The List

4 Songs Written by David Lee Murphy That Became Incredible Hits for Other Artists

Most people know David Lee Murphy for his own hits, like โ€œDust On The Bottleโ€, โ€œEvery Time I Get Around Youโ€, and others. But Murphy is also a very prolific songwriter. Murphy has written plenty of songs for other artists, including these four songs, which all became incredible hits for other artists.

“Big Green Tractor” by Jason Aldean

One of Jason Aldeanโ€™s early hits, โ€œBig Green Tractorโ€ came out in 2009. Written by Murphy and Jim Collins, โ€œBig Green Tractorโ€ became Aldeanโ€™s third No. 1 single, staying at the top of the charts for four weeks.

Videos by American Songwriter

The chorus of โ€œBig Green Tractorโ€ says in part, โ€œClimb up in my lap and drive if you want to / Girl, you know you got me to hold on to / We can go to town but, baby, if you’d rather / I’ll take you for a ride on my big green tractor.”

โ€œBig Green Tractorโ€ was written for Jake Owen, not Aldean. However, Owen felt the song wasnโ€™t believable enough for him to sing, so Aldean got to record it instead.

“Living In Fast Forward” by Kenny Chesney

Released in 2006, Kenny Chesney includes โ€œLiving In Fast Forwardโ€ on his The Road And The Radio record. Murphy wrote this song with Rivers Rutherford.

The feel-good song says, โ€œ‘Cause I’m living in fast forward / A hillbilly rock star out of control / I’m living in fast forward/ Now I need to rewind real slow.”

โ€œLiving In Fast Forwardโ€ is one of several Murphy songs recorded by Chesney. Other Chesney hits written by Murphy for Chesney include โ€œLive A Littleโ€, โ€œโ€™Til Itโ€™s Goneโ€, and โ€œBar At The End Of The Worldโ€, among others. Although Chesney didnโ€™t write this song, he later said it was very autobiographical to him when it was released.

“The More I Drink” by Blake Shelton

Blake Shelton released one single in 2007, and itโ€™s โ€œThe More I Drinkโ€. On his Pure BS album, Murphy wrote โ€œThe More I Drinkโ€ with Chris DuBois and Dave Turnbull.

The humorous song says, โ€œWell, if I have one, I’ll have thirteen / Nah, there ain’t no in-between / ‘Cause the more I drink / The more I drink.โ€

After this song, Shelton completely switched gears. “Home”‘, also from Pure BS, became his next single. “Home” is a sentimental cover of the Michael Bublรฉ hit.

“Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” by Thompson Square

Thompson Squareโ€™s first No. 1 single is โ€œAre You Gonna Kiss Me Or Notโ€. Murphy and Collins wrote this uptempo tune together. The song, Thompson Squareโ€™s biggest hit, is part of the duoโ€™s eponymous debut album.

โ€œAre You Gonna Kiss Me Or Notโ€ says, โ€œAre we gonna do this or what? / I think you know I like you a lot / But you’re ’bout to miss your shot / Are you gonna kiss me or not?“

Thompson Square received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for this song.

Photo by Ethan Miller/ACM2015/Getty Images for dcp