Twenty-five years ago this week, George Strait’s “You Know Me Better Than That” was culminating its three-week run (Aug. 17–31) as the No. 1 single on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.
The tune, which was released in June 1991, was the second No. 1 single from George’s Chill of an Early Fall album. That’s reason to celebrate, even if the song’s subject matter is a little depressing.
Sure it’s an up-tempo ditty, but the poor narrator—we’ll call him George—pines for an ex who left him despite the fact that his new girlfriend idolizes him. But alas, George fears his new lady will soon realize his inadequacies, which include the tendency to get fat and lazy, as well as his greatest shame: he was raised on a farm.
It’s a classic case of Impostor syndrome, where chronic self-doubt overshadows success.
Although we’ll never know what happens to George, I like to imagine he dumped his new girlfriend, went back to the farm he was raised on and got really fat. Twenty-five years later, he was trolling Tinder, saw the ex that left him and swiped right. Now they are back together.
Enjoy a little “You Know Me Better Than That” on Flashback Friday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA0VHH7PqbY
photo by Cooper Neill/EB Media
