Sometimes it takes a while for country songs to be classics, with their impact not felt for years after the song is first released. These four country songs came out in 2023, but it is already clear that they will always be classics.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Watermelon Moonshine”
Lainey Wilson wrote “Watermelon Moonshine” with Josh Kear and Jordan Schmidt. The song, on her Bell Bottom Country album, is a sweet, nostalgic tune reminiscing about days gone by.
“Watermelon Moonshine” says, “Drinkin’ watermelon moonshine / Cut the burn with a little lime / Parking back in them kudzu vines / I was his and every bit of that boy was minе / Too young to know what love was / But we werе learning on a sweet buzz / There’s never nothing like the first time / And mine’s always gonna taste like / Watermelon moonshine.”
“It’s truly about that young, wild, crazy love,” Wilson tells American Songwriter. “That time in your life when nothing else matters.”
“Fast Car”
When Luke Combs released a cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 hit, “Fast Car”, on his Gettin’ Old album, he likely had no idea how much fans would gravitate towards the song. The song became a multi-platinum, multi-week No. 1 hit. It also gave Chapman a CMA Award for Song of the Year.
Combs used to perform the song during soundcheck, and he said it is one of his favorites because of a childhood memory.
“That song meant a lot to me since then,” Combs says (via Today). “For my whole life, I always think about my dad when it comes on and us spending time together.”
“Save Me” by Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll first released “Save Me” independently in 2020. Three years later, everything had changed for Jelly Roll, including getting a record deal. He released the song on Whitsitt Chapel, this time as a duet with Wilson.
“Save Me”, a look into Jelly Roll’s struggles with addiction, begins with, “Somebody save me, me from myself / I’ve spent so long living in Hell / They say my lifestyle is bad for my health / It’s the only thing that seems to help.”
“Seeing how the song impacted the lives of so many people almost immediately, it helped me find the strength to make the lifestyle changes I needed to make,” Jelly Roll tells Billboard. “‘Save Me’ truly changed my life in more ways than one.”
“The Painter” by Cody Johnson
Cody Johnson’s “The Painter” is on his Leather album. Written by Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, and Ryan Larkins, the song reminds Johnson of his relationship with his wife, Brandi, who stars in the video with him.
“I have tried unintentionally – and intentionally – to build walls around myself a lot in my life because I’m a stubborn cowboy sometimes,” Johnson tells People. “And she saw potential. She saw growth. She saw opportunity. She saw me before I saw me. And without her I wouldn’t be here.”
Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for BMI
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