Eric Church is often considered an outlaw in country music, but his songwriting is widely praised (photo from www.spin.com)
Eric Church is known for having some of the most diverse songs. He writes challenging lyrics and creative music. He says what he means and he sings with complete honesty.
Call him an outlaw, call him hard-headed, or whatever — it’s hard to fit this guy into a box. He does rough, “outsider” songs, but he also writes ballads, anthems, and party songs.
Rather than going on and on, I’ll just show you what I’m talking about.
Here are my favorite Eric Church lyrics/songs…
“Springsteen” (2011)
When “Springsteen” came out, Church had already had several chart hits. But it was clear that this song was going to be a big song. It hit No. 1, earned the honor of certified double platinum, and brought Church two Grammy nominations. It won the ACM Award for Song of the Year in 2012. It tells the story of a teenage romance, Springsteen style. Church, Jeff Hyde, and Ryan Tyndell wrote these words: “Somewhere between that setting sun I’m on Fire’ and ‘Born to Run’You looked at me and I was done, we were just getting started. You looked at me and I was donee were just getting started. We were just getting started.”
“Record Year” (2016)
Certified Gold, this song came from the minds of Church and Jeff Hyde. It’s a heartbreaking tune about a lost love and how music (and alcohol) help with coping.
“I bet you thought before you left
I’d just sit in silence by myself
Turn this house into a jail
Dyin’ slow in a livin’ hell
But love’s got a funny way of keepin’ score
And your leavin’ lit up my scoreboard
I usually make it through side A sober
All bets are off when I flip her over
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
I’m havin’ a record year”
“Give Me Back My Hometown” (2013)
This was the second single from Church’s album, “The Outsiders,” and it was extremely different from the first single, the title track. Church and Luke Laird wrote this song together, creating a ballad about one person lamenting the loss of his high school sweetheart.
“All the colors of my youth / The red, the green, the hope, the truth / Are beatin’ me black and blue ’cause you’re in every scene.” The song topped Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart.”
“Drink in My Hand” (2011)
This is the song that gave Church a huge breakthrough. It is what you think of when you think “classic country rock anthem.” It’s all about drinking away your problems, which we can all relate to. It was his first No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. During live shows, it’s one of the songs that fans can’t wait to hear. “Fill it up or throw it down,
I got a forty hour week worth of trouble to drown
No need to complicate it, I’m a simple man,
All you got to do is put a drink in my hand.”
