Brad Paisley's lyrics are proof that he's one of the most dynamic vocalists in country for good reason. Early in his career, the country superstar recorded songs that tugged at your heartstrings before gravitating toward gutwrenching ballads and slap-your-knee funny, guitar-drenched cuts like 'Online' and 'Ticks.' In recent years, his lyrics have included soft-spoken social observations -- but he still knows how to melt hearts. 

Our Best Brad Paisley Lyrics list includes an example from every era and every mood the West Virginia-born singer has captured. In addition to the songs mentioned above, hits like 'She's Everything,' 'Remind Me' and 'Alcohol' don't make the cut. That's a testament to the strength of the lines that do.

  • Sony Music Nashville
    Sony Music Nashville
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    'I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)'

    "Well, I'm gonna miss her / When I get home / But right now I'm on this lakeshore / And I'm sittin' in the sun / I'm sure it'll hit me / When I walk through that door tonight / Yeah, I'm gonna miss her / Oh, look there, another bite"

    It's been a decade, but the joke is still funny. Brad Paisley's 2002 No. 1 hit was a career-breaking song that -- unlike many songs chosen for this list -- relies on simple, country boy humor. He and co-writer Frank Rogers kept the message pure and innocent, and the lyric has persevered nicely.

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    'Waitin' on a Woman'

    "I've read somewhere statistics show / The man's always the first to go / And that makes sense, 'cause I know she won't be ready"

    The end of Paisley's 2008 hit wraps the song up in a bittersweet bow. It's a clever quip followed by a poignant gesture to the singer's love. "So when it finally comes my time / And I get to the other side / I'll find myself a bench, if they've got any / I hope she takes her time, 'cause I don't mind / Waitin' on a woman," he sings to close the song. One's left believing Mrs. Brad Paisley is one lucky woman.

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    'Celebrity'

    "'Cause when you're a celebrity, it's adios reality / You can act just like a fool / People think you're cool just 'cause you're on TV"

    While the video for this 2003 hit received most of the attention, Paisley's clever rhymes and his message to Hollywood are what drive the fun. The chorus is just one example of the singer's good-natured pokes at celebrity egos. The song is loaded with laugh-out-loud moments, and is a great example of why Brad Paisley lyrics are so popular.

  • Arista Nashville
    Arista Nashville
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    'Welcome to the Future'

    "I had a friend in school / Running back on a football team / They burned a cross in his front yard / For asking out the homecoming queen"

    Paisley says he wrote this song after President Obama was elected in November 2008. He was inspired by how far our country had come in his lifetime. Much of the song focuses on technological advances, but the final verse and chorus find special Brad Paisley lyrics that capture important social advances. This is a stunning line to find in a country song, and it works with the next few that follow: "I thought about him today / And everybody who's seen what he's seen / From a woman on a bus / To a man with a dream / Hey, wake up Martin Luther / Welcome to the future."

  • Arista Nashville
    Arista Nashville
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    'Whiskey Lullaby'

    "He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger / And finally drank away her memory / Life is short but this time it was bigger / Than the strength he had to get up off his knees"

    The 'Whiskey Lullaby' lyrics will absolutely rip your heart out. Alison Krauss joins the singer for a brilliant recording, which was accompanied by one of the best music videos of all time. Writers Bill Anderson and Jon Randall illustrate the emotional trauma that comes before and after suicide, while maintaining a terrific sense of artistry in these Brad Paisley lyrics. "We found him with his face down in the pillow / With a note that said 'I'll love her till I die' / And when we buried him beneath the willow / The angels sang a whiskey lullaby," the two singers add to close the verse of what is one of the best country lyrics of all time.

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