Morgan Wallen hit a serious milestone with the release of his latest record, One Thing at a Time. The country superstar managed to chart all 36 songs from the record on the Billboard Hot 100, well surpassing Drake’s haul of 27 songs back in 2018.
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Because the entire album has been such a runaway success, it’s hard to pick a standout, but the slow-burning “Last Night” is definitely up there. The song itself feels like nursing a drink at the end of the night – patient and meditative.
Though the song has already gotten a good amount of traction, we’d wager this will track will only grow in popularity as the weather warms up. If Wallen knows how to do anything, it’s making the song of the summer and he has a contender with this one.
The song earned Wallen a No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart – one of seven over his career thus far. We’re going through the meaning behind Wallen’s latest hit, below.
Behind The Meaning
Last night we let the liquor talk
I can’t remember everything we said but we said it all
You told me that you wish I was somebody you never met
But baby, baby somethin’s tellin’ me this ain’t over yet
No way it was our last night
“Last Night” was written by perpetual country hitmaker Ashley Gorley alongside Ryan Vojtseak, Jacob Kasher Hundlin and John Byron. In the lyrics, Wallen mulls over a difficult conversation he had with a romantic partner on what would become their last night together.
Guided by alcohol, the pair said everything they wanted to – each other’s feelings and politeness be damned. Despite putting it all out there, Wallen describes a lack of closure, hoping they will one day make their way back to one another.
You told me that you wish I was somebody you never met / But baby, baby somethin’s tellin’ me this ain’t over yet, he sings with a deep twang.
The power of this song comes in its simplicity. Wallen lets his emotions take center stage with minimal production. With a simple acoustic guitar and soft 808, Wallen’s is given a lot of space to play around with his vocals.
In an exclusive interview with American Songwriter, Wallen explained his decision to pick “Last Night” as a single. “‘Last Night’, ‘Every Thing I Love’ and “I Wrote The Book’ felt like an appropriate introduction for my album because they showcase each style of music that I’m going for,” he said. “They are just really diverse.”
Check out “Last Night,” below.
One Thing at a Time
Wallen released One Thing at a Time earlier this month to rave reviews. He over-delivered with the release, sharing 36 new songs for his fans to savor. Among the tracklist were duets with ERNEST, HARDY, and Eric Church. Wallen’s sister also made a special appearance.
“This album is different because I’ve been able to be so hands-on with every aspect,” he told American Songwriter of One Thing at a Time. “It’s hard to pick a favorite album but, I know that this is the most personal one for me.”
Check out more of Wallen’s thoughts on the new record – including how fatherhood has affected his songwriting, interpolating songs and more – below.
(Photo by Toni Anne Barson/FilmMagic)
