BaileyJames
"Good on Paper"
Embargoed Until June 10, 2025
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Writers: Karen Fairchild, Sarah Buxton & Christopher Brown
QUOTE:
"I didn’t write Good on Paper, but it felt like someone read my diary and added a melody. It’s all about falling for someone who should be perfect—until they’re not. Sharing it felt like finally laughing at the mess I used to call a love life." - Bailey James
ABOUT THE SONG:
Bailey James leans into the slow-burn truth of “Good On Paper” with a drawl that drips sweet, but never soft. Written by Karen Fairchild, Sarah Buxton, and Christopher Brown, the song lays out a romance that looks flawless at first glance, only to unravel with a closer look. “He drives up, you climb inside his Shelby 65 / Oh me oh my, bet the view from his condo’s high” paints the illusion. But the chorus is where the reality hits hard: “He ain’t gonna stick around long enough to be something / By the way he’s coming on you think that it was love / But he’s playing you like a wildcard / Better hide your queen of hearts / Can’t see that see-you-later 'cause he looks so good on paper / Don’t he.” James handles it with cool clarity — no vocal theatrics, just unbothered precision and country storytelling.
The second verse flips the script without shifting the impeccable tone. “She flaunts that southern drawl, her hair is soft and long / She looks just like a queen stepping out of a magazine” mirrors the polished setup of verse one, but the hook is equally loaded: “She ain’t gonna stick around long enough to be something / By the way she’s coming on you think that it was love / But she’s playing you like a wildcard / Better hide your king of hearts / Can’t see that see-you-later 'cause she looks so good on paper / Don’t she.” The lyric is direct and grounded, built on sharp repetition and clean phrasing that lands without needing to shout.
Fairchild brings years of Grammy-winning experience and storytelling depth from her work with Little Big Town. At the same time, Buxton’s writing credits include genre-defining hits like Keith Urban’s “Stupid Boy” and “Put You in a Song,” plus cuts for Florida Georgia Line and Trisha Yearwood. Brown rounds out the trio with a modern sensibility that keeps the lyric tight and unforced. Together, they create a song that feels lived-in, and James knows exactly how to deliver it. Her phrasing lingers, her tone remains low and poignant, and her performance allows the lyric to breathe. “Good On Paper” doesn’t just look good — it’s built to hold up.
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LYRICS
He drives up you climb inside his shelby 65
Oh me oh my bet the view from his condo’s high
He talks with purpose like he walks undercover like a cop
He’s a man on top better watch how far your heart will drive
Naive to the nightmare, secrets in his eyes
Debonair with the black hair, a fox in sweet disguise
He ain’t gonna stick around long enough to be something
By the way he’s coming on you think that it was love
But he’s playing you like a wildcard
Better hide your queen of hearts
Can’t see that see you later cause he looks so good on paper
Don’t he
She flaunts that southern drawl her hair is soft and long
She looks just like a queen stepping out of a magazine
She’ll make you think she’s worth the wait by the time you take the bait
She’ll be in your head with the way she quotes the words in red
Lipstick little white lies, can’t see the truth
Better practice those goodbyes but whether not you do
She ain’t gonna stick around long enough to be something
By the way she’s coming on you think that it was love
But she’s playing you like a wildcard better hide your king of hearts
Can’t see that see you later
Cause she looks so good on paper
Don’t she
Don’t you see the spell your hypnotized
Don’t pull the wool over your eyes
It’s 1 am your all alone he won’t pick up the phone
Nah
He ain’t gonna stick around long enough to be something
By the way he’s coming on you think that it was love
But he’s playing you like a wildcard better hide your queen of hearts
Can’t see that see you later cause he looks so good on paper
Don’t he
PRODUCTION:
Producer: Leland Grant
Co-Producer: Bailey James
Engineer: Nick Lane
Vocal Engineer: Joy Greene
Mix Engineer: Aaron Chmielewski
Publicity: Publicity Nation PR