Riley Smith's vocals and songwriting blend country rock, soulful Americana … Read Full Bio ↴Riley Smith's vocals and songwriting blend country rock, soulful Americana and modern pop. No secret to those familiar with his role on the popular TV show “Nashville”, Smith’s gritty, yet smooth, singing voice and charismatic presence have built for him a career on stage and screen. Acting in popular shows like "True Blood", "True Detective", and his latest lead, on The CW’s "Frequency," got him out in front of people. But mixing his acting work with his love music has introduced him to them in a way unlike any other role he has played.

Riley’s self-titled EP, produced by Kevin Leach and co-written with a cast of songwriters of all variations, is inspired by his time spent in Nashville and is relative to feelings and emotions he had whilst living in such a compelling, yet isolating, city. “My influences are as diverse as the city”. After landing a role in hit TV show “Nashville," Riley became aware of the impact iconic city of music had upon him. Smith set out to use this opportunity to his advantage. His time spent in Nashville was spent submerging himself in music. Smith confides, "I set out with a goal and plan to utilize my time in Nashville to write with as many writers as I could with the goal of making an album”

Smith began by diving into the realm of classic country music, exploring it’s history and roots. The longer he was in town, and the more musicians he collaborated with, his sound started developing into something more dynamic and divergent. Smith’s writing process began to reference a wider variety of sounds and styles, resulting in a body of music that is relatable, heartfelt and diverse. "It's what I think makes the sound unique and kind of difficult to put in a box.” Smith reveals.

Selfish
Riley Smith Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Someday selfish is gonna get old
One day this road's gonna take its toll
Chasing dreams
Waking up alone
Just spinning round in this ver-ti-go
Banging guitars and strangers in dive bars
Hymns about leaving
And losing religion

Neons and roll your owns
I love you through the telephone Baby when ya coming home
It's all I've ever known

Someday selfish is gonna get old One
Day this road is gonna take its toll
Chasing dreams
Waking up alone
Just spinning round in this ver-ti-go
Someday selfish is gonna get old
Oh, it's gonna get old

Music city to the city of angels Highways and by-ways
And fly days get tangled
Out of sight and out of mind
Burn a dollar make a dime
Find a lover for the night
It's all I've ever known

Someday selfish is gonna get old
One day this fire's gonna burn out cold
Is it worth it
Well I don't know
Will you be there
When I get home
Someday selfish is gonna get old
It's gonna get old
It's just me Myself
And I can't help
Running down this same old road
It's all I've ever known

One day this fire's gonna burn out cold
Cause someday selfish is gonna get old
Chasing dreams
Waking up alone
It's all I've ever known
Find a lover
Out of sight and out of mind
Burn a dollar
Make a dime
Make a dime
Neons and roll your owns

I love you through the telephone This dang telephone
And I don't know

Overall Meaning

The song "Selfish" by Riley Smith speaks to the harsh reality of chasing dreams and the toll it takes on one's personal life. The lyrics suggest that living a life of selfishness ultimately leads to a feeling of emptiness and loneliness. The singer of the song is on the road, chasing his dreams, but at the same time, he is disconnected from his personal life. He spends his time in dive bars, playing his guitar, singing songs about leaving and losing religion. He finds lovers for the night and communicates with his loved ones through the telephone.

The song speaks about the consequences of a selfish lifestyle, where the singer is blinded by the pursuit of his dreams and has forgotten about the ones who truly love and care about him. The phrase "someday selfish is gonna get old" is repeated several times throughout the song, suggesting that this lifestyle is not sustainable in the long run. The lyrics convey a feeling of uncertainty about the singer's future, as he questions, "Is it worth it? Well, I don't know, Will you be there when I get home?"

In conclusion, "Selfish" by Riley Smith is a song that portrays the difficulties of pursuing one's dreams at the expense of one's personal life. It is a reminder to find a balance between ambition and relationships, as a life of selfishness leads to emptiness and loneliness.

Line by Line Meaning

Someday selfish is gonna get old
Being only concerned about oneself will eventually become tiresome

One day this road's gonna take its toll
The journey to achieve one's dreams may come at a cost

Chasing dreams
Pursuing one's desires and aspirations

Waking up alone
Feeling lonely even after pursuing one's dreams

Just spinning round in this ver-ti-go
Feeling dizzy and disoriented from the continuous pursuit of one's dreams

Banging guitars and strangers in dive bars
Engaging in meaningless relationships while living the rockstar lifestyle

Hymns about leaving
Songs about departing from a place or person

And losing religion
Doubting or losing faith in one's beliefs or principles

Neons and roll your owns
Bars with bright lights and a selection of loose tobacco for customers to roll their cigarettes

I love you through the telephone Baby when ya coming home
Expressing love and longing for someone far away

It's all I've ever known
Living a life of chasing dreams and searching for love is all the singer has experienced

Music city to the city of angels Highways and by-ways And fly days get tangled Out of sight and out of mind Burn a dollar make a dime Find a lover for the night
Traveling from Nashville to Los Angeles, dealing with the stresses of being on the road, using money and intimacy to get through it

One day this fire's gonna burn out cold
The passion and drive to chase dreams will eventually fade away

Is it worth it
Questioning whether the sacrifices made to achieve one's dreams are worth it

Well I don't know
Uncertain about the answer to the previous question

Will you be there When I get home
Wondering if there will be someone waiting for the singer once they're done chasing their dreams

It's just me Myself And I can't help Running down this same old road
The singer is alone on this journey and can't help but continue down the same path

Find a lover Out of sight and out of mind Burn a dollar Make a dime Make a dime Neons and roll your owns
Continuing the cycle of using money and intimacy to get through the stresses of chasing dreams

This dang telephone
Expressing frustration with the distance between the singer and their loved one

Contributed by Olivia T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS