He has topped the charts with singles including "I Miss My Friend," "Awful, Beautiful Life" and "Have You Forgotten?" which accomplished the feat for one, two and an incredible seven weeks respectively. He hit the Top 20 with the first three singles from his impressive major-label debut, Hard Rain Don't Last - "When You Need My Love," "A Good Day to Run" and "Second Wind" and followed with smashes like "If Something Should Happen," "I Just Came Back From A War" and the iconic "Tennessee River Run."
Along the way, he has sold nearly two million albums, earned nominations for five major ACM and CMA awards, including "Song of the Year" and "Single of the Year," and has written songs for other major artists, including George Jones.
Now, with the release of his sixth album, Sounds Like Life, Worley reasserts himself as one of country’s true creative forces. Sounds like Life showcases Worley as a songwriter of depth and passion and a singer whose versatility and believability have grown stronger through the years. The project is a microcosm of his life and career, with the sometimes rocky, sometimes triumphant road he’s traveled infusing every track, and it bears both the sense of detail and the universality we’ve come to expect from the 6’6“ hit-maker.
The album is at once a reinvention and a return to the people and approach that marked Worley's dramatic entry into the national spotlight a decade ago. Sounds Like Life is a master storyteller’s take on modern life, a project that runs the gamut from show business itself ("Honkytonk Life") to hard-won wisdom ("You Never Know," "Nothing But Money"). It is a journey through love ("Best Of Both Worlds," "Everyday Love," "Tequila On Ice") and loss ("Slow Dancin’ With A Memory"), and from sensuality ("Messed Up In Memphis") to philosophy ("Doin’ What’s Right").
Worley jumped quickly back into the Top 20 with the single "Sounds Like Life To Me," a song as accessible as it is profound. Another of the album’s real high points is "Don't Show Up (If You Can't Get Down)," a groove song that attracted an all-star cast of participants including Jamey Johnson, Bill Anderson, Mel Tillis, John Anderson, Steve Harwell of Smashmouth, John Cowan of the New Grass Revival and Ira Dean.
The album is at once a reinvention and a return to the people and approach that marked Worley’s dramatic entry into the national spotlight a decade ago.
"I consciously made a decision I wanted this record to have the same kind of substance as my very first record," he says. "That album was pretty straightforward country and it had some really great songwriters’ songs on there well crafted, clever, but with substance. I also wanted something uplifting and fun, something that sounded different and had great grooves."
Having left behind two record deals after a corporate restructuring and a label demise, he was free to, as he says, "wipe the slate completely clean." He told his new management team he wanted to use his own money to record a project with his road band and with two long-time friends Jim "Moose" Brown and Kevin "Swine" Grantt producing.
"The guys play these songs every night," he says, "so it only made sense to go in the studio and cut the record just like we play on stage. And it worked. This is a group of people who have hung together for 15 years and there are no duds in there. They’re all very real people with one thing in mind make the best possible music, whether it’s songwriting, producing, or recording as an artist. I felt like we’d capture some cool stuff and that’s what happened. It meant a lot to us as friends to be able to do this, too."
Outside the industry’s parameters or politics, he and that close cohort of musicians put together an album that reflects everything Worley does well.
"We didn’t set out to make the record that would define me as an artist," he adds. "I said, ’Let’s just be more concerned about the music. We don't have anybody breathing down our neck. Let’s go in there and do what we always said we wanted do and just have fun, get all the guys together and when the moment’s right, let’s cut one and keep it.’"
Photo of Darryl Worley Once the album was cut, Worley began meeting with labels and was about to sign a deal when James Stroud, who had signed him to his first deal a decade earlier, called and said he was launching a new label, Stroudavarious Records, with businessman/entrepreneur Ronnie Gilley.
"Ronnie and James and I had been doing business together for eight or nine years," says Worley. "James taught me a lot of what I know about the music business. He and I had a lot of success together and a lot of fun together, and we had gotten to know each other inside and out.
"I wanted a real partnership," he says. "That’s what we’ve got, and that’s why it’s working."
Sounds Like Life launches the latest chapter in one of modern country music’s most amazing odysseys. It began in Hardin County, Tennessee, part of a three-state region where the elements of life included hard work, economic hardship, deep religious conviction and bootleg liquor. It paid to be tough and smart, and Worley was both.
He was also musical his grandfather played old country and bluegrass on the banjo and his mother sang in church. Worley was drawn in both directions, balancing the hellion and the seeker as he grew up. Tall and athletic, Worley might have earned an athletic scholarship to college, but he broke his back playing basketball and lost that opportunity. Still, he earned a degree in biology with a minor in organic chemistry, playing music in honky-tonks and raising hell all the while.
He continued playing as he worked in the chemical business and taught school for a year, torn between the pressure he felt to establish a secure career and his deep-seated need to pursue music. Finally, his preacher father helped him sort it out.
"One day he said, ’If you’re still thinking about that music thing you better do it now’," says Worley, "’because if you don’t, you’ll be trapped by the obligation of the debt and the responsibilities that come with life.’ That was all I needed to hear."
A gifted and hard-working songwriter, he signed a deal with Fame Publishing in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, to write songs for $150 a week. Years of playing bars and hard living made their way into his music, and artists like George Jones cut his early work. He was signed to Nashville’s EMI Publishing and in 1994 he made his way to Nashville. After half a decade of sometimes frustrating development deals, in 1999 he earned the label deal that moved his career into high gear.
Worley has not wavered in his support for those who put their lives on the line for democracy It is telling that Worley was quick to turn his celebrity to good purpose. In 2002, he traveled to Afghanistan, Kuwait and Uzbekistan to entertain troops, and the experience was transforming. He wrote "Have You Forgotten?" and began a series of visits here and overseas, including to Iraq, to support those who wear their country’s uniform.
He calls those trips "the best work I’ve done since I’ve been in this business. I’ve never done it for accolades or for publicity. I do it because I want to do it."
Still, accolades have come. He has received the VFW’s Americanism Award and the USO’s Merit Award, and the Tennessee House of Representatives cited him for his contributions to country music.
His experiences overseas helped spur him to launch major charitable efforts back home.
"Coming off some of those trips really made me want to dig in and do more for my home area Savannah, Hardin County, that whole Tri-state area," he says. "My parents said, ’You need to remember where you come from,’ and the Darryl Worley Foundation became the way to do that."
What began as a way to provide assistance to people who might not be able to afford insurance who faced catastrophic losses has expanded over time. His Tennessee River Run, a weeklong festival capped by several major concerts, has raised money for all kinds of projects, including medical facilities.
"I’ve seen friends and family affected by cancer, and at one point I said, ’Can we do something here in the county to help some of them?’ We built this small outpatient chemotherapy wing on the Hardin County Medical Center and we were immediately overwhelmed by the people who just poured in there. They were literally in the hallways getting chemotherapy. Now we’re in the process of planning a cancer treatment center."
Photo of Darryl Worley on a motorcycle For a man whose career single-mindedness and whose wild and restless streak once wrought havoc in his personal life, he has found more peace than ever since his marriage to his wife Kimberly and the birth of his daughter Savannah.
"My wife and my child have put everything in perspective," he says. "I didn’t think it would ever happen to me. For once in my life I feel like I've got my priorities in order."
That sense of perspective has only strengthened his music. His happiness has found its way onto Sounds Like Life, an album whose title is a summation of the reason for his popularity.
"The songs I’d had really big success with are songs that are just a big chunk of reality or a day in the life of somebody," he says. "That's what people expect from Darryl Worley. ’Have You Forgotten?’ ’Awful, Beautiful Life,’ ’If Something Should Happen’ those songs are something somebody went through. It’s real. It’s not contrived, not made up, and there’s a difference. You hear songs every day where you say, ’I love that, but it's a little bit out there. It’s probably not a real thing.’ But this album is about reality. There’s some stuff about the family. There’s some stuff about the new baby. It’s got both really cool grooves and real life."
Such songs have made Darryl Worley a vital part of the fabric of the modern musical landscape for a decade, and Sounds Like Life is convincing proof he will carry that position forward.
I Just Came Back
Darryl Worley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The next thing I did was to go find my friends down at the old hangout
Drank some beer and talked a lot about old times
But when the booze finally hit Billy Joe Grimes
He said, 'I don't know what it is, but you seem different to me.'
I said, 'I just came back from a place where they hated me
And everything I stand for
If I'm not exactly the same good old boy that you ran around with before
I just came back from a war.'
