Green had written the song and performed it on tour before adding it to the tracklist of his debut album. According to him, he was persuaded to record the song by Brad Paisley. The song caused waves on country radio, for the lyric "I wish country music still got played on country radio." A radio edit was created to edit out the jab towards pop country, and the lyric was replaced with "I wish George Jones still got played on country radio."
The song is a tribute to Green's grandfathers, both of whom are also credited as co-writers on the song.
The song has sold 123,000 copies in the United States as of March 2020.
I Wish Grandpas Never Died
Riley Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wish every porch had a swing
Wish kids still learned to say "sir" and "ma'am"
How to shake a hand
I wish every state had a Birmingham
I wish everybody knew all the words to Mama Tried
I wish Monday mornings felt just like Friday nights
And I wish even cars had truck beds
And every road was named Copperhead
And coolers never run out of cold Bud Light
And I wish high school home teams never lost
And back road drinkin' kids never got caught
And I wish the price of gas was low and cotton was high
I wish honky tonks didn't have no closing time
And I wish grandpas never died
I wish Sunday's on a creek bank would never end
Wish I could learn to drive again
Wish the first time, seventeen
She was my everything
Kiss in a Chevrolet could happen every day
I wish everybody overseas was gonna make it home
I wish Country music still got played on Country radio
And I wish even cars had truck beds
And every road was named Copperhead
And coolers never run out of cold Bud Light
And I wish high school home teams never lost
And back road drinkin' kids never got caught
And I wish the price of gas was low and cotton was high
I wish honky tonks didn't have no closing timeAnd I wish grandpas never died
Never died
And I wish good dogs never got grey and old
I wish farms never got sold
And I wish even cars had truck beds
And every road was named Copperhead
And coolers never run out of cold Bud Light
I wish high school home teams never lost
And back road drinkin' kids never got caught
And I wish the price of gas was low and cotton was high
I wish honky tonks didn't have no closing time
And I wish grandpas never died
I wish grandpas never died
The song "I Wish Grandpas Never Died" by Riley Green is a tribute to his grandfather and the memories they shared. The lyrics express the desire to hold onto the things that make life meaningful and the simple pleasures that we often take for granted. The song opens with a wish for traditional values to be upheld, such as respect for elders and the idea that "every state had a Birmingham," referencing the rich heritage of southern culture. Green goes on to express a longing for the things that make life fun, like honky-tonk bars with no closing time, Sunday fishing trips that never end, and the first kiss in a Chevrolet. The singer's yearning for a life untouched by the harsh realities of the world is encapsulated in the refrain "And I wish grandpas never died," which serves as a sort of a nostalgic prayer for a simpler, happier time.
The song is unique in its balance of reverence for the past and celebration of the present. The singer longs for the simplicity of an earlier time while still acknowledging and cherishing the joys of the present. Through his storytelling, he highlights the importance of living in the moment and cherishing the memories we make with the people we love. This song resonates with many because it speaks to a yearning for a world unchanged by time and the inevitability of change.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish girls you loved never gave back diamond rings
I wish that the girls who you have loved with all your heart never returned the diamond rings that you gave them.
I wish every porch had a swing
I wish that every house had a porch with a swing on it to reminisce about the good memories.
Wish kids still learned to say "sir" and "ma'am"
I wish that kids still had manners, being respectful by addressing people as 'sir' and 'ma'am'.
How to shake a hand
I wish that the tradition of learning how to properly shake hands was still in place.
I wish every state had a Birmingham
I wish that every state had a city or a town as special as Birmingham.
I wish everybody knew all the words to Mama Tried
I wish that every country music fan knew all the lyrics to Mama Tried, a classic Merle Haggard song.
I wish Monday mornings felt just like Friday nights
I wish that the joy and excitement of Friday nights felt the same way as Monday mornings.
And I wish even cars had truck beds
I wish that even cars had beds on the back like a truck that can be used to share moments and memories.
And every road was named Copperhead
I wish that every road could bring back the nostalgia of Copperhead by making it their name.
And coolers never run out of cold Bud Light
I wish that during every party, the cooler is forever stocked with cold Bud Light.
And I wish high school home teams never lost
I wish that the home team in high school sports never loses and always keeps the spirits high.
And back road drinkin' kids never got caught
I wish that the fun-loving and adventurous back road-drinking kids never get caught by the authorities.
And I wish the price of gas was low and cotton was high
I wish that the economy's cycles were favorable; gas at a cheaper rate and cotton crops produced in abundance.
I wish honky tonks didn't have no closing time
I wish that honky-tonks, the traditional American bars or clubs, never closed, and the music continued all night long.
And I wish grandpas never died
I wish that our grandparents would live forever and not pass away, so the memories we have with them remain.
I wish Sundays on a creek bank would never end
I wish that the memories made on a Sunday by the creek bank never come to an end.
Wish I could learn to drive again
I wish that I could go back and experience the excitement and freedom of learning how to drive all over again.
Wish the first time, seventeen
I wish I could relive that first love, the electric feeling when I was seventeen years old.
She was my everything
She was my world, my everything.
Kiss in a Chevrolet could happen every day
A kiss in a Chevrolet, a romantic moment, should happen every day and not just a random memory.
I wish everybody overseas was gonna make it home
I wish that everyone who has gone overseas for military service would come back home safely.
I wish Country music still got played on Country radio
I wish that genuine country music still stays alive and played on country radio without changes or modifications.
And I wish good dogs never got grey and old
I wish that our loyal canine companions would never get old or grey and maintain their youthful spirit.
I wish farms never got sold
I wish that the legacy of our ancestors, the farms they owned, would remain within our families, and never sold to the outside world.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Buford Green, Lendon Bonds, Riley Green
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Dieseldickrick
Just lost my grandpa today, April 25th, 2020 at 3:38 PM. Wasnt prepared for it. I wish my grandpa never died. Marine and retired FDNY firefighter. Love you grandpa.
Kev
@nickguthrie419
RIP I'm sorry, we will all get to see our grandpa's again. That's why we have the memories.
@charlessteele5126
Rest in Peace brother!
@kaelynmeador5518
Rest In Peace it’s a better place up there
@yourmomssteakhouse7455
sorry for you loss
@barelleracingpeoplechanel138
Mine died when I was 6 cryed so much😭😔😭😭😭😭😔😔😔😔😔
@davidsnyder3541
I'm a 62 year old grandpa, with health issues. My 15 year old grandson is my best buddy. Wish I didn't have to go.
@4JeepxJK4
DAVID SNYDER god bless
@austinparrish6301
Fuck man thats heart breaking
@billymanley1612
God bless you man, ain't nothing like a good grandpa