Paisley has sold over 11 million albums and has won three Grammy Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards, and two American Music Awards. He has also earned country music's crowning achievement, becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry.[2] Paisley also wrote songs for Pixar's Cars franchise ("Behind the Clouds", "Find Yourself", "Collision of Worlds" (along with Robbie Williams), "Nobody's Fool", etc.).
Paisley has stated that his love of country music stems from his maternal grandfather, who gave Paisley his first guitar at age 8 and taught him how to play. At age 12, Paisley wrote his first song, and by 13 he was the opening act for country singers.
Paisley graduated from John Marshall High School in Glen Dale and enrolled at Belmont University (from 1993 to 1995). While in college, he met Frank Rogers, a fellow student who went on to serve as his producer. Paisley also met Kelley Lovelace, who became his songwriting partner.
After graduating from Belmont, Paisley signed a songwriting contract with EMI Music Publishing. His debut as a singer was with the label Arista Nashville, with the song, "Who Needs Pictures" (released February 22, 1999). In May of that same year, he made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Seven months later he had his first #1 hit with, ""He Didn't Have To Be."
In 2000, Paisley made an appearance on the nationally televised special, "Route 66: Main Street America" featured on TLC (TV channel) and later that same year he won the Country Music Association's (CMA) Horizon Award and the Academy of Country Music's best new male vocalist trophy. He received his first Grammy Award nomination a year later. On February 17, 2001, after forty appearances on the show, he was inducted into the Opry Hall of Fame.
In 2002, he won the CMA Music Video of the Year for ""I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)." Several celebrities made notable guest appearances in the video, inluding Little Jimmy Dickens, Kimberly Williams (Paisley), Dan Patrick, and Jerry Springer.
Paisley released his third album, Mud on the Tires (2003), following Who Needs Pictures and Part II. The album features the hit song "Celebrity," the video of which parodies reality shows such as Fear Factor and American Idol and included such celebrities as Jason Alexander, Little Jimmy Dickens, Trista Rehn, and William Shatner. The album's title track, "Mud on the Tires," reached Billboard #1 in 2004.
In 2005, after touring with Reba McEntire and Terri Clark on the critically acclaimed "Two Hats and a Redhead Tour," he released Time Well Wasted, containing 15 tracks, including "Alcohol", a duet ("When I Get Where I'm Going") with Dolly Parton, another ("Out in the Parking Lot") with Alan Jackson, and a bonus track, "Cornography".
Brad Paisley was the 2008 CMA and ACM Male Vocalist of the Year winner. Starting with the release of his 1999 album Who Needs Pictures, Paisley has recorded seven studio albums and a Christmas compilation on the Arista Nashville label, with all of his albums certified gold or higher by the RIAA. In addition, he has charted 25 singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 15 of which have reached #1 with a record 10 consecutive singles reaching the top spot on the charts. On November 10, 2010, Paisley won the coveted Entertainer of the Year award at the 44th annual CMA Awards.
In 2009 he released American Saturday Night which has his first single Then.
His song "High Life," on the 2014 album Moonshine in the Trunk, refers to suing Carrie Underwood after hearing that one of Carrie's songs "reminded me of a poem my brother wrote back in second grade." This was a subtle joke about an actual lawsuit from a songwriter who accused Brad of using her material. (In real life, the lawsuit was won by Paisley in 2016.)
Paisley released "Without a Fight", a duet with Demi Lovato, on May 13, 2016. It was to have served as the lead single to his eleventh studio album, but due to poor chart performance it did not make the album's final cut. He was selected as one of thirty artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up track of "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again" and "I Will Always Love You" which celebrates 50 years of the CMA Awards. The second single "Today" was released on October 6, 2016, which gave Paisley his first Country Digital Song Sales #1, opening at the top of the chart with 41,000 first-week downloads. The single landed in the #1 spot on the Country Aircheck/Mediabase charts, marking Paisley's 24th #1 song. On November 11, Paisley announced on Twitter that the title of the album would be Love and War, which was released in April 2017.
Love and War features several collaborations with iconic artists, including Timbaland, John Fogerty, Bill Anderson, and Mick Jagger, as well as a songwriting credit with Johnny Cash.
On October 4, 2018, Paisley and his wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley partnered with Belmont University and opened a free referral-based grocery store in Nashville to help the community in need. The Board of Trustees for The Store include Brad Paisley, President; Megan Zarling, Chair; Pete Fisher, Vice-Chair; Doug Paisley, Secretary and Elaine Bryan, Treasurer. Other board members include Sarah Cates, Jaynee Day, Hope Fisher, David Minnigan, John Zarling, Olivia Munn, John Schario, Scott Scovill, Michael Stagg, Becca Stevens and Kimberly Williams-Paisley. Executive Director is Gina Hancock.
In November 2018, Paisley released "Bucked Off", the lead single from his upcoming studio album. On March 11, 2019, Paisley released "My Miracle".
