Along with his work in Hootie & the Blowfish, Rucker recorded one studio album, entitled Back to Then, on Hidden Beach Recordings in 2002. In 2008, he signed to Capitol Nashville and charted his first solo single, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It", the first single from his first country album Learn to Live. Rucker has been a member of Hootie & the Blowfish since their original formation in 1989. He met fellow band members, Mark Bryan, Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, and Dean Felber, while attending the University of South Carolina.
In 2001, he made his solo R&B debut album The Return of Mongo Slade for Atlantic Records. Because of contractual changes, it was never released by the label. Hidden Beach Recordings, an independent label, acquired the masters from Atlantic, releasing the album as Back to Then in July 2002. Rucker also portrayed a singing cowboy in a television commercial for the fast food chain Burger King, promoting their TenderCrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch sandwich in 2005; in the commercial, he sang a parody of "Big Rock Candy Mountain".
In early 2008, Rucker signed to Capitol Records Nashville as the beginning of a career in country music. His first country single, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" (which he co-wrote with Clay Mills) debuted at #51 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs charts for the week of May 3, 2008, and it served as the lead-off single to an upcoming album for Capitol, Learn to Live.
For this album, Rucker worked with Frank Rogers, a record producer who has also produced for Brad Paisley and Trace Adkins. Rucker also made his Grand Ole Opry debut in July 2008. The single reached number one in September,[24] making Rucker the first solo, African-American artist to chart a number one country hit since Pride's "Night Games" in 1983.
Rucker sings to a crowd during an Operation Pacific Greetings tour concert. Learn to Live was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 6, 2009 and received a platinum certification on August 7, 2009. The album's second single, "It Won't Be Like This for Long", spent three weeks at the top of the country chart in mid-2009. Its follow-up, "Alright", became Rucker's third straight number one hit, making him the first singer to have his first three country singles reach number one since Wynonna in 1992. The album's fourth single, "History in the Making" was released in September and peaked at number three. The singles also crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 35, 36, 30, and 61.
Rucker's entry into the country world was met with some intrigue, largely because of his history as a rock musician and because he is African-American. Billboard magazine said that "there's a sense of purpose that makes Rucker feel like a member of the country family, rather than calculating interloper." Rucker made visits to various country stations around the US, explaining that he was aware that he was the "new kid on the block." Mike Culotta, the program director of the Tampa, Florida radio station WQYK-FM expected that Rucker would be "somebody who would have entitlement," but instead said that "Darius engaged everybody." When Rucker found that "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" went to number one, he cried. On November 11, 2009, Rucker won the Country Music Association New Artist of the Year award (formerly known as the Horizon Award), making him the first African American to do so since the award was introduced in 1981. Only one other African American has won at the CMAs: Charley Pride, who won entertainer of the year in 1971 and male vocalist in 1971 and 1972.
Rucker released his second country album, titled Charleston, SC 1966, on October 12, 2010. The title is inspired by Radney Foster's solo debut album, Del Rio, TX 1959. Its first single was "Come Back Song," which Rucker wrote with Chris Stapleton and Casey Beathard. It was his fourth country number one as well as a number 37 hit on the Hot 100. The album's second single was "This", which was released to radio in November 2010 and also reached number one in the country chart. Rucker wrote it with Rogers and Kara DioGuardi. "I Got Nothin'" was the album's third single, peaking at number 18. Also included on the album is a duet with Brad Paisley titled "I Don't Care". Charleston, SC 1966 received a gold certification.
On December 14, 2011, CBSnews.com reported that Rucker was working on a third country album with recording set to begin January 2012 followed by the release of the album early in the year. The album's lead-off single, "True Believers", made its chart debut in September. On October 12, 2012, Rucker told Broadway's Electric Barnyard that his album would also be titled True Believers. "True Believers" peaked at number 18. Its second single is a cover of Bob Dylan's "Wagon Wheel" (previously made famous by Old Crow Medicine Show), featuring backing vocals from Lady Antebellum. "Wagon Wheel" reached number one on the Country Airplay chart in May 2013. True Believers was released on May 21, 2013. The album's third single, "Radio", was released to country radio on July 22, 2013. The album's fourth single, "Miss You", was released to country radio on February 3, 2014.
On October 2, 2012, Darius Rucker was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry. Halfway through his set at the Opry that night he answered questions from the audience which included a question from Brad Paisley. Paisley said: "I have two questions. One, are you still the worst poker player in the world? And two, would you like to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry?" Rucker accepted, and it became official on October 16.
Rucker was a featured performer at the C2C: Country to Country festival in London on March 17, 2013. On News Years Day, January 1, 2013 he sang the National Anthem at the Outback Bowl in Tampa Florida. On May 11, 2013, Rucker was the speaker at the commencement ceremony for the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Before his speech, he received an honorary Doctorate of Music degree. Rucker also sang the national anthem at the NBA finals on June 16, 2013.
On December 6, 2013, it was announced that Rucker's version of Wagon Wheel had earned him a nomination for Best Country Solo Performance for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. At the awards ceremony on January 26, 2014, Rucker won, becoming only the third African American recording act (the first being Charley Pride, the second being The Pointer Sisters) to win a vocal performance Grammy Award in a country music category.
On August 25, 2014, Rucker released a brand new single titled "Homegrown Honey" to country radio and to digital retailers. It serves as the lead single to his fourth country studio album, Southern Style, to be released on March 31, 2015. On September 15, 2014, it was announced that Rucker had completed his first Christmas album and that it would be released on October 27, 2014. Included is a collaboration with Sheryl Crow on "Baby, It's Cold Outside".
Forever Road
Darius Rucker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And trying hard to understand
Exactly what it is, you need, from me
Baby I apologize
I never meant to make you cry
But there ain't no doubt, we can work it out yeah
Cause I'm gonna be around
Don't worry baby
I ain't no maybe
Rain or Shine
This Love of mine is for you
Let my arms remind you
I'll always be beside you
Holdin' on until this ride is through
So away we go, down that forever road
Baby as our lives unfold
There's no telling where we'll go
But as far as I can see, it'll be you and me
Just the way it's supposed to be
[Chorus]
It ain't gonna be easy
We'll both make big mistakes
But if you love me, trust me
We've got what it takes
Now
[Chorus]
Down that forever road
Away we go
The lyrics to Darius Rucker's song Forever Road are about love and commitment. The singer is trying to understand what his partner needs from him, apologizing for making her cry, and assuring her that he will always be there for her. The chorus emphasizes this commitment, with Rucker telling his partner not to worry because he is there for her no matter what. He acknowledges that their journey together may not be easy and they will both make mistakes, but if they love each other and trust each other, they can make it work. The final line, "away we go, down that forever road," is a powerful statement of their commitment to each other and their journey together as a couple.
The song's lyrics are straightforward in their message, but the melody and instrumentals create a more complex emotional landscape. The slow and steady tempo, with a soft acoustic guitar, creates a sense of comfort and stability. The song's simple, yet poignant lyrics resonate with listeners, as many people have experienced struggles and hardships in their relationships. The song's message of commitment and perseverance has resonated with fans, and it has become a popular love song for weddings and other romantic occasions.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard every word you said
I listened carefully to everything you said.
And trying hard to understand
I'm making an effort to comprehend you.
Exactly what it is, you need, from me
I want to know what you want from me.
Baby I apologize
I'm sorry for my actions, my love.
I never meant to make you cry
I didn't intend to hurt you.
But there ain't no doubt, we can work it out yeah
I'm confident we can resolve these issues.
Cause I'm gonna be around
I'll be here for you.
Don't worry baby
Please don't fret, my dear.
I ain't no maybe
I'm not indecisive.
Rain or Shine
Through any situation.
This Love of mine is for you
My love is devoted to you.
Let my arms remind you
Allow my embrace to reassure you.
I'll always be beside you
I'll stand by your side forever.
Holdin' on until this ride is through
I'll hold on tight until the end.
So away we go, down that forever road
We're embarking on a lifelong journey together.
Baby as our lives unfold
As we continue our journey through life.
There's no telling where we'll go
We can't predict our future.
But as far as I can see, it'll be you and me
No matter where we end up, we'll be together.
Just the way it's supposed to be
It's destiny for us to be with each other.
It ain't gonna be easy
Our journey won't be simple.
We'll both make big mistakes
We'll both mess up sometimes.
But if you love me, trust me
If you love me, have faith in me.
We've got what it takes
Together, we can conquer anything.
Down that forever road
On this journey of love.
Away we go
We're off.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRANK ROGERS, DARIUS RUCKER, CHRIS STAPLETON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind