Tucker Beathard has been whetting the appetite of fans waiting for the second chapter of his debut album. The first part, Nobody’s Everything, came out to wide acclaim in late 2018. Since then, Tucker has been dropping more examples of his classic storytelling, including captivating singles “Find Me Here” and “Better Than Me.” The latest track, released today, is “You Would Think,” and it’s a driving power ballad which deals with some potent emotions. It is a track that he also co-produced and played lead guitar as well as drums, fully showcasing his talents.
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“You Would Think” finds the narrator wondering why a person with whom he no longer has contact hasn’t reached out to him. But, as Beathard told American Songwriter in a recent interview, the song doesn’t necessarily signify the end of a romantic relationship. “A lot of people, from first listen, they just assume that it’s talking about a relationship breaking up or something like that,” Beathard says. “We all had different impressions of it while we were writing it. I was under the impression that it was talking about a kid and his relationship to his father. We kept it open to interpretation and we didn’t specify what we were talking about. It’s just touching on a relationship dynamic, however you want to interpret it. But, for me, it was more inspiring to think of it from the perspective of a kind talking to a Dad.”
What’s ironic about that statement is that one of Tucker’s co-writers on the song was his father, Casey Beathard, a noted Nashville tunesmith. (Donovan Woods also co-wrote.) Tucker claims that the father-son relationship goes on the back burner when the pair are working together. “We used to butt heads so much growing up,” Tucker laughs about him and his Dad. “I was a pretty rebellious punk. I thought it would be weird trying to write with him. But when we started writing, there’s no weird father-son stuff. It’s just two people who love writing songs and want to get the best. He’s actually one of my preferred people to write with. Not only because I think he’s one of the best, but also because we think totally different. Our writing styles are different. We complement each other really well with what we bring to the table.”
What they brought to the table with “You Would Think” is a moving song about what happens when the lines of communication between two people who once cared deeply for each other go down. “It’s almost like that stage past the heartbreak,” Beathard says of the inspiration for the song. “More of a disappointment type thing. Like, you would think that you’d give a shit. Instead of talking about how hurt or sad you are. It’s about being disappointed and let down by a one-sided type of relationship.
Even though the three songs that have emerged from the second part of the album were recorded around the same time frame as the songs on Nobody’s Anything, Beathard thinks that the two projects present some interesting contrast. “Technically it should be a continuation,” he says of the two parts of the debut. “I put the first part out independently. But since I signed the record deal (with Warner Music Nashville), they could kind of take over this half. It worked out where the first half had a certain theme. And then the songs that are on this one, it probably sounds like a different time and chapter in my life. It worked out really well even though, for the most part, everything was recorded at the same time. It was kind of cool how the themes fell into place.”
In addition to the planned release of the second chapter of his debut album, Beathard has been keeping busy touring. He recently wrapped up his own headlining jaunt and has some dates scheduled this summer opening up for Brooks & Dunn on their Reboot 2020 tour. It’s an exciting time, and Beathard, refreshingly, doesn’t even pretend to hide that excitement.
“I just feel like the most blessed kid in the world to be able to call this my job, to be able to do what I love,” he says. “And I’m just super-excited to put out more music. I think any real true artist will tell you, it’s about having a message, having something to say to express yourself. For me, you’ll learn more about me through my songs. The more you get to express yourself with music, but also see other people relating to it and gravitating to it and those messages, it’s why I do what I do. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
