Chris Berardo Can’t Help Revisit a “Carefree” Past on “Take Me Back”

After Chris Berardo suffered a health scare years ago, he started thinking back to the more carefree days of childhood. “There were no grown-up hassles and everything was just pure and fearless possibility,” Berardo tells American Songwriter. During one difficult day, Berardo began writing “Take Me Back,” a midtempo nostalgic song looking back in time and finding hope in the future

“This song touches on the idea of having to face up to some tough, grown-up life issues and maybe thinking back and wishing for a simpler time,” says Berardo. “I was lucky and got fixed up and I feel great, but on one of those rough days I wrote this song and I feel rejuvenated and lucky every time I sing it.”

Produced by David Abeyta (also on guitar), formerly of Reckless Kelly, and backed by Bill Kelly on backing vocals and electric guitar, along with Berardo’s brother Marc Douglas Berardo on acoustic guitar and backing vocals, and Lloyd Maines on pedal steel along with bassist Joe Miller, drummer Jay Nazz (both from Reckless Kelly), “Take Me Back” is the first single from Berardo’s upcoming 2025 album Wilder All the Time (out February 28, 2025).

Working with Abeyta on the new album, says Berardo, was genuine and natural. “We hit it off right away like a tuned-up machine and it was one of the most fun and satisfying musical experiences I’ve ever had,” shares Berardo.

“I was always a huge Reckless [Kelly] fan, and their sound is very much their own and different than mine,” adds Berardo. “But I felt like there were elements of what they did and David’s guitar playing and his production work with Reckless that made me think he’d bring the right touch to what I was trying to get at. It was a lucky stroke.”

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Both started talking about working together after Berardo and his band the DesBerardos supported Reckless Kelly during a string of shows along the East Coast.” He [Abeyta] was sensitive to trying to get what I wanted on record,” says Berardo, who recorded the album at Cedar Creek Studios in Austin, Texas. “It felt right,” he adds, “and from there we just heaved ourselves into it with the kind of open spirit and joy that made it a stone pleasure.”

The music video for “Take Me Back,” directed by David Provan, who previously worked on Berardo’s cover of Badfinger’s 1971 hit “Baby Blue,” illustrates the story Berardo was telling all along with personal polaroid vignettes of his life, from footage of his first band, the beach and town he grew up in, his bedroom window, and photographs of his late father, who died around Christmas 2019, interspersed by a car driving down an open road.

All of the visuals are “moments that could be anybody’s life because the feeling is pretty universal,” says Berardo of the video.

When my young heart flew so free, and every wild and perfect dream laid out in front of me sings Berardo through the sentimental lyrics. “Thinking of younger days and infinite possibilities can warm the heart, but the fact is that you’re moving forward every minute,” says Berardo. “I think that David’s use of the open road imagery that I love so much captured the spirit of the ‘Next Great Adventure’ beautifully.” 

Berardo continues, “If you can hold onto the good memories and dig into the hope for the future, then you’ve got something.”

Photos: Tod V. Wolfson