Waitin' on a Woman
Encyclopedia
"Waitin' on a Woman" is the title of a song written by Don Sampson and Wynn Varble
, and recorded three times by American country music
artist Brad Paisley
. His first recording of the song was included on his 2005 album Time Well Wasted
. Three years later, Paisley re-recorded the song for inclusion on a re-issue of his 2007 album 5th Gear
. This re-recorded version was issued on June 9, 2008 and became the twenty-first chart single of Paisley's career and became the twelfth number 1 single of his career and his eighth consecutive number 1 single. The song also appeared on Play
with a guest vocal from Andy Griffith
.
, waiting for his wife to finish shopping. He is encountered by an older man (Andy Griffith
) who, like him, is "waitin' on a woman". The older man explains over the next two verses that, although he has often had to wait for his wife, he does not mind doing so ("I don't guess we've been anywhere / She hasn't made us late, I swear / Sometimes she does it just 'cause she can do it"). He tells the younger man that he will often find himself "waitin' on a woman" as well. In the third verse, the older male observes that he will most likely die before his wife does ("I've read somewhere statistics show / The man's always the first to go"). After making this realization, he finally states that he will wait for his wife in Heaven (should he die first), because he, too, "[doesn't] mind waitin' on a woman". In the end, the old man is seen sitting on a white bench, wearing a white suit, on a lone beach, waiting for his wife to join him.
magazine, songwriter Wynn Varble received a call from his friend telling him that their former co-worker was in the hospital. Varble wrote the song after calling his co-worker at the hospital, wondering where his wife was. He told "the story and the idea [he] had for [the song]" to co-writer Don Sampson. After a few days, Varble and Sampson played "Waitin' on a Woman" for Paisley, and he decided to record it.
" (in which the lead character lists off various mistakes his wife has made before admitting that he "live[s] for little moments like that"), but, unlike with "Little Moments", the reviewer thought that the gender observations in "Waitin' on a Woman" were "delicately appropriate rather than insensitively obtuse". Leeann Ward, reviewing the song for Country Universe, gave it a B rating. Ward said that while the song with its "sluggish melody, is built on the stereotype that a woman is always late, there is a sweetness about the sentiment’s presentation that rescues it."
to star in the music video
, as he felt that Griffith's personality matched the personality of the older man in the song. Griffith speaks the old man's lines in the video as well. Jim Shea and Peter Tilden directed the video.
In August 2008, the song's video mix, complete with Griffith's vocals, was sent to radio as well. This mix is also included on Paisley's 2008 album Play
.
The video was shot in Nags Head, North Carolina
at milepost 16's Tanger Outlets.
released a parody entitled "Waitin' on Obama", referencing Barack Obama
's election as President of the United States
.
Hot Country Songs
chart dated for the week of June 28, 2008. For the chart week of September 20, 2008, it has become Paisley's twelfth Number One single overall. It is also his eighth Number One hit in a row, making him the artist with the most consecutive country Number One hits since the inception of Nielsen SoundScan
in 1990.
Wynn Varble
Wynn Varble is an American country music musician and songwriter. Varble co-wrote the hit songs Have You Forgotten?, Waitin' on a Woman and A Little More Country Than That....
, and recorded three times by American country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley
Brad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references....
. His first recording of the song was included on his 2005 album Time Well Wasted
Time Well Wasted
-Personnel:As listed in liner notes.*Jim "Moose" Brown - piano, keyboards, Hammond organ, background vocals*Randel Currie – steel guitar*Eric Darken - percussion, vibraphone*Jerry Douglas - Dobro*Stuart Duncan - fiddle, mandolin...
. Three years later, Paisley re-recorded the song for inclusion on a re-issue of his 2007 album 5th Gear
5th Gear (album)
-Musicians:*Ron Block – banjo*Jim "Moose" Brown – B-3 organ, Wurlitzer organ, piano on "When We All Get to Heaven"*Randle Currie – steel guitar*Eric Darken – percussion*Kevin "Swine" Grantt – bass guitar, upright bass...
. This re-recorded version was issued on June 9, 2008 and became the twenty-first chart single of Paisley's career and became the twelfth number 1 single of his career and his eighth consecutive number 1 single. The song also appeared on Play
Play (Brad Paisley album)
Play, also known as Play: The Guitar Album, is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Brad Paisley. It was released on November 4, 2008 . Like all of his previous albums, Play was released on Arista Nashville and produced by Frank Rogers. The album is largely instrumental in...
with a guest vocal from Andy Griffith
Andy Griffith
Andy Samuel Griffith is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's epic film A Face in the Crowd before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead...
