In this week’s Makin’ Tracks from our Billboard Country Update, Billboard looks at TimMcGraw’s new single, “Standing Room Only.”
RelatedIn fact, it’s a crucial lesson about acting with integrity for the benefit of friends, family and the community in general. The question McGraw asks about life in the bridge of “Live Like You Were Dying” — “What did you do with it?” — is a query that gets revisited, at least in spirit, in “Standing Room Only.”
Cecil presented the “Standing Room Only” title with the twist already built in. “It was inspired by something in a movie, and I don’t remember what [movie] it was,” says Cecil. “But the thought I wrote down was, ‘When he dies, at his funeral, everybody will be standing. It’ll be so packed that there will only be standing room.’ ”
They worked in a non-sequential order, fitting key phrases into the chorus or into the verses as the ideas surfaced. The opening lines focused on misplaced anger and the loss of old friendships, and Wiseman diverted the narrative in the last half of that verse down a symbolic road, with the protagonist chasing a pot of gold in a downpour. He shakes his fist at the sky, only to catch a life-changing thunderbolt in the midst of the storm.
As the writing progressed on “Standing Room Only,” Wiseman rolled out one more key phrase, forming the song’s bridge: “Stop judging my life by my possessions/ Start thinking ’bout how many headlights will be in my procession.” His co-writers were stunned. When the song was completed, Wiseman recorded a guitar/vocal and sent it to Cecil. He used it as a template for a full demo with Murphy singing lead over a piano-based production loaded with ethereal elements that highlighted the spiritual quality of the message.
McGraw tempered the ethereal ambience from the demo and grounded his recording with more standard instruments, highlighting the communal, neighborly tone of the story. “I wanted it to be more of a band-sounding song, and I wanted the earthiness in it,” McGraw says. “I wanted the human aspect in the record because of everything that’s going on in the world and because of what this song says. I wanted my vocal to be really out front so you really hear the story.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
USD/JPY tracks yields to retreat from five-week high below 135.00 amid BoJ, Fed concernsUSD/JPY tracks yields to retreat from five-week high below 135.00 amid BoJ, Fed concerns – by anilpanchal7 USDJPY BOJ Fed YieldCurve RiskAversion
Read more »
Auschwitz visitor faces backlash for posing for tasteless photo on train tracksA woman struck a modeling pose for a photograph with her head tilted back – on the railroad tracks leading into the former Auschwitz concentration camp as a backdrop.
Read more »
Jack Teixeira left tracks online, but was seen as quiet in his hometownIn Dighton, Mass., the internationally watched arrest was jarring. But Jack Teixeira seemed to have left more tracks online than in the small town where he grew up.
Read more »
LMYK Talks New Jam & Lewis-Produced Album ‘DESSERTS,’ How Opposites Inspired the Project: InterviewBillboard Japan speaks with LMYK about the inspirations & themes of her debut project.
Read more »
Miley Cyrus Holds Atop Billboard Global Charts, Drake, Peso Pluma & Fifty Fifty Highlight Top 10 MovesCyrus’ “Flowers” reigns for a 12th week, Drake’s “Search & Rescue” debuts, Peso Pluma boasts two new top five hits & Fifty Fifty’s “Cupid” soars.
Read more »