The very next morning I took a walk through the neighborhood
I thought it's been so long since I've been in a place where everything is good
People laughing and children were playing
And as I watched 'em, I found myself praying
Lord, keep 'em safe here at home in the land of the free
'Cause I just came back from a place where they hated me
And everything I stand for
A land where our brothers are dying for others who don't even care anymore
If I'm not same little freckle-faced boy
That grew up in that house next door
I just came back from a war
I hope you cherish this sweet way of life
And I hope you know that it comes with a price
I just came back from a place where they hated me
And everything I stand for
A land where our brothers are dying for others who don't even care anymore
Chances are I never will be the same
I really don't know anymore
I just came back from a war
I just came back from a war
I just came back from a war
Darryl Worley's 2006 song "I Just Came Back" reflects the struggles that veterans of war often face when they return home. The singer describes how he kisses the ground as soon as he lands back in America, then goes to see his old friends. The song takes a poignant turn when the singer's friend Billy Joe Grimes expresses concern that the singer isn't the same person he used to be. The singer responds by saying that he just came back from a land where people hated him and everything he stands for. He reflects on the sacrifices made by his brothers in arms, who fight for people who don't even care anymore. He prays for the safety of the citizens of his hometown, and hopes that they appreciate the freedom that they have.
The song highlights the harsh realities of the emotional toll of war on veterans, and the difficulties they face readjusting to civilian life after experiencing the horrors of combat. It addresses the trauma and emotional scars left from fighting, and the struggle to reconcile newfound perspectives with the normalcy of daily life back in America.
Line by Line Meaning
The first thing I did when that plane finally landed was kiss the ground
As soon as my flight landed, I felt grateful to touch the ground again and showed my thanks by kissing it.
The next thing I did was to go find my friends down at the old hangout
After I arrived, I immediately went to see my friends at our usual spot.
Drank some beer and talked a lot about old times
We drank beer and reminisced about old memories.
But when the booze finally hit Billy Joe Grimes
Billy Joe Grimes became intoxicated with alcohol.
He said, 'I don't know what it is, but you seem different to me.'
He couldn't put his finger on it, but Billy Joe Grimes felt that I had changed since he'd last seen me.
I said, 'I just came back from a place where they hated me And everything I stand for A land where our brothers are dying for others who don't even care anymore
I explained to Billy Joe that I'd been to a place where I was hated for who I am and what I believe in. It's a place where our fellow soldiers are sacrificing their lives for people who don't appreciate the sacrifice anymore.
If I'm not exactly the same good old boy that you ran around with before I just came back from a war.'
I didn't feel like the same person Billy Joe had known before, but it was because I'd just returned from a war.
The very next morning I took a walk through the neighborhood I thought it's been so long since I've been in a place where everything is good People laughing and children were playing And as I watched 'em, I found myself praying Lord, keep 'em safe here at home in the land of the free
The next day, I took a walk in the peaceful neighborhood and appreciated all the happy moments of the people around me. I found myself praying that they remain safe in America, a country that is free from war and terror.
'Cause I just came back from a place where they hated me And everything I stand for A land where our brothers are dying for others who don't even care anymore If I'm not same little freckle-faced boy That grew up in that house next door I just came back from a war
I just came from a place where my values and beliefs were hated. It's a country where many people don't value the lives of our soldiers fighting for their freedom. I may not be the same person Billy Joe Grimes knew before, but that's because I just returned from a war.
I hope you cherish this sweet way of life And I hope you know that it comes with a price
I hope everyone appreciates and values the peaceful way of life in America, but realizes that it comes at a cost to our military and their families.
Chances are I never will be the same I really don't know anymore I just came back from a war
There's a high possibility that I'll never be the same person after witnessing the horrors of war. I'm uncertain about who I am now, but I know one thing for sure - I just came back from a war.
I just came back from a war
The war changed me, and that's the only thing that's certain.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DARRYL WORLEY, DARRYL W WORLEY, WYNN VARBLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ken Diacono
I know the feeling All too well.!
I am nearly 50 and will never forget along with my night terrors along with friends that I lost almost 30 years ago that I grew up with.!
One friend died protecting me and asked me just before he died to always look after and care for his partner and child.!
I always have and always will.!
