Country music has a long history of having plenty of songs about death and dying. While it may seem morbid, the genre also has just as many, and maybe more, songs about the afterlife. We found three country songs from the 2000s that celebrate life after death.
Videos by American Songwriter
“When I Get Where I’m Going” by Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton
This is one of the most well-known country songs from the 2000s about life after death out there. Brad Paisley is joined by Dolly Parton on “When I Get Where I’m Going.” The song, written by George Teren and Rivers Rutherford, is on Paisley’s Time Well Wasted album.
There likely isn’t another song that gives as much imagery about Heaven as “When I Get Where I’m Going.” The song says in part, “When I get where I’m going / On the far side of the sky / The first thing that I’m gonna do / Is spread my wings and fly / I’m gonna land beside a lion / And run my fingers through his mane / Or I might find out what it’s like / To ride a drop of rain.”
The video features several notable people holding photos of those who have passed away, including Michael Reagan, holding a picture of his father, President Ronald Reagan, and John Carter Cash holding a picture of Johnny and June Cash.
“Let Him In Anyway” by Blake Shelton
“Let Him In Anyway” is on Blake Shelton’s latest For Recreational Use Only album, out earlier this year. The song is written by Zach Abend, Kyle Clark, HARDY, and Carson Wallace. The song is indeed about Heaven, but with a surprising twist.
In “Let Him In Anyway”, Shelton is asking God to let his friend, who has just passed away, into Heaven. The song says in part, “Hey, God / I know You know what I’m ’bout to pray, God / I just had to suck it up and say goodbye to my best friend / And I don’t ever wanna never see him again / And I know the only way to get in is through You and he / Wasn’t quite the Christian he was supposed to be / And Lord, it ain’t my place / But could You let him in anyway?“
“‘Let Him In Anyway’ is one of the most powerful songs I’ve ever had the chance to record,” Shelton says (via iHeart). “HARDY is a co-writer and a friend, and I’ve never heard a song like this before. When I first listened to it, I knew it was something special. It’s an honor to bring it to life, and I’m incredibly proud of the record we made.”
“If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” by Justin Moore
Before Justin Moore released “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” in 2011, Rhett Akins released it first. Dallas Davidson, Rob Hatch, and Brett Jones penned the song, which became Moore’s second No. 1 hit from his sophomore Outlaws Like Me record.
“I’d find my long lost cousin John,” Moore sings. “The one we left back in Vietnam / Show him a picture of his daughter now / She’s a doctor and he’d be proud / Then tell him we’d be back in a couple of days / In the rear view mirror we’d all watch ’em wave / Yeah, and losing them wouldn’t be so hard to take / If heaven wasn’t so far away.”
“If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” became Moore’s first multi-platinum hit.
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.