'Ain't A Bad Life' by Thomas Rhett & Jordan Davis - Lyrics & Meaning

Last August, country stalwart Thomas Rhett unveiled his highly-anticipated record, About A Woman.

Taking shape as a 14-song love letter to his wife, Lauren Akins, the collection included standout hits like 'Beautiful As You,' 'Gone Country' and the Teddy Swims-backed 'Somethin' 'Bout a Woman.'

At the turn of 2025, Rhett began peppering out new and reimagined songs from the quickly beloved project, including a duet version of 'What Could Go Right' featuring Lanie Gardner, as well as a 'Last Call' version of 'After All The Bars Are Closed' and the Tucker Wetmore-graced 'Small Town Girls.'

Now, nearly a year to the date of About A Woman's release, the second-generation country star has released the deluxe version of the record, adding & A Good 'Ol Boy. Featured in the expanded offering is a trio of new songs, including 'Bottle With Your Name On It,' 'Old Tricks' with Blake Shelton and 'Ain't A Bad Life' with Jordan Davis.

Produced by Mark Trussell, 'Ain't A Bad Life' is basically the glass half full mentality put to music.

Co-written several years back by Rhett & Trussell alongside John Byron, Ashley Gorley and Blake Pendergrass, the tune takes on a bright, acoustic sound, injecting a fresh breath of optimism into the just over three-minute offering.

"Didn’t win the Lotto but the Dawgs won
Didn’t bag a biggin’ but I saw one
List of things to do it ain’t a long one
So, I can’t complain

Yeah, I got 87 in the tank y’all
It’s a hand me downer but it cranks y’all
Chert rock chipped a little paint off
But I kinda like it that way"

The happy-go-lucky tune starts off with our narrator explaining that while his personal luck maybe isn't at an all time high, there's still plenty of wonderful things to celebrate happening all around him.

His truck is full of gas and it gets him where he needs to go. While it's not necessarily a looker, it's everything he needs, and for that he's grateful.

"No, I ain’t got it all, but I sure got it made
Got a little piece of Heaven with some hickory shade
Got some boots that I like and a girl that I love
Some Seven and some blessings filling up my cup

Ooh, I wouldn’t be nobody different if I had the choice
Ooh, no I can’t lie, ain’t a bad life for a good ole boy
A good ole boy"

Though our narrator may not have it made in the shade, he's made a life that he's proud of.

With his little homestead and a beautiful girl to call his own, he finds joy in the simple pleasure in life like sipping on a glass of Jack Daniels with his woman.

If he had the option to change the hand of cards he was dealt, there's not much that he would opt for as he explains that he's made a pretty good life for an ole southern boy.

"Got a Friday night that I can walk to
Got a good preacher I can talk to
Got the same problems that we all do
Don’t thank God as often as I ought to"

Listing off some other things in life that he's grateful for, he explains that he's built a strong community around him, including his local preacher with whom he can confide in.

Making sure not to mince his words, he underlines that his life is by no means perfect and there's still plenty of struggles that he faces, but with the perspective interspersed throughout the song, it's a great reminder to thank God or the universe for all the good in life, despite all the bad.

"‘Cause I ain’t got it all, but I sure got it made
Got a little piece of Heaven with some hickory shade
Got some boots that I like and a girl that I love
Some Seven and some blessings filling up my cup

Ooh, I wouldn’t be nobody different if I had the choice
Ooh, no, I can’t lie, ain’t a bad life for a good ole’ boy
Boy, ooh’

Leading up to the release of the expanded version of About A Woman, Rhett kept most of the secrets and surprises close to his chest. However, he did spill the beans on the origins of the three new songs to Apple Music's Kelleigh Bannen ahead of the record.

"We wrote this song a couple of years back, and it was just me on the song for a while, and I just love to collaborate," Rhett shared in an interview on Appel Music Country's The Kelleigh Bannen Show. "Say what you will about collaborations in 2025, maybe it’s oversaturated, maybe it's not, but I just love to do collaborations with my friends, and Jordan [Davis] has just become one of my really, really close buddies."

Explaining how the collaboration came together, he adds. "Me and Jordan were in Arkansas last year duck hunting, and my brother-in-law was out there shooting video, and me and Jordan just got to goof off and do a bunch of the content for the song... I've been playing this song just like acoustic in soundcheck, and the song just gives me chills."

Didn’t win the Lotto but the Dawgs won
Didn’t bag a biggin’ but I saw one
List of things to do it ain’t a long one
So, I can’t complain

Yeah, I got 87 in the tank y’all
It’s a hand me downer but it cranks y’all
Chert rock chipped a little paint off
But I kinda like it that way

No, I ain’t got it all, but I sure got it made
Got a little piece of Heaven with some hickory shade
Got some boots that I like and a girl that I love
Some Seven and some blessings filling up my cup

Ooh, I wouldn’t be nobody different if I had the choice
Ooh, no I can’t lie, ain’t a bad life for a good ole boy
A good ole boy

Got a Friday night that I can walk to
Got a good preacher I can talk to
Got the same problems that we all do
Don’t thank God as often as I ought to

‘Cause I ain’t got it all, but I sure got it made
Got a little piece of Heaven with some hickory shade
Got some boots that I like and a girl that I love
Some Seven and some blessings filling up my cup

Ooh, I wouldn’t be nobody different if I had the choice
Ooh, no, I can’t lie, ain’t a bad life for a good ole’ boy
Boy, ooh

Got a screened-in porch where the dogs lay
Little feet running down the hallway
An angel by my side I get to call babe
Yes, I do

No, I ain’t got it all, but I sure got it made (sure got it made)
Got a little piece of Heaven with some hickory shade (hickory shade)
Got some boots that I like and a girl that I love
Some Seven and some blessings filling up my cup

Ooh, I wouldn’t be nobody different if I had the choice
Ooh, no, I can’t lie, ain’t a bad life for a good ole boy
Boy, a good ole’ boy (Ooh)

No, I can’t lie, ain’t bad life for a good ole boy
A good ole boy

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