Trace Adkins Shares Story Of Dreams Come True In Song “Then They Do”

Trace Adkins Vevo

Throughout his career, Trace Adkins has brought us some of the most heartwarming country songs about children and families. From “You’re Gonna Miss This” to “Just Fishin’,” Adkins has been tugging at our heartstrings with such songs for years.

But the first song of Adkins’ which established the pattern for many to follow was 2003’s “Then They Do.” The song was released as the first and only single off of Adkins’ Greatest Hits Collection, Vol 1.

Written by songwriters Jim Collins and Sunny Russ, the song is told through the voice of a father who watches his kids grow up. The father starts out singing about his kids when they were young, expressing how frustrating it was to get them ready for school and other activities.

But as the song progresses and the children grow, the father looks back on those times when his children were young and has a greater appreciation for those moments. After hoping for his children’s dreams to come true for so long, the father looks at their lives and realizes “they do.”

The music video for “Then They Do” was directed by Deaton Flanigen and made its debut in early 2003. Mirroring the lyrics, the video shows a father rushing to take care of his three young children in the morning. As frustrated as he is at that time, his frustration quickly turns to pride as his children grow, go off to college, and get engaged.

By the end of the video the father and his wife are now in their golden years, sitting in their empty nest and reflecting on the times when their children were young. Then suddenly, their house bursts back to life again when their grandchildren come running in, and the cycle starts all over.

While Adkins is not directly involved in the story portrayed in the video, he serves as the narrator for the events that unfold. The scenes cut back and forth between showing the family throughout their various stages in life and showing Trace as he sings.

Trace pours his heart into “Then They Do,” which you can see clearly in its music video below.