I can still see my friend in his child and now grandchild to this day.!
The war will never end until our governments stop declaring war on the most frivalus (Stupid) thing and situation.!
Worldwide it doesn't matter what country you are from.
Is it worth you to die for a person who has really enslaved you because of lies or stupidity.!?
Is not your life and your family life worth more than that.?
I love all of the soldiers even my so called enemies and their families.!
They are there by force not by personal choice.!
Archangel_79
Kyle, you, me and countless others. Between we volunteers, draftees and those who've stayed behind to keep the home fires burning. Many, many are a special breed.
Despite the physical and emotional scars, the nightmares, the damage to my family, I would be just as honored to serve and do it all again.
I gladly fought, though a foolhardy sentiment, in hopes my children wouldn't have to. I went and fought in hopea of keeping it in their backyard versus our own.
God bless America. God bless our vets, and especially God bless the spouses, significant others, children and parents who in every generation have stayed behind and supported our fighting men and women.
For our forgotten Vietnam veterans... Thank you for your service and sacrifice. Most importantly, albeit before my time, WELCOME HOME! So many of you paved the way for us. You went and fought your hearts out in a politically hamstrung campaign. Many I have met by happenstance, some in my family... Vietnam vets, against unfavorable odds and in spite of the politics surrounding it kicked ass in many ways.
WW I, WW II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan, Iraq... Millions of young men and women will never be the same. Where we go one, we go all!
Andriel Jo Neagley
The first thing I did when that plane finally landed was kiss the ground
The next thing I did was to go find my friends down at the old hangout
Drank some beer and talked a lot about old times
But when the booze finally hit Billy Joe Grimes
He said I don't know what it is, but you seem different to me
I said I just came back from a place where they hated me
and everything I stand for
A land where our brothers are dying for others who don't even care anymore
If I'm not exactly the same good old boy that you ran around with before
I just came back from a war
The very next morning I took a walk through the neighborhood
I thought it's been so long since I've been in a place where everything is good
People laughing and children were playing
And as I watched em I found myself praying
Lord keep em safe here at home in the land of the free
Cuz I just came back from a place where they hated me
And everything I stand for
A land where our brothers are dying for others who don't even care anymore
If I'm not same little freckled face boy
That grew up in that house next door
I just came back from a war
I hope you cherish this sweet way of life
And I hope you know that it comes with a price
I just came back from a place where they hated me
And everything I stand for
A land where our brothers are dying for others who don't even care anymore
Chances are I never will be the same
I really don't know anymore
I just came back from a war
I just came back from a war
NamVetBuck
I set foot back on US soil decades ago and I still feel, at times, that I just came back again.
Semper Fi & welcome home to all that served.
Brody Taylor
And the name of God and country You went to fight our wars
T G
Semper Fi Brother, came back from Iraq Sept ‘03
Julie FOUGHT
You sound like my uncle who served as a gunner on medical helicopters in Vietnam.
Russel Britt
I'm sorry to bother you I been drinking and thinking idk what to do but thanks for what you have done
Russel Britt
Mr Buck I'm a Army oif grunt it has been 12 years since I've came back to the world and I still don't feel like my old friends understand what I done you know I can't tell them every thing so I have become the guy no one wants to hang out with I lost my wife daughter and anything else I had no body understands what I did I'm a murderer yes I followed orders but no one understands that I don't think the bad dreams and the Damm smells will ever go away when rain hits my riffles barrel after a few shots takes me back to over there I'm 100 percent so all I can do is remember sorry I wrote so much I just want a night's sleep
Kevin Poppe
Its the soldier not the speaker who's given you the freedom of speech
Its the soldier not the reporter who's given you freedom of press
Its the soldier not the lawyer who's given you freedom of fair trial
Its the soldier who salutes and fights for the flag and who's coffin is draped by the flag who gives the protesters the freedom to burn the flag
Tóxico
That quote is part of our required “Warrior knowledge”
Martin Foster
Sound wisdom!
Rick Woelfel
With all due respect, it's reporters and the First Amendment that keep us free as much as anything soldiers do, Without the First Amendment none of our other Constitutional rights would have any value or meaning at all. I have tremendous respect for those who serve in the military. But without the First Amendment they would be an occupying force like the S.S. in Germany in WWII.