The Good Stuff

"The Good Stuff" is a song written by Jim Collins and Craig Wiseman and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. It was released in May 2002 as the second single from Chesney's 2002 album No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems.

"The Good Stuff"
Single by Kenny Chesney
from the album No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems
B-side	"A Lot of Things Different"
Released	May 6, 2002
Recorded	2001-2002
Genre	Country
Length	3:20
Label	BNA 69172
Songwriter(s)	Craig Wiseman Jim Collins
Producer(s)	Buddy Cannon Kenny Chesney Norro Wilson
Kenny Chesney singles chronology
"Young" (2001) "The Good Stuff" (2002) "A Lot of Things Different" (2002)

The song became Chesney's fifth number one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts.[1] At the time, it was also his longest-lasting number one, having spent seven weeks at that position (a record that has since been tied by his 2003 single "There Goes My Life"). The song also reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was even named the number one country single of 2002 according to Billboard Year End.

Content

"The Good Stuff" is a mid-tempo song based on different meanings of the phrase "the good stuff". In the first verse, the narrator explains that he has just had a fight with his wife, so he goes to a bar. Seeing only the bartender in the bar, he then asks for "the good stuff" (i.e., a good alcoholic beverage). The bartender then explains that the "good stuff", which cannot be found at the bar, is the love between a man and woman, and the memories that they make together, such as "dropping the ring in the spaghetti plate".

In the second verse, the narrator and the bartender begin conversing, when the narrator notices a picture on the bar. The bartender explains that the picture is of his wife who died of cancer eight years ago. He also says that for five years after her death, he began drinking regularly, sobering up only after realizing that the memories of the love that they shared are "the one thing stronger than the whiskey".

The bartender, in the song's bridge, then suggests that the male go home and apologize to his wife: "When you get home, she'll start to cry / When she says 'I'm sorry', say 'so am I' / Look into those eyes so deep in love / And drink it up / 'Cause that's the good stuff".

Music video

The music video was directed by Shaun Silva and released in April 2002. It is noted that Chesney looks darker in this video. It consists largely of him recording the song, singing in front of a wall containing a few pictures, and at a bar talking to the bartender (played by a good friend of Chesney's.)

Chart positions

"The Good Stuff" debuted at number 53 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for the week of May 4, 2002.

Chart (2002)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[2]	1
US Billboard Hot 100[3]	22

Year-end charts

Chart (2002)	Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[4]	1
US Billboard Hot 100[5]	82

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[6]	Gold	500,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. "ASCAP Celebrates 41st Annual Country Music Awards". ASCAP. Retrieved 2007-07-30.
2. "Kenny Chesney Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
3. "Kenny Chesney Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
4. "Best of 2002: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2002. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
5. "Billboard Top 100 – 2002". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
6. "American single certifications – Kenny Chesney – The Good Stuff". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 30, 2013. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.