Cody Johnson evokes the spirit of classic country artists. On top of his crooning vocals that seem plucked straight out of the ’90s, Johnson’s songs are rife with narrative and expert songwriting. One of the best examples of the intersection between those two things is “The Painter.”
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This sweet, intimate ballad is deeply swoon-worthy, but exactly who does Johnson have in mind while singing this song? Find out, below.
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Behind the Meaning
She talks about the future like she’s flippin’ through a magazine
Finds the beauty in the thrown away and broken things
Gets excited about all my crazy dreams
Written by Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, and Ryan Larkins, “The Painter” sees Johnson give credit to his wife for all that she does to back him up while he pursues music. The opening line acts as a vignette of the song’s subject, pointing out small but important facets of what makes her so special.
I don’t remember
Life before she came into the picture
Brought the beauty I was missin’ with her
Showed me colors I ain’t never seen
When you meet that special person, life gets a little bit brighter and a little more beautiful–at least that’s what Johnson relays in the chorus. With every wall I built, she saw a canvas / I thank God every day for how He made her / My life was black and white but she’s the painter, he sings.
“My favorite lyric in ‘The Painter’ is for every wall I built, she saw a canvas,” Johnson once explained of the song. “If there’s anything that describes my marriage with my wife, Brandi, it’s that line, And that’s why we’ve been together for 15 years.”
Revisit the touching song, below.
(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images)
