More than 20 years since his self-titled debut, Blake Shelton has consistently shared stories of the heart, beer drinking, and songs of reverence.
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Straight from his debut “Austin,” which spent five weeks at the top of the charts, Shelton has also earned a total of 28 No. 1s over the past two decades with “Doin’ What She Likes,” “Hillbilly Bone,” “All About Tonight,” ‘Some Beach,” “Boys ’Round Here,” “Home,” and “God’s Country,” along with many other hits and favorites.
Shelton, who is also retiring as a coach on The Voice after 23 seasons, has also slipped in collaborations with Brooks & Dunn (“Throw It On Back”), Brantley Gilbert (“Heaven By Then“), Zac Brown Band (“Out in the Middle”), Trace Adkins (“Hell Right”), and with his his wife Gwen Stefani (“Nobody But You”), among others.
Here’s a look at four songs Shelton also wrote for other artists along the way.
1. “Over You,” Miranda Lambert (2011)
Written by Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert
When Shelton was 14 years old, his brother Richie died in a car crash in 1990. More than 20 years later, Shelton also lost his father, Dick on January 17, 2012. Shelton wrote about his loss through Miranda Lambert‘s ballad “Over You,” off her fourth album, Four the Record.
“Over You” went to No. 1 on the country chart and won the CMA for Song of the Year in 2012, and also picked up two ACM awards Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year in 2013.
Weather man said it’s gonna snow
By now I should be used to the cold
Mid-February shouldn’t be so scary
It was only December
I still remember the presents, the tree, you and me
But you went away
How dare you?
I’ll miss you
They say I’ll be okay
Read our recent cover story interview with Miranda Lambert, which appeared in the May/June 2023 Issue of American Songwriter HERE.
2. “Family Feud,” Pistol Annies (2011)
Written by Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Angaleena Presley, Ashley Monroe
Hell on Wheels, the debut album by Pistol Annies, the country group of Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley, featured 10 tracks written by the trio with the exception of the closing “Family Feud,” which was co-written with Shelton.
Fine china stacked by the kitchen sink
Aunt Tammies in there claiming all the diamond rings
Uncle Bobbs holding up the TV set
The only thing they are grieving over
Is what they ain’t gonna get
She’s only been in the ground a day or two
I’m glad Mama ain’t around to watch this family fued
3. “You Make It Feel Like Christmas,” Gwen Stefani (2017)
Written by Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani
In 2017, Gwen Stefani released her fourth solo album You Make It Feel Like Christmas. Also Stefani’s first holiday album, You Make It Feel Like Christmas featured six holiday standards—including “Let It Snow,” “Silent Night” and the 1986 George Michael-penned Wham! hit “Last Christmas”—along with six more original songs, written by Stefani, Justin Tranter, and producer Busbee.
For the title track, Stefani co-wrote the song with her then-boyfriend, now husband, Shelton, who also sings on the track and appears in the festive music video.
Sweet gingerbread made with molasses
My heart skipped and I reacted
Can’t believe that this is happening
Like a present sent from God
Sleigh bells singing Hallelujah
Stars are shining on us, too
I wanna thank you, baby
You make it feel like Christmas
4. “Get Ready,” Pitbull (2020)
Written by Blake Shelton, Pitbull, José Carlos Garcia, Xenia Ghali, Jorge Gomez, Huddie Ledbetter, Jimmy Thörnfeldt, and Fernando Zulueta
For Pitbull‘s 11th album, Libertad 548, he enlisted a number of collaborators, including Daddy Yankee, Lil Jon, Ludacris, Ne-Yo—and even Blake Shelton, who appears on the single “Get Ready.” The song also features Aerosmith‘s Joe Perry on guitar and interpolates the 1977 Ram Jam song “Black Betty.”
Of the album title, which translates into Freedom 548, Pitbull said, “‘Libertad 548’ represents the amount of people my father, Armando Sr, led to freedom in the 1980 Mariel Boatlift.” The Mariel Boatlift was a mass emigration of Cubans, who traveled from Mariel Harbor in Cuba to the United States between April 15 and 31 of 1981.
“The cover is a photo of him at this time,” added Pitbull. “I was born months later. The best gift he and my mother ever gave me was freedom.”
Get ready worldwide
Wildin’ out, fill my cup to the tip
Ridin’ out to Atlantic City
Hardrock, yeah we opened it
Five, four, three, two, one, for the win
Got ’em, that boy so solid
That’s what happens when you come from the bottom
305 Paradise City
Where the girls got big ol’ booties and so pretty
Now shake that thang
Work that thang
Drop that thang
Put your hands up
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for CMT
