What Was I Thinkin'

Album

Dierks Bentley

Label

Capitol Nashville

Genre

Country

Composer(s)

Brett Beavers;Dierks Bentley;Deric Ruttan

Entered Chart

Jun 21, 2003

Peak Date

Sep 27, 2003

Released

April 14, 2003

Recorded

2003

Catalog #

Capitol 77963

B-Side

"Whiskey Tears

Dierks Bentley's debut single tells the story of a wild night spent with Becky, a beautiful but wild girl from southern Alabama. Despite the reckless behavior she incites, Bentley finds himself captivated, and is swept up into a series of imprudent escapades. The chorus features the catchy hook, "What was I thinkin'?" as Bentley reflects on his questionable decision to get involved with Becky. Dierks Bentley co-wrote "What Was I Thinkin'" with his producer, Brett Beavers, and fellow country singer and friend Deric Ruttan. The trio had already written a handful of songs for Bentley's debut album, but they realized something was missing: an up-tempo number with some swagger. Ruttan grabbed his guitar and came up with a riff, which he shared with Beavers. That riff sparked a memory in Beavers that became the backbone of the song. "Back in eighth grade, there was this girl around the corner named Becky," Beavers told The Tennessean. "She had a pet raccoon, and she was really cute. I had the biggest crush on her. Of course, I never even talked to her." He chuckled before adding, "Becky, if you're out there and you lived off Old Mill Run in Garland, Texas, and you had a pet raccoon - yeah, I was that chubby boy a few blocks over who thought you were amazing, and you probably never even knew I existed." In the song, Becky's hometown was fictionalized as South Alabama, but the essence of Beavers' adolescent crush remained intact. Bentley, for his part, drew inspiration from a similar adventure he had with a woman he met while working as a behind-the-scenes staff member for CMT and TNN in the late 1990s. Bentley used his TNN credentials to sneak into the Grand Ole Opry House and mingle with country music stars. "We worked right next to the Opry," Bentley recalled to Taste Of Country. "It was out at Opryland and the building was right next to the Grand Ole Opry. So I would sneak over there on Fridays and Saturdays to watch the Opry before I would go down to Lower Broadway to watch more music." Bentley's unauthorized presence at the Grand Ole Opry House angered manager Pete Fisher, who banned him from the program. Fisher only lifted the ban after the success of "What Was I Thinkin'." The lead single from Bentley's debut self-titled album, "What Was I Thinkin'" became a massive hit, topping the Country chart. It was also certified two-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over two million copies in the United States alone. The song's success established Bentley as one of the rising stars of country music. Its rolling beat became the singer's signature sound, which he still embraced decades later. The Peter Zavadil-directed music video is a retrospective of the events that occurred during Bentley's wild night with Becky. We see the singer look back on the damage he incurred as he wonders if it was worth it. Zavadil filmed the visual over the course of three days in May 2003 in New Braunfels and Kingsbury, Texas. Lauren Elaine stars as the "beauty from South Alabama." Elaine reprises her role as the same character in other Bentley music videos for "How Am I Doin'," "Lot Of Leavin' Left To Do," and "Am I The Only One."

Becky was a beauty from south Alabama
Her Daddy had a heart like a nine pound hammer
Think he even did a little time in the slammer
What was I thinkin'
She snuck out one night
And met me by the front gate
Her Daddy came out wavin' that twelve gauge
We tore out the drive, he peppered my tailgate
What was I thinkin'?
Oh, I knew there'd be hell to pay
But that crossed my mind a little too late
'Cause I was

Thinkin 'bout a little white tank top
Sittin' right there in the middle by me
I was thinkin' 'bout a long kiss
Man, just gotta get goin'
Where the night might lead
I know what I was feelin'
But what was I thinkin'?
What was I thinkin'?

By the county line
The cops were nippn' on our heels
Pulled off the road and kicked it in four wheel
Shut off the lights and tore through a corn field
What was I thinkin'?
Out the other side she was hollerin' faster
Took a dirt road, had the radio blastin'
Hit the honky tonk for a little close dancin'
What was I thinkin'?
Oh, I knew there'd be hell to pay
But that crossed my mind a little too late
'Cause I was

Thinkin 'bout a little white tank top
Sittin' right there in the middle by me
I was thinkin' 'bout a long kiss
Man, just gotta get goin'
Where the night might lead
I know what I was feelin'
But what was I thinkin'?

When a mountain of a man
With a "born to kill" tattoo
Tried to cut in I knocked out his front tooth
We ran outside hood slidin' like Bo Duke
What was I thinkin'?
I finally got her home at a half past, too late
Her Daddy's in a lawn chair
Sittin' on the driveway
Put it in park as he started my way
What was I thinkin'?
Oh, what was I thinkin'?
Oh, what was I thinkin'?
Then she gave a come and get me grin
And like a bullet we were gone again
'Cause I was

Thinkin 'bout a little white tank top
Sittin' right there in the middle by me
I was thinkin' 'bout a long kiss
Man, just gotta get goin'
Where the night might lead
I know what I was feelin'
Yeah, I know what I was feelin
But what was I thinkin'?
What was I thinkin'?

I know what I was feelin'
But what was I thinkin'?
Guess I was thinking about that tank top
Those cutoffs