Bryant focuses his muse on the commonalities people share. "We all have a destination," he says. "We all have dreams we want to follow. IβΓΓ΄m no different than anybody else, I just sing about it. It's my job to put the party on and give people a good reason to have fun." And that he does, whether it's in the soaring groove of "Summertime Saturday High," the sparkling "Fire,βΓΓΉ unabashed romanticism of "Change Your NameβΓΓΉ or the vocally-charged, guitar-shredding debut single "Take It On Back."
Raised in Orange Grove, TX (pop. 1,200), Bryant's grandfather played piano in Roy OrbisonβΓΓ΄s first two bands and, later, for Waylon Jennings. His uncles co-founded the group Ricochet, which had several hits in the '90s. "From the time I was a kid, the only thing I wanted to do was play music," he says.
"I was two or three years old and heard Jerry Lee LewisβΓΓ΄ 'Lewis Boogie' come on my grandfatherβΓΓ΄s record player. I remember hearing him say, 'My name is Jerry Lee Lewis and IβΓΓ΄m from Louisiana' ... and I had an identity crisis! I thought I was Jerry Lee and would walk around saying that. In school, I was the odd kid. There were 20 guitars in town and I owned all of them."
Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard, Tom Petty, Vince Gill, Bob Wills, Steve Wariner, Bryan Adams and more were early influences, but a confluence of releases brought him to a turning point. "Keith Urban's Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Thing and records by Sarah Buxton and Jedd Hughes did it," he says. "I knew I wanted to play mainstream country βΓΓ¬ I always knew. But those records told me that I could be that and still write guitar riffs that would stick in somebodyβΓΓ΄s head."
"I never wanted to be anybody else," he says. "My grandfather always told me βΓΓ²you can't be good at being anybody else. You can only be good at being yourself.βΓΓ΄"
Songwriting was an integral part of his development. "It goes back, of course, to getting my heart broken in school," he says. "Some girl broke up with me βΓì¬β I may have been 11 or 12, and I just wrote it down. I was never great at reading, but I liked words, phrases and sentences. The only way I knew to let people know me is through writing. I'd just look at my life, grab some paper and put it down.
"The other thing I'd do is have melodies playing in my head. Something would pop up and I'd just go, 'There it is.' " Encouraged by his parents, particularly his school-teacher mother, he graduated early and moved west. "All I wanted to do was play music and Los Angeles was my first attempt," Bryant says. "Somebody asked me to go out there and write for this little company and I took the first flight. The dream was that simple, but you can't stop before the miracle happens. You have to keep going. And I feel like it was a miracle just making it out of Orange Grove. I loved L.A., but Nashville is where I wanted to come. I probably wrote 400 lousy songs before I wrote my first good one. But one good one was enough to get Nashville managers, pluggers and publishers on board."
Because of his Roy Orbison connection, someone suggested a meeting with Roy's widow, the late Barbara Orbison, a prominent Nashville publisher, who signed Bryant on the spot, making him her final signing before she passed.
That road led Bryant to BBR Music Group imprint Red Bow Records, to which he signed in August 2013. During one early meeting, Founder Benny Brown, notoriously picky about working with producers, surprised Bryant. "He'd listen to my demos and say, 'Where did you cut that?' or 'Who produced that?' And I'd always say, 'In my closet. Cut it myself. Played it myself.' Benny trusted me enough to co-produce with Derek George (Randy Houser, Joe Nichols). He gave me the reins, which was something I always wanted."
Brown's confidence was noteworthy if for no other reason than the fact that Bryant is completely self-taught as a producer. "There were no studios in Orange Grove," Bryant explains. "My parents took me to a Guitar Center and let me get what I needed. From there, I started building little tracks that I would listen to in the car and compare with what I heard on the radio. I taught myself how to make stuff sound bigger and better.βΓΓΉ
Despite being on the cusp of exceptional achievement for someone so young (having recently been named one of βΓΓΊThe Best Things We Saw at CMA Music Fest 2014βΓΓΉ by Rolling Stone) Bryant sees little difference between himself and the audience. "We're all fans," he says. "We're all friends. And the music is our connection. To me, it's a lifelong relationship and we'll all get where we're going together. That's the beauty of music. This is the first chapter of my book, and I think people will find it defines where they're at just as much as it defines where I'm at -- because we're the same βΓΓ¬ I'm just the guy with the guitar. If I wasn't, I'd be the guy on the front row with his arm around his girl raising a glass to the guy onstage. No question. It's just who I am. Music is everything."
High Drunk and Heartbroke
Chase Bryant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ain't nothing like it, is there?
