Tough

"Tough" is one of those slice-of-life ballads that will make women smile and men nod in agreement. The first verse finds a man marveling at all the things his wife does every day as she chauffeurs the kids, runs errands, does aerobics and always smiles when he walks through the door. In the second verse, she battles cancer with faith and grace. The hook line says, "There was a time back before she was mine when I thought I was tough." Craig Morgan has a strong, warm voice and a great way of delivering each line that maximizes impact, especially on a potent ballad like this. It's yet another gem from Morgan's "Little Bit of Life" CD that shows why this is the man who proved an indie label can be home to a chart-topping artist. —Deborah Evans Price