I'd Be Better Off (In a Pine Box)

"I'd Be Better Off (In a Pine Box)"
Single by Doug Stone
from the album Doug Stone
B-side	"It's a Good Thing I Don't Love You Anymore"[1]
Released	February 1, 1990[2]
Format	CD Single, Cassingle, 7" single
Recorded	1989
Genre	Country
Length	3:22
Label	Epic 73895
Writer(s)	Johnny MacRae, Steve Clark
Producer(s)	Doug Johnson
Doug Stone singles chronology
"I'd Be Better Off (In a Pine Box)'" (1990) "Fourteen Minutes Old" (1990)

"I'd Be Better Off (In a Pine Box)" is the title of a debut single written by Johnny MacRae and Steve Clark, and recorded by American country music artist Doug Stone. It was released in February 1990 as the first single from his self titled debut album. It peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and #5 on The Canadian RPM Tracks chart. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.

Content

In this song, the narrator says he would rather be dead or imprisoned than live without his lover.

Music video

The music video was directed by directing duo Deaton-Flanigen. The video features Stone singing the song in a motel room, with him hitchhiking for a ride. At the end of the video, it shows his former lover getting married to another man. As Stone walks away, the woman takes a glance at him as the limo that she and her new husband is in leaves the church.

Critical reception

Brian Mansfield of Allmusic praised the song by calling it "a towering expression of self-pity that most singers could spend a career trying to top".^[3]

Chart performance

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[4]	5
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[5]	4

Year-end charts

Chart (1990)	Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[6]	65
US Country Songs (Billboard)[7]	34

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 405. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
2. AOL Music Profile for "I'd Be Better Off (In a Pine Box)"
3. Mansfield, Brian. "Doug Stone". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
4. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 7924." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. June 9, 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
5. "Doug Stone – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Doug Stone.
6. "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1990". RPM. December 22, 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
7. "Best of 1990: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013.