In 2021, Paisley released his own Bourbon brand called "America Highway Reserve." As this whiskey was aged in barrels in the "Rolling Rickhouse" semi-trailer that followed Paisley's 2019 concert tour, Paisley collaborated with Bardstown Bourbon Company to create this Bourbon.
The Pants
Brad Paisley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Grease stains, bleach spots and a hole in the knee
You say the man inside those Levi's don't take orders
And she'll just have to realize you'll do as you damn well please
You wear the pants, buddy good for you
I'm so impressed, yeah whoopty-doo
You need to know that ain't how it works
In the top drawer of her dresser there's some panties
Go try on that purple pair with the lacy frill
With your big old thighs I bet you can't get in 'em
And with that attitude of yours, hell I bet you never will
You wear the pants, buddy good for you
I'm so impressed, yeah whoopty-doo
You need to know that ain't how it works
It's not who wears the pants, it's who wears the skirt
A big old boy like you can probably bench 350
A little thing like her can barely lift the bar
But just wait until that woman has a headache
And she sits there with her legs crossed we'll see how strong you are
You wear the pants, buddy good for you
We're so impressed, whoopty-doo
You'll soon find out that ain't how it works
It's not who wears the pants, it's who wears the skirt
You wear the pants, she'll wear the skirt
In Brad Paisley's song "The Pants," he criticizes the idea of traditional gender roles and the notion that the man in a relationship should be dominant and in control. The lyrics describe a man who takes pride in wearing the pants and being in charge, but the singer challenges this notion by suggesting that it's actually the woman who holds the power in the relationship. The man is described as rough and tough, with a rebellious streak, but the singer suggests that these characteristics do not make him the leader in the relationship. She emphasizes that it's not about who wears the pants, but who wears the skirt, suggesting that women hold the real power in a relationship.
The song is a commentary on traditional gender roles and the power dynamics within romantic relationships. It challenges the notion that the man should be in charge and suggests that this idea is outdated and no longer relevant in modern relationships. The lyrics are humorous but also carry a serious message about gender equality.
Line by Line Meaning
36, 32, boot cut with a skoal ring
The pants being described are a specific pair, boot cut with a skoal ring, size 36x32.
Grease stains, bleach spots and a hole in the knee
These pants are worn and have seen a lot of use, evidenced by the grease stains, bleach spots, and hole in the knee.
You say the man inside those Levi's don't take orders
The person wearing these pants believes that they convey a sense of rebellion or nonconformity, and they refuse to be told what to do.
And she'll just have to realize you'll do as you damn well please
This person implies that their significant other needs to accept that they will always do what they please, with disregard for anyone else.
You wear the pants, buddy good for you
The artist is sarcastically acknowledging that the person wearing the pants seems to think they have control or power in the relationship.
I'm so impressed, yeah whoopty-doo
The singer is not actually impressed, and is making fun of the idea that this person wearing pants holds any real power or authority.
You need to know that ain't how it works
The singer is suggesting that the person wearing pants has a false idea of how relationships actually function.
It's not who wears the pants, it's who wears the skirt
The artist is trying to say that true power in a relationship is not determined by who appears to hold outward control, but by who is really making the important decisions.
In the top drawer of her dresser there's some panties
The artist refers to a drawer in their partner's dresser which contains various pairs of undergarments, and specifically mentions panties.
Go try on that purple pair with the lacy frill
The artist is suggesting that the person wearing pants should try on a pair of their partner's feminine underwear, a purple pair with lacy frills.
With your big old thighs I bet you can't get in 'em
The singer implies that the person wearing pants is physically too large to fit into the panties, and hence not as powerful or dominant as they think.
And with that attitude of yours, hell I bet you never will
The artist is suggesting that the person wearing pants is too stubborn or closed-minded to even attempt to put on the panties, indicating that they are not the one truly in control.
A big old boy like you can probably bench 350
The singer is acknowledging that the person wearing pants is physically strong and capable, able to bench press a high amount of weight.
A little thing like her can barely lift the bar
The singer is contrasting the person wearing pants with their partner, who is described as physically weaker and less capable.
But just wait until that woman has a headache
The singer suggests that the person wearing pants will become less powerful or in control when their partner experiences an ailment, such as a headache.
And she sits there with her legs crossed we'll see how strong you are
The artist implies that the person wearing pants may not be able to handle situations where their partner is not physically or emotionally capable, indicating that they are not truly the one with power.
You wear the pants, buddy good for you
The artist repeats their earlier sarcastic comment, emphasizing the idea that the person wearing pants is not actually as powerful as they think they are.
We're so impressed, whoopty-doo
The singer continues to mock the idea that the person wearing pants holds true power or authority.
You'll soon find out that ain't how it works
The singer implies that the person wearing pants will eventually come to understand that their idea of power or authority is not realistic or valid.
It's not who wears the pants, it's who wears the skirt
The artist restates their earlier point, emphasizing that outward appearances of power do not actually indicate true control in a relationship.
You wear the pants, she'll wear the skirt
The artist reiterates the idea that the person wearing pants is not truly in control, and that their partner holds the real decision-making power.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRAD PAISLEY, CHRIS DUBOIS, TIM OWENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind