Feel good social commentarian Walker Hayes is back doing what he does best: sifting through his own life, marveling at how crazy it can get and trying to find the most even-handed way to take it one day at a time. The GRAMMY Nominee – nominated for Best Country Song for the ubiquitous, “happy with what you got,” No. 3 Billboard Hot 100/No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 Country Song, “Fancy Like” – is dropping the all-embracing “Good With Me” today. For the slow drawling Alabamian, it’s another slice of making the best of the dissonance.
“I wrote this sitting on my dock after a long day of work…. It felt like everyone I’d interacted with that day felt they needed to unload their opinions. I didn’t mind listening, but I noticed so much anger in their tone. I sat and thought for a while about how I know what everyone thinks except me. I thought of Laney and the song spilled out.”
Walker HayesIn a world where we are so busy finding things to disagree about, the song hits on the fact that we are losing sight of all the things we actually agree on.
On the track, Hayes makes a list of all the people in his world, what they think and how those thoughts stand in direct opposition to each other. From college athletes to COVID, religion, politics and “real” country music, as well as how his kids see the world, the father of six juggles all the opinions and finally comes to the conclusion that evokes Don Williams’ “I Believe In You” litany of goodness with a stack of beer, fishing, country songs, smiles, kissing, love and his best friend.
Hayes has always sung about the fact that he is a simple man. Whether it’s a date night at Applebee’s, trying to stay out of AA, or keeping his blow-up Grinch in the yard till March, he just wants everyone to get along and be happy…and maybe laugh a little more, especially at this song.
Classically Hayes, the man whose “AA” wanted to figure out how to create a better world and live in a way that maximizes joy and serenity, “Good With Me” offers the same sense of simplicity in the disparity – and a solution that’s easy to come by. He wouldn’t say he’s a man with a plan, but as always, Walker Hayes’ world gives an awful lot of people a strong sense of their own.
“Good With Me” is the first release off Hayes’ upcoming project, New Money. Out September 29th, the eight-song project consists of the signature songwriting style fans have come to love from Hayes, and will be the singer/songwriter’s first project after announcing his new partnership with Monument Records and RCA Records last month. Stay tuned for more information at walkerhayes.com.
Pre-Save the album New Money HERE.
Walker Hayes / Credit: Robert Chavers
