The Paris, IL, native was visiting Nashville for the first time early in his sophomore year at Chicago's Elmhurst College. He was at the Station Inn, an historic bluegrass/country venue where many of the greats of both worlds have played. His cousin Terry, a veteran of Dolly Parton's band and now a member of the Grascals, was playing with a band called the Sidemen, and a mesmerized Brett was in the crowd.
"There was something so real and truthful about the songs they were playing," he says. “What happened next came as a shock.”
"He asked me to come up on stage and told me to pick a song to play with the band," says Brett. I said, 'Amarillo By Morning,' and when I heard that fiddle intro, chills shot up my spine. I sang it for the crowd there and it was a magical experience. That was the point where I thought, 'This is it. This is something I've got to do.'"
By the start of the next school year, he had transferred to Middle Tennessee State University and begun the round of writers' nights and writing appointments that led him eventually to a record deal.
The talent that let him turn that dream into reality—the depth of his writing and the sheer power of his smoky and expressive baritone—are both apparent in his first single. "Raymond" is the poignant tale of a nursing home employee mistaken by a patient with Alzheimer's for her deceased son, who was killed at war. It is a song whose inspiring reaffirmation of their mutual humanity is affecting listeners deeply. The single rings true for Eldredge as his Grandmother currently struggles through the disease.
"There are a lot of things I'll play live where people will say, 'I like that,' or 'That's a really cool song,'" Brett says, "but when I do this one, I get the chance to tell people how special a thing it's been in my life, and it always touches someone. A lot of people know someone with Alzheimer's and people react in a really emotional way to it."
Brett has earned a reputation as much for the strength of his writing as for his world-class voice. He and co-writer Pat McLaughlin landed a song called "I Think I've Had Enough" on Gary Allan's latest album, Get Off On The Pain, and one of his frequent collaborators is Country Music Hall of Famer and Grand Ole Opry stalwart Bill Anderson.
"He's one of my favorite people to write with," says Brett. "I love the fact that he believes in country music so much, because it's something I really believe in. My dream, as I find my place in country music, is one day to be an Opry member."
Brett heard all kinds of music growing up, and became a particular fan of the classic pop singers he heard in his grandfather's car.
"I heard a lot of Frank Sinatra, who is still a favorite of mine, and Ray Charles and Bobby Darin," he says. "When my mother convinced me to sing 'Mack The Knife' at a talent show, I got hooked on singing in public."
That was in Paris, a town of 9,000 with "cornfields and factories and lake right in the middle." Brett, his older brother and his parents—a traveling grain salesman and a nurse—lived on the lake and, says Brett, "We were on the water every day, from the time I was so little they could pull me on water skis in a paddle boat until I left for college at 18." Sports were a big part of his life, and he played basketball, baseball and football in high school.
He also sang everywhere he could, often the Big Band music of Sinatra, earning spending money and learning to work a stage. His appreciation for country music became a passion when he turned 16 and he and a friend rode around listening to a Brooks & Dunn greatest hits album.
"There was something about it that just struck me," he says. "I couldn't get enough of it. Ronnie Dunn is one of my favorite singers of all time—I love the soul in his voice—and one of the main reasons I got into this in the first place."
Brett spent two years in Chicago, where his older brother lived, performing with a school jazz band and with a Big Band around the region.
"One of the coolest gigs," he says, "was at the Field Museum, I was singing in front of a 12-piece band under this huge Tyrannosaurus Rex statue near some mammoths. It was quite the experience."
Then came that fateful visit to Nashville and his transfer to MTSU. He studied classic country stylists like Ray Price and George Jones, and later Vince Gill, absorbing everything he could.
"I was driving back and forth Nashville every day from Murfreesboro, which is thirty miles away," he says. "I had a guitar Terry had given me, which was originally a gift from Dolly, and I'd pretty much lock myself in my room and make myself learn songs. I would play writers' nights all around Nashville. There might be two people, there might be 40 or 50. I'd go play my songs and see what people liked and what they didn't. I'd screw up royally in front of them, but I learned."
