That Don’t Impress Me Much (1998) – Shania Twain

How this song wasn’t in my collection from the very beginning is anyone’s guess. What surprised me most when I revisited it after a long break was just how unfiltered and country the original studio recording sounds on its own. For a moment, I even wondered if I was listening to an early or rough version rather than the original release I knew from the video.

I think that confusion comes from the video itself, which leans heavily into a pop aesthetic and is often linked to the period when the Canadian singer Shania Twain crossed further into mainstream territory. That commercial gloss which comes through the video, enabled the song to reach audiences beyond traditional country fans – and clearly, it worked. Yet when you strip all the veneer away and simply listen to the song, it remains rooted in the upbeat, classic country style that first defined Shania’s career. It could have also been the dance version which I got confused by.

That Don’t Impress Me Much is arguably Shania’s most recognisable song, or at least one of them. Early on, I probably didn’t give it the respect it deserved, partly because of its flashy presentation and how relentlessly it dominated the airwaves for a time. But listening to it again years later, it’s clear that time has been kind to it. The lyrics are sharp, humorous, and direct, and the music is authentic, lively country that is effortlessly catchy. I really like the moments of amusement throughout the song, which are one of the signature qualities of Twain’s music (ie Man! I Feel Like a Women, Don’t Be Stupid & Any Man of Mine). It’s genuinely cute and charming, yet bold at the same time.

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The following was abridged from the Wikipedia article below:

That Don’t Impress Me Much was released as the 7th single from Shania’s 3rd studio album Come On Over. The song was written by Robert John “Mutt” Lange and Twain. It became her third biggest single on the Billboard peaking at No. 7 and remains one of Twain’s biggest hits worldwide reaching No. 3 in the UK and No. 2 in Australia and top 10 in a whole host of other countries.

In 2017, during a listening party for her fifth studio album Now, Twain revealed the reason behind using Brad Pitt’s name instead of other suitable male celebrities saying that after she heard about the scandal between Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow and the subsequent leaking of Pitt’s naked photo in Playgirl magazine, she was left unimpressed by all the fuss as she found it was normal to see naked people.

[Intro]
Ow
Uh-huh, yeah, yeah

[Verse 1]
I’ve known a few guys who thought they were pretty smart
But you’ve got being right down to an art
You think you’re a genius, you drive me up the wall
You’re a regular original, a know-it-all

[Pre-Chorus]
Oh-oh, you think you’re special
Oh-oh, you think you’re something else
Okay, so you’re a rocket scientist

[Chorus]
That don’t impress me much
So you got the brains, but have you got the touch?
Now, don’t get me wrong—yeah, I think you’re alright
But that won’t keep me warm in the middle of the night
That don’t impress me much
Uh-huh, yeah, yeah

[Verse 2]
I never knew a guy who carried a mirror in his pocket
And a comb up his sleeve—just in case
And all that extra hold gel in your hair oughta lock it
’Cause heaven forbid it should fall outta place

[Pre-Chorus]
Oh-oh, you think you’re special
Oh-oh, you think you’re something else
Okay, so you’re Brad Pitt

[Chorus]
That don’t impress me much (Oh, oh, ooh)
So you got the looks, but have you got the touch?
Now, don’t get me wrong—yeah, I think you’re alright
But that won’t keep me warm in the middle of the night
That don’t impress me much
Yeah

[Verse 3]
You’re one of those guys who likes to shine his machine
You make me take off my shoes before you let me get in
I can’t believe you kiss your car good night
Now, come on, baby, tell me, you must be joking, right?

[Pre-Chorus]
Oh-oh, you think you’re something special
Oh-oh, you think you’re something else
Okay, so you’ve got a car

[Chorus]
That don’t impress me much (Oh, oh, ooh)
So you got the moves, but have you got the touch?
Now, don’t get me wrong—yeah, I think you’re alright
But that won’t keep me warm in the middle of the night
That don’t impress me much (That don’t impress me)
Oh, oh no, you think you’re cool, but have you got the touch?
Now, now, don’t get me wrong—yeah, I think you’re alright
But that won’t keep me warm on the long, cold, lonely night
That don’t impress me much
Uh-huh, yeah, yeah

[Outro]
Okay, so what do you think, you’re Elvis or something?
Whatever
That don’t impress me

References:
1. That Don’t Impress Me Much – Wikipedia