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".
Lie To Me
Darius Rucker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a dream in the sunset light
I couldn't love you anymore, I couldn't love you any less
I guess I'm doing something right
But girl you gotta promise me
That if you ever have to leave
Baby lie to me 'cause I couldn't stand the truth
Baby lie to me, tell me everything's all right
And when I'm sound asleep, you can fade into the night
Girl, instead of sayin' goodbye
Just lie to me
Last night when I saw you in a dream, you were packing' your things
And baby it all seemed so real
You came to tell me you were gone, my life had ended like a song
Felt as bad as I could feel
So if there ever comes a day
That you wanna walk away
Baby lie to me 'cause I couldn't stand the truth
And I couldn't bear the thought of losin' you
Baby lie to me, tell me everything's all right
And when I'm sound asleep, you can fade into the night
Girl, instead of sayin' goodbye
Just lie to me
Baby just lie to me 'cause I could not stand the truth
And I couldn't beat the thought of losin' you
Baby lie to me, tell me everything is cool
'Cause knowing you were leavin' girl, that would be so cruel
Girl instead of saying' goodbye
Just smile and look me right in the eye
Yeah girl instead of watching' me cry
Just lie to me oh yeah
Baby lie to me
The lyrics to Darius Rucker's song Lie To Me are about the fear of losing someone you love. The singer is asking his partner to promise to lie to him if she ever decides to leave him. The fear of the truth is so great that he would rather be lied to and live in a false reality than face the pain of losing her. He admits that he couldn't bear the thought of losing her, and would rather she fade away into the night while he sleeps than to have her leave and say goodbye.
The song is a poignant love ballad that expresses a feeling of vulnerability and fear of loss. It is a reminder that sometimes we value the idea of love more than the reality of it. The singer's fear of abandonment and loss is so great that he would rather live in a fantasy world than deal with the harsh realities of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Girl look at you right there with that wind in your hair
I am admiring you right now as you stand with the wind blowing through your hair and bask in the glory of this moment.
Like a dream in the sunset light
You're resembling a dream-like apparition cast in the soft, warm light of the setting sun.
I couldn't love you anymore, I couldn't love you any less
My love for you is unyielding and steadfast whether we're together or apart.
I guess I'm doing something right
Judging by the fact that our love is blossoming, I believe I'm doing something right.
But girl you gotta promise me
However, there's an important request I need you to make of me.
That if you ever have to leave
If the time comes when you have to bid farewell to me forever,
Baby lie to me 'cause I couldn't stand the truth
Please deceive me if you have to go away because I couldn't withstand the pain of separation.
And I couldn't bear the thought of losin' you
My heart couldn't handle the thought of losing someone I love so much.
Baby lie to me, tell me everything's all right
Tell me everything will be okay even if it's not true as that would be comforting enough for me to handle.
And when I'm sound asleep, you can fade into the night
If you choose to depart when I'm fast asleep, I will not stop you or plead with you to stay.
Girl, instead of sayin' goodbye
Don't say goodbye if you're going to end up breaking my heart with the truth.
Just lie to me
Please tell me a white lie instead of pushing me to confront the harsh reality of us parting ways.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB DIPIERO, DARIUS RUCKER, RODNEY CLAWSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind