Joe Nichols’ ‘The Shape I’m In’ Video Stars Real-Life Heroes

Joe Nichols took a different approach to the video for his new single, the positive break-up song, 'The Shape I'm In.' Instead of featuring an actor playing a guy who is relatively OK after a breakup with a pretty girl, the clip is a tribute to military personnel who have been injured in the line of duty and their struggles to go on with daily life. Three real-life servicemen star in the clip.

"It's very light, as far as the lyric goes, about dusting off the cobwebs and wiping the fog out of the eyes and getting over the breakup," Joe tells The Boot. "I'm going to do some fun stuff, I'm doing alright. That's the song. I love the lyric. I love the song. I love the simplicity of the song, but it's got a great message. Anything that's optimistic is a great message."

Marcus Luttrell opens the clip by speaking directly to the camera. A former Navy SEAL, Marcus' story is recounted in the book, 'The Lone Survivor.' He received the Navy Cross for his actions in 2005 facing Taliban fighters during Operation Red Wings, in which he was the lone survivor from the battle. Marcus is also the inspiration behind the 'Boot Campaign' that artists such as George Jones, Randy Houser, Gretchen Wilson, Justin Moore and Joe are taking part in by trading their cowboy boots for combat boots in tribute to U.S. servicemen and women.

Also featured in the video are retired Captain Chad Fleming and Captain Ivan Castro. Fleming lost his left leg in battle and has gone on to finish various road races, triathlons and cross-country bike rides. Castro was blinded in battle and has since completed 14 marathons, various triathlons and long-distance bike races. He is shown getting ready for a date, by putting in his glass eye and putting on his dress uniform.

"What we wanted to do with the video is take it to a different level, and we wanted to do something really special," Joe explains. "We wanted to make a video that pays tribute to guys who have faced enormous challenges protecting us. These are guys who do the hardest job on the planet and have come home with enormous challenges and have had to readapt to their surroundings. What's special about it is the way they capture their attitude about it. It's not just that, 'Hey! I'm recognizing that this guy lost a limb and he's got a prosthetic leg and that's how he's got to go about his life.' It's the way the director, Trey Fanjoy, captured the smile on his face, like 'Hey! I know what's going on. I know that I've got something to overcome here, but I'm doing alright. I'm getting better. I'm going about my business, and this is not going to stop me.'

"That's the powerful part of the video for me -- you'd be amazed at what you could do when you're given adversity, when you're given a tough situation," adds Joe. "You'd be amazed at what you could do when you believe in yourself. If people out there facing money problems, if they're facing family problems, addiction problems, if they're facing custody problems, any kind of adversity, self-doubt, the faith that you can overcome anything, even the most imposssible of situations, that faith is what carries you through. And that's what carried these guys through and gave them a positive attitude, when they could probably have more of a gripe than any of us."

'The Shape I'm In' is Joe's latest single and is featured on his new 'Greatest Hits' collection, in stores now.

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