He earned a degree, which, he says, "made Mom and Dad happy, and then I moved on to what I really wanted to do.
A staff writer for hit producer/publisher Byron Gallimore heard him at a writers' night and introduced him to Byron, who signed him.
"I wrote for about two years, developing my craft and writing with everyone I could. In the beginning, Byron just let me kind of find myself, because that takes a while. As you write more you starting homing in on what you sound good on. Eventually, Byron said, 'You've got something here' and we went in and started cutting songs. We did a showcase, and Carole Ann Mobley from Warner Music Nashville said, 'We've gotta sign this kid'. Mobley and Craig Kallman then signed Brett to Atlantic Records, making him the first official signing for the new imprint.
As he worked with his band tightening his show, he was offered a particularly gratifying gig.
"I opened for Blake Shelton at The Ryman and it was the coolest experience. I flew back from this house gig and all of a sudden I'm thrown into playing the Mother Church of Country Music, something I always dreamed of doing. I was operating on almost no sleep, but stepping out on that stage where everybody who's anybody in country music has been meant the world to me."
He remains active in sports, playing basketball and volleyball and playing on an intramural softball team in Nashville, and rooting for the Cubs and Bears. Meanwhile, he is dedicated to improving his craft.
"As a songwriter," he says, "my aim is to portray a little bit of me and my life along with the stories of other people and turn them into something that can really touch somebody's heart and soul. We sit down on Music Row every day and write songs and every once in a while a song like ‘Raymond’ comes from such a real place. I hope it's that real to other people and that I can make them feel the way I felt when I wrote it and when I sing it."
Judging from audience reaction, that’s exactly what he’s doing.
I Wanna Be That Song
Brett Eldredge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Making my world all a mess
Back corner of a cornfield
Bottle tops and the truth spills
Pull the lever, lay the seat back laughin'
You slippin' off your shoes
While the dashboard speakers sing every word of Night Moves
Makes you dance, makes you fall
That melody rewinds years
Once disappear, makes time stall
Wanna be those words that fill you up
Pull your windows down and keeps you young
Makes you believe you're right where you belong
I wanna be that song
I wanna be, wanna be, wanna be, wanna be that song
Oh, I wanna be, I wanna, I wanna
I wanna stand with you in the third row
The window booth at a bar
Back pew on a Sunday pourin' out your heart (pourin' out your heart)
When the bleachers are crowded
When you're sittin' all alone (all alone)
When the rain is pourin' and you need something to take you home
Let me be that song that gets you high
Makes you dance, makes you fall
That melody rewinds years
Once disappear, makes time stall
Wanna be those words that fill you up
Pull your windows down and keeps you young
Makes you believe you're right where you belong
I wanna be that song
I wanna be, wanna be, wanna be, wanna be that song
Oh, I wanna be, I wanna, I wanna
When you're searching the horizon (searching the horizon)
And when your eyes look back
When you're standing in the moment
Every life has a soundtrack
Oh, I wanna be, I wanna be, oh I wanna be
I wanna be that song that gets you high
Makes you dance, makes you fall
That melody rewinds years
Once disappear, makes time stall
Wanna be those words that fill you up
Pull your windows down and keeps you young
Makes you believe you're right where you belong
I wanna be that song
When the highway's calling
When the bottle's dry
When the sky is falling and you're asking yourself why
yeah, oh, I wanna be, yeah, ooh
Brett Eldredge's "Wanna Be That Song" is a nostalgic ballad about the power of music to evoke memories, transport us through time and space and create a sense of belonging. The song begins with the image of a girl in a sundress and the radio making the singer's world all a mess in a back corner of a cornfield, surrounded by bottle tops and spilled truth. The intimate moment is captured with vivid imagery, as they laugh and slip off their shoes while the dashboard speakers sing "every word of Night Moves". This sets the tone for the chorus, where the singer expresses his desire to be that song, the one that gets you high, makes you dance, fall, and rewind years, keep you young and remind you that you're right where you belong.
