Nettles co-wrote the song with
Butch Walker. The song is about a woman who is tricked into having relations with a man who did not reveal that he is already in a relationship. She contacts the man's wife and tells her that "I don't wanna be that girl." "That Girl" has been described as a lyrical counterpoint to
Dolly Parton's classic, "
Jolene". Nettles was reportedly inspired by the idea of putting a different spin on the story: "Everyone knows this legendary Dolly song ... But, what is the other side to the story? What if Jolene didn't want to 'take her man, just because she can', so to speak?" The song is a mid-tempo
country record with
jazz and
Flamenco elements. It features a fairly stripped-down production, driven by a percussion line, hand claps, and an acoustic guitar. ==Critical reception==