What He Didn't Do

Album

29: Written in Stone

Label

Big Machine Records

Genre

Country

Composer(s)

Carly Pearce;Ashley Gorley;Emily Shackelton

Entered Chart

Oct 15, 2022

Peak Date

Mar 11, 2023

Released

June 13, 2022

Recorded

Unknown

B-Side

N/A

Many in the Nashville community were shocked when Carly Pearce filed for divorce from fellow singer Michael Ray in June 2020 after just eight months of marriage. Neither singer shared exactly what went wrong, but this gentle piano ballad intimates there was plenty Ray didn't do to keep Pearce. Pearce stays discreet about the details of their marriage breakdown, but lays out some ways her husband didn't support her. And I ain't gonna go and tell you what he did But I'll tell you what he didn't do Treat me right, put me first, be a man of his word Stay home 'cause he wanted to And always fight for my love, hold on tight like it's something That he couldn't stand to lose Pearce co-wrote "What He Didn't Do" with Emily Shackleton and Ashley Gorley. She recorded the track for 29: Written in Stone, where the singer worked with female collaborators on 11 out of the 15 songs. Emily Shackleton contributed to five of them. "I think just having a female perspective - a lot of these women were my friends, and it was important for me to feel safe by women, and almost affirming my feelings through women," Pearce told Grammy.com. "These women were the first to message me as soon as my divorce came out, and really care about me as a person. I was able to be brutally honest in those rooms because I felt safe with them." "Should've Known Better" is another 29: Written in Stone track co-penned with Shackleton. On that song, Pearce finds fault on both sides. The country star slates Ray for selling her a fantasy, while admitting she should have learned from her parents' marriage. Pearce debuted "Didn't Do" on January 2, 2021 at the Listening Room Cafe in Nashville.

Everybody's asking what the hell happened
Wondering why it all went wrong
Mama always said, "if you can't say something nice
Then don't say anything at all"
And I've got my side of the story and he's got his side, too
So I ain't gonna go and tell you what he did
But I'll tell you what he didn't do

Treat me right, put me first, be a man of his word
Stay home 'cause he wanted to
Always fight for my love, hold on tight like it's something
That he couldn't stand to lose
The devil's in the details, I won't tell the hell that he put me through
All I know is in the end, it wasn't what he did, no
It was what he didn't do

I'm already halfway over him and I ain't taking time to turn around
So I'ma take the high road, even though we both know
I could run him out of this town
That's just dirty laundry, I don't need to wear the truth
So I ain't gonna tell you everything he did
But I'll tell you what he didn't do

Treat me right, put me first, be a man of his word
Stay home 'cause he wanted to
Always fight for my love, hold on tight like it's something
That he couldn't stand to lose
The devil's in the details, I won't tell the hell that he put me through
All I know is in the end, it wasn't what he did, no
It was what he didn't do

I ain't met the right one yet but I know when I do

He'll treat me right, put me first, be a man of his word
Stay home 'cause he wanted to
Always fight for my love, hold on tight like it's something
That he can't stand to lose
The devil's in the details, I won't tell the hell that he put me through
All I know is in the end, it wasn't what he did, no
It was what he didn't do
All I know is in the end, it wasn't what he did, no
It was what he didn't do
Writer/s: Ashley Glenn Gorley, Carly