowing the lawn, and still be more productive than talking to you
I don't need to waste my time crying over you
I refuse to spend any more time mourning the loss of our relationship
Maybe when I don't have so much going
Perhaps when I am not as busy with other responsibilities
Or quite so many irons in the fire
Or when I do not have as many tasks and obligations to attend to
I'll take the time to miss you like you're hoping
I may have the capacity to miss you in the future, as you desire
But now, I can't put forth the effort it requires
However, presently, I am not willing to exert the energy it takes to miss you
Well, I'd love to talk to you, but then, I'd miss Donahue
While I would enjoy conversing with you, I do not want to miss my favorite television program, Donahue
That's right, I got better things to do
I have more important and valuable activities to complete than speaking with you
Check the air in my tires
Another task I could complete instead of talking to you is ensuring that my car's tires have the correct air pressure
Straighten my stereo wires
I could also take the time to reorganize and tidy the cords and connections for my stereo system
Count the stars in the sky or just get on with my life
I can do more productive activities, such as stargazing or focusing on my personal growth
I don't need to waste my time crying over you
I refuse to expend any further emotional effort on you and our past relationship
I got better things to do
I have found more meaningful and productive tasks to devote my time and energy to
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tom Shapiro, Terri Clark, Chris Waters
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind