Grammy award-winner Thomas Rhett is back this summer with a single called “To the Guys That Date My Girls” from his latest album, Country Side: A.
This song is a message to the potential suitors of Rhett’s three daughters, with one more on the way. He’s not scaring them away with gun in hand, but he is letting guys know that if they’re interested in any of his daughters, they’ll need to treat them like the precious ones they are.
Rhett sets some boundaries for his daughters future suitors, boundaries that include high expectations, protecting his daughters and communicating respect: “When you pick ’em up, show up early, when you bring ’em home, don’t be late/Mind your manners ’round their mama, boys, yeah, for what it’s worth/If you wanna get to their heart, you’ll have to get to hers.”
He also tells these guys that his girls mean everything to him: “So, when you take their hand, remember/You’re holding my whole world.”
Which is why Rhett also tells these potential suitors that he knows that sexual activity will be on their minds, as he was once a young, unmarried man himself (“Now you know you can’t fool me, I know what’s on your mind/Wasn’t long ago I was. Your age and the same thing was on mine”). And he says to “make room for Jesus” because if a “line” is ever crossed, that particular young man will certainly need God’s help (“’Cause if you ever cross that line, I swear, boy, you’re gonna need Him”).
Depending upon the age of listeners, some parents may want to talk through the sexual allusions in this song. That said, there’s nothing explicit or graphic regarding with Rhett’s admission of his own sexual thoughts when he was a young man.
Rhett co-wrote this track with his father. And generational protection and care are present in this song, which is something I really loved, as this isn’t a widely discussed topic. But it is a necessary one. Rhett clearly loves his girls and wants those who might be interested in the future to know that he will do whatever he can to protect his family.
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