.
Content
The song is a mid-tempo composed of three verses. Its central character is a recently-married male sitting on a bench at a shopping mallShopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
, waiting for his wife to finish shopping. He is encountered by an older man (Andy Griffith
Andy Griffith
Andy Samuel Griffith is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's epic film A Face in the Crowd before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead...
) who, like him, is "waitin' on a woman". The older man explains over the next two verses that, although he has often had to wait for his wife, he does not mind doing so ("I don't guess we've been anywhere / She hasn't made us late, I swear / Sometimes she does it just 'cause she can do it"). He tells the younger man that he will often find himself "waitin' on a woman" as well. In the third verse, the older male observes that he will most likely die before his wife does ("I've read somewhere statistics show / The man's always the first to go"). After making this realization, he finally states that he will wait for his wife in Heaven (should he die first), because he, too, "[doesn't] mind waitin' on a woman". In the end, the old man is seen sitting on a white bench, wearing a white suit, on a lone beach, waiting for his wife to join him.
History
According to Country WeeklyCountry Weekly
Country Weekly is an American tabloid style weekly magazine established in 1994. The magazine focuses on country music stars and events, and regularly features exclusive interviews with recording artists and country music news...
magazine, songwriter Wynn Varble received a call from his friend telling him that their former co-worker was in the hospital. Varble wrote the song after calling his co-worker at the hospital, wondering where his wife was. He told "the story and the idea [he] had for [the song]" to co-writer Don Sampson. After a few days, Varble and Sampson played "Waitin' on a Woman" for Paisley, and he decided to record it.
Reception
The song received a "thumbs up" review from the country music review site The 9513. Reviewer Matt C. stated that the central character (i.e., Paisley's character in the song) "offer[s] abundant examples of a woman's imperfections while portraying himself as the guy who tolerates it all out of the goodness of his heart…look[ing] like a good guy without degrading his female companion". He considered it a superior counterpart to Paisley's late 2003-early 2004 single "Little MomentsLittle Moments
"Little Moments" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Brad Paisley. It was released in September 2003 as the second single from Paisley's 2003 album Mud on the Tires.-Content:...
" (in which the lead character lists off various mistakes his wife has made before admitting that he "live[s] for little moments like that"), but, unlike with "Little Moments", the reviewer thought that the gender observations in "Waitin' on a Woman" were "delicately appropriate rather than insensitively obtuse". Leeann Ward, reviewing the song for Country Universe, gave it a B rating. Ward said that while the song with its "sluggish melody, is built on the stereotype that a woman is always late, there is a sweetness about the sentiment’s presentation that rescues it."
Music video
Paisley has referred to "Waitin' on a Woman" as "one of the most important songs" that he's ever recorded. Because of the importance that he places on the song, Paisley asked Andy GriffithAndy Griffith
Andy Samuel Griffith is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's epic film A Face in the Crowd before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead...
to star in the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, as he felt that Griffith's personality matched the personality of the older man in the song. Griffith speaks the old man's lines in the video as well. Jim Shea and Peter Tilden directed the video.
In August 2008, the song's video mix, complete with Griffith's vocals, was sent to radio as well. This mix is also included on Paisley's 2008 album Play
Play (Brad Paisley album)
Play, also known as Play: The Guitar Album, is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Brad Paisley. It was released on November 4, 2008 . Like all of his previous albums, Play was released on Arista Nashville and produced by Frank Rogers. The album is largely instrumental in...
.
The video was shot in Nags Head, North Carolina
Nags Head, North Carolina
Nags Head is a town in Dare County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,700 at the 2000 census.-History:Early maps of the area show Nags Head as a promontory of land characterized by high sand dunes visible from miles at sea...
at milepost 16's Tanger Outlets.
Parody
In January 2009, parodist Cledus T. JuddCledus T. Judd
Barry Poole is an American country music artist who records under the name Cledus T. Judd. Known primarily for his parodies of popular country music songs, he has been called the "Weird Al" Yankovic of country music, and his albums are usually an equal mix of original comedy songs and parodies...
released a parody entitled "Waitin' on Obama", referencing Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's election as President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
Chart performance
"Waitin' on a Woman" debuted at number 51 on the BillboardBillboard (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 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...
chart dated for the week of June 28, 2008. For the chart week of September 20, 2008, it has become Paisley's twelfth Number One single overall. It is also his eighth Number One hit in a row, making him the artist with the most consecutive country Number One hits since the inception of Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
in 1990.
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|