Chris Young: Songs That Should’ve Been Singles

This month, we take a closer listen to Chris Young's back catalogue and find eight gems that warrant airplay.

Written by Annie Reuter
Chris Young: Songs That Should’ve Been Singles
Chris Young, Publicity Photo

The process of choosing a single for radio is often as arduous a task as writing the song. Each month, Sounds Like Nashville will feature a different artist and explore songs from his or her catalogue that we wish made it to radio. Make no mistake, this is no critique of the artist or label, it’s simply a list of songs we love so much that we think deserve to be in the spotlight. This month, we take a closer listen to Chris Young’s back catalogue and find eight gems that warrant airplay.

“Flowers”
This poignant piano-based ballad off his first album not only showcases Chris Young’s commanding baritone, but also his ability to pick powerful songs to record. On the song, Chris laments of how he should have took his girl dancing and bought her roses instead of spending all his time drinking whiskey on a bar stool. While at first it sounds like a song about a breakup, as the song progresses we learn that the main character within the song is grieving as he drunkenly crashed a car with her inside.
“I still see you on your knees / Begging me not to drive / But I took away the keys / And made you climb inside / And I’d take your place in this field of stone / If I only had the power / Look what it took for me to finally bring you flowers,” he sings.
A heartbreaking song about the tragic effects that drinking and driving can have, “Flowers” is a song that survives the test of time.

“It Takes a Man”
Chris’ depth is felt on his sophomore album The Man I Want To Be. Released in 2009, the album’s many ballads are built on his memorable voice and the stories within each song. “It Takes A Man” is one of those songs. A moving tale about a teenage girl who’s pregnant and decides to keep the baby, the boy is struggling with what his role will become.
“Staring through that windshield I could see my future change,” Chris sings, “any fool can make a baby but it takes a man to raise a child.”
With soaring string accompaniment, vivid imagery and Chris’ emotional singing, the listener is in the car with the young couple watching their lives change together forever.

“The Dashboard”
Country music and patriotism go hand in and hand and “The Dashboard” exemplifies this. It’s a standout song that has two brothers saying goodbye to each other before one ships out overseas. After describing the ins and outs of his truck, the brother going off to war leaves the vehicle in the hands of his brother.
“If I don’t come back, you can have this Ford / Just tape a picture of me on the dashboard.”
A song that is bound to bring tears, it’s a heartfelt one that thankfully ends on a happy note.

“Rose In Paradise” with Willie Nelson
While the original “Rose In Paradise” was released in 1987 and was a No. 1 for Waylon Jennings, Chris’ cover stands just as well on its own. Chris’ version includes a duet with Willie Nelson that has the two singers trading verses and harmonies on the chorus. A heartbreaker that has a jealous man longing for his wife who left mysteriously, it’s a song that showcases Chris and Willie’s traditional styles while putting a slightly modern take on the song.

“Save Water, Drink Beer”
A crowd favorite at Chris’ live show, it’s hard to believe this song never made its way to radio. Perfect for the summer and festival season, “Save Water, Drink Beer” shows off Chris’ fun side with plenty of guitar riffs and a thumping drum beat that begs for some dancing.

“Old Love Feels New”
Young co-wrote “Old Love Feels New” with Brett James and Tim Nichols and maybe that’s why the beautiful ballad feels so personal. A song that tells the tale of his grandparents’ love, it’s four minutes of advice given to Young from his grandfather and showcases his distinct baritone soaring on each lyric.
“As time goes by she’s still surprising you / That’s how you know it’s true / When a new love feels old and an old love feels new,” he sings.

“Text Me Texas”
A track that has Chris yearning for a girl who won’t answer his texts, “Text Me Texas” is as relatable a song as they come. A wreck and restless, questioning why the person on the other end has yet to respond, the emotion in Chris’ voice is apparent. Meanwhile, the stripped down music helps the message get across in the song, even though that text never comes through for Chris.

“Hold You To It”
Quite possibly the most radio friendly song on this list, “Hold You To It” is reminiscent to Young’s previous single “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song)” with images of dresses swirling throughout. The upbeat track has Chris admiring his date until her favorite song begins to play, begging for the couple to tear up the dance floor. It’s hard not to sway along to this one as it begs to be played on the radio.