The second verse builds upon this sentiment, with the singer wanting to stand with his loved one in the third row, share a window booth at a bar or pour out his heart in the back pew of a church. The bridge emphasizes the universality of music, how it can touch our lives at different times and places, and how it becomes a part of our personal soundtrack. The song ends with a list of moments when the singer aspires to be that song, such as when the highway is calling, the bottle is dry, and the sky is falling.
Line by Line Meaning
The radio and a sundress
The combination of listening to radio and seeing a girl in a sundress is making the singer's life a little confusing.
Making my world all a mess
The singer's world is being thrown off-center by the girl in a sundress and the radio.
Back corner of a cornfield
The location where the singer is describing the scene.
Bottle tops and the truth spills
The truth is coming out as he and the girl get drunk together.
Pull the lever, lay the seat back laughin'
The singer and the girl have adjusted their car seats and are now laughing together.
You slippin' off your shoes
The girl is taking off her shoes.
While the dashboard speakers sing every word of Night Moves
The song Night Moves is playing on the car's stereo and the singers are singing along and enjoying the moment.
I wanna be that song that gets you high
The artist wants to be a song that can give the girl positive feelings.
Makes you dance, makes you fall
The song that the artist wants to be would make the girl happy and maybe even change her mood.
That melody rewinds years
The song that the artist wants to be would take the girl back in time.
Once disappear, makes time stall
The song that the singer wants to be would freeze time and create a perfect moment for the girl.
Wanna be those words that fill you up
The artist wants to be a song with lyrics that make the girl feel whole and complete.
Pull your windows down and keeps you young
The song that the singer wants to be would make the girl feel carefree and young.
Makes you believe you're right where you belong
The song that the singer wants to be would make the girl feel as though she's where she's supposed to be in life.
I wanna stand with you in the third row
The singer wants to be in the third row at a concert with the girl.
The window booth at a bar
The artist wants to be at a window booth in a bar with the girl.
Back pew on a Sunday pourin' out your heart (pourin' out your heart)
The artist wants to be at the back of the church with the girl on a Sunday, being emotional together.
When the bleachers are crowded
The singer wants to be at a crowded game with the girl.
When you're sittin' all alone (all alone)
The singer wants to be with the girl when she's feeling lonely.
When the rain is pourin' and you need something to take you home
The artist wants to be there for the girl when it's raining and she needs some support.
When you're searching the horizon (searching the horizon)
The artist wants to be there for the girl when she's contemplating life.
And when your eyes look back
The artist wants to be there for the girl when she's thinking about the past.
When you're standing in the moment
The singer wants to be there for the girl when she's living her life in the present.
Every life has a soundtrack
The artist is saying that every person's life is accompanied by a soundtrack of music.
When the highway's calling
The singer wants to be there for the girl when she's driving.
When the bottle's dry
The singer wants to be there for the girl when she doesn't have anything to drink.
