Better Things to Do

{{Infobox song

| name = Better Things to Do

| cover = TC - Better Things to Do cover.png

| alt =

| type = single

| B-side = "Tyin' a Heart to a Tumbleweed"{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc|year=2008|pages=95–96|isbn=0-89820-177-2}}

| released = July 10, 1995

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Country

| length = 3:08

| label = PolyGram/Mercury

| writer = {{hlist|Terri Clark|Tom Shapiro|Chris Waters}}

| producer = {{hlist|Chris Waters|Keith Stegall}}

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = When Boy Meets Girl

| next_year = 1995

}}

"Better Things to Do" is the debut single by Canadian country music artist Terri Clark. It was released in July 1995 and is from her self-titled debut album. The song was written by Clark, Tom Shapiro, and Chris Waters. It was a top 10 hit on both the U.S. and Canadian country charts, where it peaked at number 3 on both.

Content

"Better Things to Do" is an up-tempo song about a narrator who realizes that she has "better things to do" than to sit around and cry over her ended relationship. At the same time, her man wants her back, thinking she's lost without him.

Critical reception

Deborah Evans Price of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it a "good uptempo tune with a solid delivery."Billboard, July 15, 1995

Music video

Terri Clark's first music video was released for the song, directed by Michael Merriman. In the video, Clark is shown playing her guitar out in the desert as her ex is attempting to use a payphone to reach her. Later, she hops into her jeep and drives in circles around him as he pleads for her to come back to him. Eventually she drives off, leaving him in a cloud of dust.

Chart performance

"Better Things to Do" debuted at number 72 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for the week of July 15, 1995.

class="wikitable sortable"

! Chart (1995)

! Peak
position

{{singlechart|Canadacountry|3|chartid=2785|publishdate=October 23, 1995|accessdate=July 21, 2013}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable"
scope="col"\|Chart (1995) !scope="col"\|Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM){{cite web\|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.2838&type=1&interval=24\|title=RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1995\|work=RPM\|date=December 18, 1995\|accessdate=July 21, 2013}} \| align="center" \| 64
US Country Songs (Billboard){{Cite web \| url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1995/hot-country-songs\| title=Best of 1995: Country Songs \| work=Billboard \| publisher=Prometheus Global Media \| date=1995\| accessdate=July 21, 2013}} \| align="center" \| 38

class="wikitable sortable"

scope="col"|Chart (1995)

!scope="col"|Position

Canada Country Tracks (RPM){{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.2838&type=1&interval=24|title=RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1995|work=RPM|date=December 18, 1995|accessdate=July 21, 2013}}

| align="center" | 64

US Country Songs (Billboard){{Cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1995/hot-country-songs| title=Best of 1995: Country Songs | work=Billboard | publisher=Prometheus Global Media | date=1995| accessdate=July 21, 2013}}

| align="center" | 38

References

Category:1995 songs

Category:1995 debut singles

Category:Terri Clark songs

Category:Songs written by Terri Clark

Category:Songs written by Tom Shapiro

Category:Songs written by Chris Waters

Category:Song recordings produced by Keith Stegall

Category:Mercury Records singles

Category:PolyGram singles

Category:Canadian Country Music Association Single of the Year singles