That's a Man

Album: Big Dreams and High Hopes (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This celebration of commitment was written by Mark D. Sanders, Steven Dale Jones and Ed Hill. Ingram explained to AOL what attracted him to this tune: "What is connecting with people when they hear this song is the same thing that I gravitated to. The song addresses something important. It's about standing up and being accountable. These days, that doesn't happen all the time - whether you are talking business, politics, or family. I don't want to get too preachy, but when you have a song that is a damn good example of how to handle the trials and challenges in life, it connects."
  • Ingram explained to CMT News: "There's three verses in the single. The first verse is about a 19-year-old, second verse is about two marines who go off to war and only one returns and the third is a farmer living off the land where his family has lived for a century. Repeat the chorus after each verse with 'that's a man.'"

Comments: 1

  • Jesse from Dallas, TxThis song is in the same vein as another Ingram song, "Wherever You Are", in that both talk about the commitment it takes to make things happen. This song is one that established the Red Dirt singer to a national audience and really helped put Big Machine Records on the map.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.