When the sky is falling and you're asking yourself why
The singer wants to be there for the girl when she needs help and doesn't know where to turn.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brett Eldredge, Ross Copperman, Travis Hill
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
yvonne
The radio and a sundress
Making my world all a mess
Back corner of a cornfield
Bottle tops and the truth spills
Pull the lever, lay the seat back laughin'
You slippin' off your shoes
While the dashboard speakers sing every word of "Night Moves"
I wanna be that song that gets you high
Makes you dance, makes you fall
That melody rewinds years
Once disappear, makes time stall
Wanna be those words that fill you up
Pull your windows down and keeps you young
Makes you believe you're right where you belong
I wanna be that song
I wanna be, wanna be, wanna be, wanna be that song
Ohh, I wanna be, I wanna, I wanna
I wanna stand with you in the third row
Window booth at a bar
Back pew on a Sunday pourin' out your heart
When the bleachers are crowded
When you're sittin' all alone
When the rain is pourin' and you need something to take you home
Let me be that song that gets you high
Makes you dance, makes you fall
That melody rewinds years
Once disappear, makes time stall
Wanna be those words that fill you up
Pull your windows down and keeps you young
Makes you believe you're right where you belong
I wanna be that song
I wanna be, wanna be, wanna be, wanna be that song
Ohh, I wanna be, I wanna, I wanna
When you're searching the horizon
When you're eyes look back
When you're standing in the moment
Every life has a soundtrack
Oh, I wanna be, I wanna be, oh, I wanna be
I wanna be that song that gets you high
Makes you dance, makes you fall
That melody rewinds years
Once disappear, makes time stall
Wanna be those words that fill you up
Pull your windows down and keeps you young
Makes you believe you're right where you belong
I wanna be that song
When the highway's calling
When the bottle's dry
When the sky is falling and you're asking yourself why
Oh, Oh, I wanna be, yeah, oh.
Caleb McKay
Lyrics:
The radio and a sundress
Making my world all a mess
Back corner of a cornfield
Bottle tops and a truth spills
Pull the lever, lay the seat back laughin'
You slippin' off your shoes
While the dashboard speakers sing every word of that night moves
I wanna be that song that gets you high
Makes you dance, makes you fall
That melody rewinds years
Once disappear, makes time stall
Wanna be those words that fill you up
Pull your windows down and keeps you young
Makes you believe you're right where you belong
I wanna be that song
I wanna be, wanna be, wanna be, wanna be that song
Oh, I wanna be, I wanna, I wanna
I wanna stand with you in the third row
Window booth at a bar
Back pew on a Sunday pourin' out your heart
When the bleachers are crowded
When you're sittin' all alone
When the rain is pourin' and you need something to take you home
Let me be that song that gets you high
Makes you dance, makes you fall
That melody rewinds years
Once disappear, makes time stall
Wanna be those words that fill you up
Pull your windows down and keeps you young
Makes you believe you're right where you belong
I wanna be that song
I wanna be, wanna be, wanna be, wanna be that song
Oh, I wanna be, I wanna, I wanna
When you're searching the horizon
When your eyes look back
When you're standing in the moment
Every life has a soundtrack
Oh I wanna be, I wanna be, oh I wanna be
I wanna be that song that gets you high
Makes you dance, makes you fall
That melody rewinds years
Once disappear, makes time stall
Wanna be those words that fill you up
Pull your windows down and keeps you young
Makes you believe you're right where you belong
I wanna be that song
When the highway's calling
When the bottle's dry
When the sky is falling and you're asking yourself why
Oh, oh, I wanna be, yeah, oh
Carlos N Toro
Went to his concert with my wife of 17 years of marriage and literally fell in love all over again. Thank you for making such a song.
Butterfly K
That's amazing! I just ran into the love of my life after not seeing each other for 30 yrs, at a concert. Same thing...we fell in love all over again!!
Jason Mellon
Being a successful person is not necessarily defined by what you have achieved, but by what you have overcome. You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space. Love you all my beautiful fans❤️❤️🌹📽🎛🎞🎥📟📀
Jeremy Martinez
@Melanie Fortier I’m so happy for congratulations brother
Dennis Eddy
I just have two words to say to you two,. THANK YOU 😊
Elaine Henry
That is so sweet🥰 thats say love all over it!!
Daisy Anglen
My mom passed away in August and this was a song she had wrote down that she chose to have played at her service. I miss her more and more everyday.. I love you momma.
Danette Dennis
Love and prayers ❤
Rachel Foster
My condolences❤ My mother has went home with the LORD too. (2017) I miss her everyday 😪❤
James Smith
Hi daisy how are you. I hope you like the music.