After some social media hype and plenty of patience from fans, Lee Brice released his new single “Drinkin’ Buddies” today. Brice teamed up with Nate Smith and Hailey Whitters to bring the high-energy ode to the kind of friends who make the bad days better to life. Check it out below.
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“Drinkin’ Buddies” is all about those friends who are ready and willing to show up when the chips are down and drink until the problems go away. For the most part, the single treads familiar ground for country fans. However, it also offers an interesting take on a breakup song. In the second verse, Whitters sings about parting ways with her “boy toy.” Instead of being down and out about it, her friends—Smith and Brice—show up with some liquid encouragement to make things better.
[RELATED: 5 Songs You Didn’t Know Lee Brice Wrote for Other Artists]
Lee Brice Instantly Knew He Wanted to Cut “Drinkin’ Buddies”
Speaking to Audacy, Lee Brice said his friend pitched him the song penned by Chris DeStefano, Justin Wilson, and Zach Kale. He knew it was a hit before he heard the whole song. “The story behind ‘Drinking Buddies’ is so cool,” he said. “I got pitched this song by a friend, who has pitched me some really great songs in the past. I heard the song and I even stopped it right in the middle of the song and I said, ‘Man, I’m cutting this song.’”
Then, Brice’s friend asked him who he wanted to get to sing the woman’s verse on the song. Brice was confused, “What do you mean a girl?” he asked his friend. “I hadn’t even heard the second verse yet. It ended up being really the coolest part of the song,” he explained.
“The camaraderie between the guys and the girls instead of just a duet or something about love or heartbreak. It turned out to be so fun,” Brice said about the song. “Whenever I got Nate on it and Hailey on it, man, it just made it come to life,” he added.
Featured Image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
