Brooks & Dunn's music covers the full range of modern country music, and their chart-topping hits have included everything from the Ronan Keating-penned ballad "The Long Goodbye," through the Rivers Rutherford-written "Ain't Nothing About You," to the gospel music-influenced "Believe." They are also associated with being pioneers of the line dance craze of the mid-1990s. One of their hits, "Boot Scootin' Boogie" - the video for which was made in Tulsa, Oklahoma - is most emblematic of this style.
Both band members write, sing, and play guitar. One or both artists writes or co-writes a large majority of their material, and self-penned successes include the 2004 smash "Red Dirt Road" which the duo wrote together. Both artists have served as song-writers for other artists too. Ronnie Dunn co-wrote country superstar Toby Keith's song "Don't Leave I Think I Love You" which appeared on his 2003 album Shock'n Y'all. Dunn's vocal performances have tended to be released as radio singles: recent hits "You Can't Take the Honkytonk Out of The Girl," "Red Dirt Road," "It's Getting Better All The Time," "That's What It's All About," "Play Something Country," and "Believe" all feature Ronnie Dunn singing lead vocals.
Brooks & Dunn are renowned for their high-energy stage shows. Recent tours have featured Australian country singer Keith Urban, fellow duo Montgomery Gentry, and successful country newcomer Gretchen Wilson. Their latest Deuces Wild tour of 2005 featured fellow country duo Big and Rich. In 2006, the duo opened for the Rolling Stones at their Omaha, Nebraska show.
The duo's songs have been used by President George W Bush as his official campaign songs in both his election and re-election campaigns. In 2000, the then Texas Governor chose the blue-collar line-dance-friending hit of the mid-1990s, "Hard Workin' Man," and in 2004, the President selected the (pre-9/11) hit patriotic "Only in America." Brooks & Dunn both supported the President's re-election campaign, performing at a Republican rally featuring Laura Bush on the eve of the election.
Their latest album is Hillbilly Deluxe which features the number 1 single "Play Something Country."
On August 10, 2009, the duo issued a statement on their website announcing that they were splitting up after 20 years of making music together. The split was amicable, with a final album in September 2009 and a final tour in 2010.
On December 3, 2014, it was announced that Brooks & Dunn will reunite and perform a series of concerts in Las Vegas, Nevada with Reba McEntire throughout mid-late 2015. In 2016, they were selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up track featuring the artists performing a medley of "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again", and "I Will Always Love You", which was released in celebration of 50 years of the CMA Awards.
She Used to Be Mine
Brooks & Dunn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Better than the day she left me
Arm in arm with somebody new
Holdin' hands and laughin' like we used to
I got my best smile on but it's no disguise
It don't hide the pain in these eyes
[Chorus]
Turned my back on her love now she's long gone
I did my part to break her heart
She walked out on me and tore my world apart
She used to be mine
Oh she used to be mine
It's takin' every bit of strength that I have
To keep a hurt look off my face
I can't keep from lookin' back over my shoulder
At the lucky man taking my place
Oh, if it weren't for my pride I'd probably take off runnin'
I guess what I'm feelin' is what I got comin'
[Chorus: x2]
Oh she used to be mine
She used to be mine
The song "She Used to Be Mine" by Brooks & Dunn is a reflective ballad about a man who sees his ex-girlfriend at a dance and realizes what he has lost. The lyrics describe how the woman looks better than ever, and she has moved on with someone new. The man cannot hide the pain in his eyes and cannot keep from looking back at the lucky guy who has taken his place. He realizes that he was the one who did her wrong, turned his back on her love, and broke her heart, which eventually led to her leaving him and tearing his world apart. The chorus repeats the refrain that she used to be his, and he carries the regret for what he has lost.
Overall, the song captures the regret and longing that comes with losing someone you once loved, but the recognition of the mistakes made and the need to move on. The lyrics utilize poetry and storytelling to convey the emotions that the man is feeling, and the melody helps carry the weight of the decision that was made in the past. This song can resonate with anyone who has lost someone due to their own actions and is struggling with the resulting remorse.
Line by Line Meaning
She looks so good movin' cross the dance floor
As I observe her dancing, she appears to be happy and content without me.
Better than the day she left me
She looks happier than when she decided to leave and end our relationship.
Arm in arm with somebody new
She has found someone else to share her life and love with.
Holdin' hands and laughin' like we used to
Although we no longer share the same kind of relationship, she is having the same happy moments with someone else.
I got my best smile on but it's no disguise
Though I am pretending to be happy watching her, my pain can be seen and is not hidden by my smile.
It don't hide the pain in these eyes
My emotions are evident as I watch her move on without me and leave me in pain.
I did her so wrong for so long
I mistreated her and was a bad partner for a long duration of time.
Turned my back on her love now she's long gone
I ignored and rejected her love, as a result, she left me for good.
I did my part to break her heart
I played a significant role in causing her heartbreak and pain.
She walked out on me and tore my world apart
Her leaving and abandoning me shattered my world into pieces.
It's takin' every bit of strength that I have
I am trying hard to keep my emotions under control.
To keep a hurt look off my face
I am trying to prevent her and everyone from knowing how much I am hurting.
I can't keep from lookin' back over my shoulder
I cannot resist the urge to look back and remember the good old days we spent together.
At the lucky man taking my place
I feel miserable and hurt, as another man is taking my place in her life.
Oh, if it weren't for my pride I'd probably take off runnin'
I feel like running away from the situation, but my ego forbids me from doing so.
I guess what I'm feelin' is what I got comin'
I deserve to feel the pain that I am experiencing as a result of my behavior towards her.
Oh she used to be mine
I once used to be with her, but now, she is someone else's.
Chorus
The main motif and theme of the song.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RONNIE DUNN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind