Brantley Gilbert went to Nashville as a songwriter, where he signed to Warner Chappell Publishing. He continued performing at local venues. In 2009, he released his debut album, A Modern Day Prodigal Son, under independent label Average Joes Entertainment. He followed with Halfway to Heaven in 2010.
In 2011, he signed with Valory Music Co., a division of Big Machine Records, who released a deluxe edition of Halfway to Heaven. The album was produced by Dann Huff. Its first two singles, "Country Must Be Country Wide" and "You Don't Know Her Like I Do", both went to #1 on the Hot Country Songs chart. After them, "Kick It in the Sticks" peaked at #34, and "More Than Miles" at #7 on Country Airplay. He won the ACM New Male Artist award in 2013.
Gilbert's second Valory album (third overall), Just as I Am, was released in May 2014. Its lead single, "Bottoms Up," also reached #1. The second single, "Small Town Throwdown," featured guest vocals from labelmates Thomas Rhett and Justin Moore. The third single, "One Hell of an Amen," became Brantley's fourth #1 hit in 2015. The album's fourth single was "Stone Cold Sober," released with the album's platinum edition.
Ahead of his fourth album, The Devil Don't Sleep, Gilbert released the single "The Weekend" as the album's leadoff single. Also included on the album is "The Ones That Like Me."
A deluxe edition of The Devil Don't Sleep includes ten bonus tracks: five demos, and five tracks cut from a live performance at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
In December 2018, Gilbert released a duet with Lindsay Ell, "What Happens in a Small Town", as the leadoff single to his upcoming fifth studio album, Fire & Brimstone. The album was released in October 2019. "Fire’t Up" was released as the second single off the album.
In June 2020, Gilbert released the single "Hard Days." The song was later included on a deluxe edition of Fire & Brimstone.
In June 2021, Gilbert released the single "The Worst Country Song of All Time", featuring Hardy and Toby Keith, and followed it up with the promotional single "Gone But Not Forgotten" in September 2021. In March 2022, Gilbert and Jason Aldean released another promotional single "Rolex® on a Redneck".
Gilbert released his sixth studio album So Help Me God on November 10, 2022 and announced "Heaven by Then", featuring Blake Shelton and Vince Gill, as the album's second official single.
Back In The Day
Brantley Gilbert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of me and Katie on homecomin' night
She looked pretty in that fancy dress
But that girl was a barefoot blue jean princess
A hand full of rocks and daddy's pine ladder
Sure did come in handy
For a teenage boy thinkin' all that mattered
Back in the day we were wild and free
She was my dashboard drummer
Butterflies in the backseat
Little footprints on my window
Parkin' my Chevy by the riverside
And four letters in a heart carved in a pine
A little sun dress laying up there on the back
While the water washed our innocence away
Back in the day
Friday night's I would look up there in the bleachers
And I could see a letterman's jacket on
And I still got this scar here on my right hand
When Bobby told her she deserved a better man
Aw she hung right with me down in Panama City
Raisin' hell on our senior trip
And man ain't it funny it gets the best of me
And I just can't forget
I just can't forget
Back in the day we were wild and free
She was my dashboard drummer
Butterflies in the backseat
Little footprints on my window
Parkin' my Chevy by the riverside
And four letters in a heart carved in a pine
A little sun dress laying up there on the back
While the water washed our innocence away
Back in the day
Summer was over
College was callin', man I had to watch her leave
But I still wonder if she ever thinks of me
Cause back in the day we were wild and free
She was my dashboard drummer
Butterflies in the backseat
Little footprints on my window
Parkin' my Chevy by the riverside
And four letters in a heart carved in a pine
A little sun dress laying up there on the back
While the water washed our innocence away
Back in the day
Feels like yesterday
Back in the day
Back in the day
The song "Back In The Day" by Brantley Gilbert reminisces about the memories of a teenage love that are still fresh in his mind many years later. Gilbert reflects on a girl named Katie, who was his "barefoot blue jean princess" and they shared an innocent time together before they had to part ways for college. He recalls how they used to park the Chevy by the river and carve their initials in the pine trees with little butterflies in the backseat. It was a time when all that mattered was sneaking kisses that tasted like candy and listening to his girl drumming on the dashboard.
Despite the passage of time, Gilbert's memories of his teenage love affair are vivid and cherished. He remembers the little things that they did together and how they were wild, carefree, and happy. However, as college beckoned, they had to part ways and move on with their lives. The song ends with Gilbert wondering if Katie ever thinks of him and the innocent times they shared.
Overall, the song is a nostalgic reflection on the innocence of youth and the memories of first love that stay with us forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Mamma, she's still got that picture
My mother still has a photograph of my former girlfriend, Katie and me on homecoming night
Of me and Katie on homecomin' night
The photograph is from when Katie and I attended the homecoming event together
She looked pretty in that fancy dress
Though she was wearing a fancy dress, Katie still looked very beautiful
But that girl was a barefoot blue jean princess
However, Katie was more comfortable and better suited in a casual and simple style of clothing
A hand full of rocks and daddy's pine ladder
I had a handful of rocks and my father's wooden ladder with me
Sure did come in handy
But they ended up being very useful
For a teenage boy thinkin' all that mattered
Since I was a teenager, all that truly mattered to me was a kiss that tasted just like candy
Was a kiss that taste like candy
I craved a sweet kiss
Back in the day we were wild and free
In the past, we were free-spirited and adventurous
She was my dashboard drummer
Katie often played drums on the dashboard of my car while we drove around
Butterflies in the backseat
We were so in love, we had butterflies in our stomachs just being in each other's presence
Little footprints on my window
Katie's footprints would be left on my car window after being together
Parkin' my Chevy by the riverside
I would park my Chevrolet by the riverside
And four letters in a heart carved in a pine
In a pine tree nearby, Katie and I had carved four letters inside a heart shape
A little sun dress laying up there on the back
Katie had left her sundress lying in the back of my car
While the water washed our innocence away
While we were near the river, our innocent youth and naivete slowly washed away from us
Friday night's I would look up there in the bleachers
On Friday nights at the high school football games, I would often glance up at the bleachers
And I could see a letterman's jacket on
I would notice a letterman jacket on a guy sitting in the bleachers
And I still got this scar here on my right hand
I still have a scar on my hand from a previous injury
When Bobby told her she deserved a better man
Bobby told Katie that she deserved someone better than me
Aw she hung right with me down in Panama City
Despite Bobby's remarks, Katie still went to Panama City with me
Raisin' hell on our senior trip
We had a lot of wild fun on our senior trip
And man ain't it funny it gets the best of me
It's ironic that I still get incredibly sentimental about my time with Katie
And I just can't forget
I just can't forget about my time with Katie
Summer was over
The summer had come to an end
College was callin', man I had to watch her leave
I had to watch Katie leave as I was going off to college
But I still wonder if she ever thinks of me
I still wonder if Katie still thinks about me as I still reminisce about her
Feels like yesterday
It feels like it was only yesterday that these memories were made
Back in the day
During simpler times in my past
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DALLAS DAVIDSON, BRANTLEY GILBERT, BEN HAYSLIP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lise Steedly
I LOVE THIS SONG SO FRICKEN MUCH!!!!! they NEED TO PUT THIS ON THE RADIO, they have Country Must Be Country Wide, You Don't Know Her Like I Do, and Kick It In The Sticks!!!!!!
Helton savannah
"Four letters in a heart carved in a pine"--- Cant help but love that.
beth herison
on the way to my homecoming dance with my boyfriend this song came on it was the first time i heard it :) it must have been Faith telling us we are perfect together :) i love Brantley Gilbert! <3 and my man Zach :)
Katt
I made my boyfriend listen to it and he wouldn't tell me he hated it cuz he's nice and he cares about me thank you very much :)
Ali Amundson
Brantley Gilbert is amazing<3
Tiffany Hardison
I promised myself I would be this kind of girl to a guy that truly cares about me. I found that guy and he means the world to me. I heard him the other day talking to his buddies and he called me his bluejean princess :) got to love him.
rebecca parsley
I love this song!!!!!<3
Shawn Chase
I can say Back in the day. Im a 50 year old man, Husband, father, grandfather, and now widower. Dated a swimsuit model in Panama City, Had 3 89 mustangs, Many Loves, but my wife of 27 years is MY LOVE. Back in the day we had fun OUTSIDE, carried guns for hunting, Pledged to the flag, Loved God and Didnt judge by your color or your Politics. Yea send me to the OLD DAYS
Kason Adrien
@Jon Terrence thanks, signed up and it seems like a nice service =) Appreciate it!
Jon Terrence
@Kason Adrien no problem xD