Kenny Chesney, ‘Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven’ — Story Behind the Song

Kenny Chesney's 38th Top 40 hit and 15th No. 1, 'Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven,' was co-written by Jim Collins and Marty Dodson -- and it was almost a George Strait song. The King of Country recorded the tune for his 2008 'Troubador' album but decided not to include it in the final track listing. So, Chesney cut the track, put it on his 2008 record, 'Lucky Old Sun,' and made it the project's first single. Below, he shares with The Boot his take on the successful tune.

Everything in that song is everything we all think. I don't know anyone who doesn't want to go to heaven, but nobody wants to go today. If you could pick, you wouldn't pick right now. You'd want to live, to do more things, to have more fun.

And that's sort of the point of the song, too. It's one of those songs that says, "I'm not only not ready, I've got a little but more fun to have." It's certainly the way me and the people around me try to live, to pack as much as we can into every day ... and it's the way I think our fans are living.

You can tell when you get out in the parking lot, these are people who have come to have fun, to make a few memories with their friends, and I think that's a great way to live.

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