Necessities of life
Well, I've been smoking that California smoke
Pouring some Jack in my Coke
Well, since you left me I've been on a roll
I'm getting high, drunk, and heartbroke
Well, this grass, it ain't getting any greener
I can't sink in this glass any deeper
You're damn right I'm missing you
I ain't picking up the phone
'Cause I'm too high, drunk, and heartbroke
Well, I'm so high, I ain't ever coming down
Drunk enough to say it way too loud
This pain ain't no joke
Since that's all she wrote
I'm getting high, drunk, and heartbroke
(Take it JR)
(Yeah baby)
Hell no
I'm so high, I ain't ever coming down
I'm drunk enough to say it way too loud
This pain ain't no joke
Since that's all she wrote
I'm getting high, drunk, and heartbroke
Well, I've smoked all there is to smoke
There ain't no more Jack for my Coke, haha
Well, you ain't coming back
So I'll be right here all alone
Getting high, drunk, and heartbroke
I'm getting high, drunk, and heartbroke
(Here I come)
(Take us home, Charlie, come on)
Yeah, you ain't ever coming back
Woo
Yeah
Well, I hope, you ain't ever coming back now, baby
I'm getting high, drunk
Well, I'm getting high, drunk, and heartbroke
Chase Bryant's song "High Drunk and Heartbroke" is about a man who is trying to get over a breakup by using substances such as drugs, alcohol, and even junk food. The opening line: "Twizzlers and cocaine, man, ain't nothing like it, is there? Necessities of life" sets the tone for the rest of the song. It is known as a coping mechanism for a broken heart. He confesses to smoking California weed and pouring Jack Daniels in his coke to numb him of his pain. Despite his attempts of trying to fill the void left by his ex-girlfriend, he is still not coping well. He mentions that this grass isn't getting any greener, and he can't sink any deeper in his glass; the only thing he can do is keep getting high, drunk, and heartbroken.
As the song progresses, he admits that he misses his ex-girlfriend but refuses to pick up the phone as he is too high, drunk, and heartbroken to talk to her. However, he is so intoxicated that he begins to say things out loud without any filter, which is a sign that he is not handling the breakup correctly. The chorus repeats the phrase "I'm getting high, drunk, and heartbroken" a total of three times, which highlights how much he is broken-hearted.
Overall, the song explores the destructiveness of using substances as a way of escapism, and despite how much the singer tries to mask their pain, they cannot overcome their heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Twizzlers and cocaine, man
Both candy and hard drugs are used as a way to fulfill necessary desires in life.
Ain't nothing like it, is there?
There is nothing quite like indulging in these desires.
Well, I've been smoking that California smoke
I have been smoking marijuana.
Pouring some Jack in my Coke
I have been mixing whiskey with my Coca-Cola.
Well, since you left me I've been on a roll
Since you have left me, I have been consistently indulging in vices.
I'm getting high, drunk, and heartbroke
I am using alcohol and drugs as a way to alleviate the pain I feel from my broken heart.
Well, this grass, it ain't getting any greener
This marijuana is not making me happy anymore.
I can't sink in this glass any deeper
I cannot numb my pain any further by drinking.
You're damn right I'm missing you
I am definitely missing you.
I ain't picking up the phone
I am not answering your calls.
'Cause I'm too high, drunk, and heartbroke
I am too absorbed in my vices to talk to you.
Well, I'm so high, I ain't ever coming down
I am so high that I feel like I will never come back down to reality.
Drunk enough to say it way too loud
I am so drunk that I cannot control what I say or how loud I say it.
This pain ain't no joke
The emotional pain I feel is real and difficult to cope with.
Since that's all she wrote
Since we are no longer together, there is nothing left for me to do.
I'm getting high, drunk, and heartbroke
I am continuing to use substances to deal with my heartbreak.
Hell no
Absolutely not.
Well, I've smoked all there is to smoke
I have smoked all of the marijuana that I have.
There ain't no more Jack for my Coke, haha
I have run out of whiskey to mix with my Coca-Cola.
Well, you ain't coming back
I know you are not returning to me.
So I'll be right here all alone
I will be by myself.
Getting high, drunk, and heartbroke
I will continue to use substances as a way to deal with my heartbreak.
Yeah baby
An exclamation to indicate enthusiasm.
Woo
An exclamation to indicate excitement or approval.
Well, I hope, you ain't ever coming back now, baby
I hope that you never come back to me.
I'm getting high, drunk
I continue to use alcohol and drugs to alleviate my pain.
Well, I'm getting high, drunk, and heartbroke
I am continuing to use vices to deal with my heartbreak.
Lyrics Β© BMG Rights Management
Written by: Chase Yaklin, Dave Pittenger, Stephen Wilson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stephanie
Absolutely amazing! I remember meeting you in 2016, you have such a beautiful soul thank you for sharing your talent and stories with all of us β€οΈ
Jeremy Glenn
Such an awesome song! Love it! Crank it up nice and loud!
Elizabeth Farmer
That is a beautiful song the singer the guitars gives me the chills I love your music thanks
Juleane Pemberton
Your voice gives me chills π
SAS
Son. You are a prodigy. Starting with your grampa down the line to Jeff and Dewayne. I went to school with your uncle Dewayne. You sir have an amazing sense on composition, writing and most certainly singing. I am literally learning how to play this song as we speak. Love it. Keep up the good work and get out there and kick some azz.
Peter Neilson
Wow! It's been too long since we heard great music like this from you. This one is incredible! Keep 'em coming! I can't wait for more.
ArizonaSavage1015
WOW!!! AMAZING VIDEO AMAZING SONG!!! You never cease to amaze me Chase I'm glad to see you back out here you are seriously one of the best artists musicians and guys I've ever met.
The Humble Hillbilly
Wow itβs been forever... good to see ya back brother! π―π»πΊπΈ
Jason Villarreal
Amazing!!! Love it!!!
LOHRS
Yea boy!!!!! that's bad ass. Charlie in the mix makes it even better. Well done!!!!!!!