"I Don't Have To Be Me" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Steve Azar

Steve Azar

Stephen Thomas "Steve" Azar is an American country music artist. Azar was signed to River North Nashville in 1995, and he released his debut album on February 27, 1996. After leaving River North, Azar took time away from his music...

. It was released in October 2001 as the lead-off single from his second studio album, Waitin' on Joe

Waitin' on Joe

Waitin' on Joe is the title of a studio album by country music artist Steve Azar. It was released in 2002 on Mercury Nashville Records as the second album of his career, six years after his debut album Heartbreak Town. Waitin' on Joe features the singles "I Don't Have to be Me " and "Waitin' on Joe"...

, it peaked at #2 on the Billboard

Billboard (magazine)

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

Hot Country Singles & Tracks

Hot Country Songs

Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...

 chart, becoming Azar's highest-peaking single.

Content

In the song, the male narrator decides to call in sick on Friday so that he can have a three-day weekend.

Critical reception

Rick Cohoon of Allmusic gave the song a positive review, calling it "the lyrical embodiment of every working person’s fantasy" and "original, recognizable and conducive to toe tapping."

Chart performance

"I Don't Have to Be Me ('til Monday)" debuted at #57 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the chart week of October 6, 2001. "I Don't Have to Be Me" spent forty-four weeks on the Billboard

Billboard (magazine)

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs

Hot Country Songs

Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...

) charts, peaking at #2 in mid-2002. It was his first charting single since "I Never Stopped Lovin' You" in 1996.

Chart (2001-2002)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks	2
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	35