Introduction
Released on July 12, 2004, “That’s What It’s All About” was the lead single from Brooks & Dunn’s second compilation album, The Greatest Hits Collection II . Written by acclaimed songwriters Steve McEwan and Craig Wiseman, and produced by Mark Wright alongside Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, the song struck a chord with radio programmers and fans alike by climbing to #2 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart .
Lyrically, the song reflects on prioritizing life’s true values. Ronnie Dunn described it as a reminder to slow down, cherish relationships, and remember one’s roots. It underscores how life’s meaningful things—family, friends, humility—often get overlooked when one chases career success or material gain .
Brooks & Dunn included this track alongside two other newly recorded songs—“It’s Getting Better All the Time” and “Independent Trucker”—on their compilation, offering fresh material to complement their greatest hits .
The music video, directed by Michael Salomon, featured live concert footage, visually capturing the duo’s strong connection with their audience. It premiered in September 2004, further amplifying the song’s impact across Country music platforms .
This release came at a high point in Brooks & Dunn’s career. Founded in Nashville in the early 1990s, the duo quickly rose to fame with hits like “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” and “Neon Moon” from their 1991 debut Brand New Man, and had become country music staples through the 1990s and early 2000s .
By mid‑2004, “That’s What It’s All About” symbolized both a reflective pause and a celebration of enduring identity—an anthem of gratitude and grounded perspective from one of country music’s defining duos.
Video
Lyrics
Well, you work and you slave
And you spend all day in your thankless job
You jump in your ford and you’re
Door to door with a homebound mob
Then you pull in the drive and you hit the chair
And the one you love is waitin’ there.
Hey, that’s what it’s all about
Hey, this is a life I couldn’t live without,
No I couldn’t live without
It’s a moment frozen there in time
When the reasons all begin to rhyme
Love’s a little bigger
And you finally start figuring out
That’s what it’s all about.
When they won’t go to bed or do
What you said or eat their food
They cry and they fuss but you can’t cuss
‘Cause they’ll say it too
You’re tired and you’re numb,
You’re stressed and you’re mad
She smiles and says “I love you, dad.”
Hey, that’s what it’s all about
Hey, this is a life I couldn’t live without,
No I couldn’t live without
It’s a moment frozen there in time
When the reasons all begin to rhyme
Love’s a little bigger
And you finally start figuring out
That’s what it’s all about.
Hey, that’s what it’s all about
Hey, this is a life I couldn’t live without,
No I couldn’t live without
It’s a moment frozen there in time
When the reasons all begin to rhyme
Love’s a little bigger
And you finally start figuring out
That’s what it’s all about.
Hey, that’s what it’s all about. (Hey!)
Hey, that’s what it’s all about.
Hey, that’s what it’s all about.
Hey, that’s what it’s all about.
Whoa, a life I couldn’t live without
Hey, that’s what it’s all about. (Hey!)
Hey, that’s what it’s all about…