Nothin' Better To Do

Album: Family (2007)
Charted: 48 73
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In the lead single from her 12th studio album, LeAnn Rimes takes on the persona of a restless girl who stirs up trouble in her little hometown because there's "nothin' better to do." It was based on the singer's upbringing in Pelahatchie, a small town outside of Jackson, Mississippi (before her family relocated to Texas).

    "My house was literally across the street from a bait shop. They sold bait, chips, beer and ammunition," she told American Songwriter. "We started with those things that were real, and really me, and built this story around a girl-as if she never left. There's nothing better to do than cause a little trouble. It was fun to create songs like that."
  • Rimes wrote this song with her then-husband Dean Sheremet, and with Darrell Brown, her "What I Cannot Change" co-writer.
  • "Nothin' Better To Do" peaked at #14 Country, #8 Dance Club Songs, and #16 Adult Contemporary. It was the first time an artist simultaneously charted with a single on all three charts.
  • This was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 2008 but lost to Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats."
  • The music video, directed by Rimes and David McClister, stars Rimes as a '30s-era criminal named Annie Jewel who is finally caught and incarcerated at a Women's Correctional Facility. She leads her fellow inmates in some dance choreography and incites a riot that results in her temporary escape. The clip was shot at the old Tennessee State Penitentiary, the same location used in the Tom Hanks movie The Green Mile.
  • Peaking at #4 in the US, Family was Rimes' last studio album to reach the Top 10.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Bass Player Scott Edwards

Bass Player Scott EdwardsSong Writing

Scott was Stevie Wonder's bass player before becoming a top session player. Hits he played on include "I Will Survive," "Being With You" and "Sara Smile."

Chris Fehn of Slipknot

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.

Carol Kaye

Carol KayeSongwriter Interviews

A top session musician, Carol played on hundreds of hits by The Beach Boys, The Monkees, Frank Sinatra and many others.

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Annie Haslam of Renaissance

Annie Haslam of RenaissanceSongwriter Interviews

The 5-octave voice of the classical rock band Renaissance, Annie is big on creative expression. In this talk, she covers Roy Wood, the history of the band, and where all the money went in the '70s.