Stone was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, and learned guitar at the age of five from his mother, also a country singer. As a teenager, he performed in skating rinks in his hometown and later moved on to playing area bars while working long hours as a mechanic during the day.
It took Stone several years to be “found” by his soon-to-be manager who helped him finally land a record deal with Epic. His self-titled debut was released in 1990 and broke him in a big way with the despairing lead single "I'd Be Better Off (In a Pine Box)," which shot into the country Top Five. Stone landed three more Top Ten hits from the album, including "Fourteen Minutes Old," "These Lips Don't Know How to Say Goodbye," and his first number one, "In a Different Light."
He quickly completed a follow-up album, I Thought It Was You, for release in 1991, which solidified his persona as country music’s suave song stylist and became his second straight million-seller on the strength of three Top Five hits: the title track, "Come In Out of the Pain," and a second number one in "A Jukebox With a Country Song."
Stone’s third album, 1992’s From the Heart, spun off one hit after another: "Warning Labels" and "Made for Lovin' You" went Top Ten, while "Too Busy Being in Love" and "Why Didn't I Think of That" topped the charts.n 2004, Doug Stone started a new chapter in his career and his life. After a brief hiatus from recording, a renewed interest in Doug's music by fans and radio made Doug one of the highlights at the 2004 Country Radio Seminar (CRS). The week of CRS, Doug joined Lofton Creek Records and reunited with a member of his former management team, Martha (Taylor) Borchetta who worked with Doug in the 90s.
Stone’s first album with Lofton Creek Records, In A Different Light, re-releases the original title track and “Why Didn’t I Think of That” from Stone’s library of hits. The album also contains Stone’s version of timeless classics as he artfully blends the traditional spirit of “Only You,” “Tell It Like It is,” “Georgia On My Mind” and “Crazy Love” with that famous Doug Stone style. The eight original songs on this album will both tug on heartstrings and invoke smiles—a task that only Stone can perform with such style and grace. With this new album, Lofton Creek Records is honored to place Doug Stone back in the spotlight.
I'd Be Better Off
Doug Stone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothin' worse could ever happen
But seeing you with someone else
Proved that I was wrong
And when your eyes met mine
I knew that you were gone forever
Along with all the reasons
I had for hanging on
I'd be better off in a pine box
On a slow train back to Georgia
Or in the grey walls of a prison
Doing time, I think I'd rather die
And go to hell and face the devil
Than to lie here with you and him
Together on my mind
I always thought that someday
We might get back together
I just thought you needed time
To spread your wings and fly
But when I saw the lovin' way
You held onto each other
It was all that I could do
Not to break right down and cry
I'd be better off in a pine box
On a slow train back to Georgia
Or in the grey walls of a prison
Doing time, I think I'd rather die
And go to hell and face the devil
Than to lie here with you and him
Together on my mind
I'd be better off in a pine box
On a slow train back to Georgia
Or in the grey walls of a prison
Doing time, I think I'd rather die
And go to hell and face the devil
Than to lie here with you and him
Together on my mind
I can't lie here with you and him
Together on my mind
The lyrics of Doug Stone's "I'd Be Better Off" describe the pain and heartbreak of a man who has just witnessed his former lover with another man. He had believed that things would have a chance of working out, but when he saw the genuine connection that she had with someone else, he realized that their love was truly over. The image of 'the pine box' represents his despair, how he would rather be six feet under than live with the torment of being without his love. Being locked away in prison is another fate he would rather accept than continuing to suffer with the memories of the good times that he shared with his ex-girlfriend. He can't bear to be in the company of her and her new found love. The man is pushed to his limits, and even the thought of facing the devil does not seem as daunting as living with the memories of her in his mind.
The heart-wrenching lyrics of the song speak to the emotions of any individual that has gone through the pain of losing a love to someone else. Doug Stone's delivery of the song is powerful, and it emphasizes the feelings that the words carry. The line 'I can't lie here with you and him, together on my mind' shows the contrast of the love that he had for her and the pain that has replaced it. The lyrics highlight how in spite of the pain, he will still hold onto the love they shared, even though the relationship is over. Doug Stone 'I'd Be Better Off' is a soulful and emotional expression of loss that resonates with many who have loved and lost.
Line by Line Meaning
I said the night you left me
Nothin' worse could ever happen
But seeing you with someone else
Proved that I was wrong
When you first left me, I thought that was the worst possible thing that could happen, but then I saw you with someone else and realized how wrong I was.
And when your eyes met mine
I knew that you were gone forever
Along with all the reasons
I had for hanging on
When we locked eyes, I realized that you were gone forever and all the reasons I had for wanting to hold on to this relationship were gone as well.
I'd be better off in a pine box
On a slow train back to Georgia
Or in the grey walls of a prison
Doing time, I think I'd rather die
And go to hell and face the devil
Than to lie here with you and him
Together on my mind
I would rather be dead or in prison than continue to think about you being with him while I'm lying here alone. Anything would be better than this unbearable pain.
I always thought that someday
We might get back together
I just thought you needed time
To spread your wings and fly
I always held onto the hope that we might get back together someday. I thought you just needed time to figure things out and that eventually we would find our way back to each other.
But when I saw the lovin' way
You held onto each other
It was all that I could do
Not to break right down and cry
When I saw how lovingly you held onto each other, it was too much for me to handle. All I wanted to do was cry and break down.
I can't lie here with you and him
Together on my mind
I can't keep lying here in agony, torturing myself with thoughts of you being with him. I need to find a way to move on.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY MACRAE, STEVE CLARK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nancyshirah8427
Now this is COUNTRY. Soul piercing
@garrygallagher3245
One of the best songs ever recorded. Doug Stone is a national treasure.
@marilynstrong309
Yes and real country singer, This song touches my heart! I do not think real country music exists now, Who's gonna fill thier shoes applies with Doug
@mikesmith-nj1ij
This isls real life. And talent.
I'm not a snowflake ... At least I don't think I am , But this song should really come with a trigger warning. It's a work of art with a powerful message that some people may not be able to handle.
@dougstonemusic.
Hello,How you doing today?Thanks for your love and support❤
@user-sx4fi4db9z
One of the underrated all time greats
@mikeburney9282
By far one of the most underated songs of all time.
@user-sx4fi4db9z
He was so good and underrated
@arsenelupiniii8040
Yup, he knocked it out of the park 3 decades ago. I cover this after my initial set of rock n roll, brings the house down, everytime! They never see my redneck roots till the steel guitar comes out, and a few hillbillies always know what is coming. It's either this song or Angel eyes by Jeff Healey.
@scottnowak6162
I'm hearing this for the first time at 26 years old. This cuts deep to the heart, which is unlike the modern trash that is somehow popular today. Songs like this make you reflect on your life and how you came to where you are now.