“I let the songs be what they’re going to be, and I pride myself on that,” he notes. “Musically, it ranges from southern rock to country to Americana. When it comes to songwriting, I want to focus on what’s real – I don’t shy away from saying the hard things.”
Growing up in the small town of Prosper, TX, he gravitated towards music as a little kid. By five-years-old, he constantly belted out Alan Jackson songs around the house much to his family’s chagrin. “Everyone used to tell me to shut up,” he laughs. “I was the kid who sang all the time.”
After catching Wade Bowen and Brandon Rhyder in concert, his destiny crystallized in high school. “I remember saying to myself, ‘That’s what I want to do’,” he recalls. “That’s what led me to picking up a guitar.”
Inspired by everyone from George Strait, Tom Petty, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Rolling Stones to his favorite band Whiskey Myers, he wrote countless songs and cut his teeth at gigs anywhere with a stage. In between holding down a job as a skip tracer, he carefully honed his signature style. Quitting his job in 2019, he unveiled the Medicine Man EP. “Come Back Down” generated 19.1 million Spotify streams followed by “Beautiful Lies” with 18 million Spotify streams. During 2021, he tirelessly gigged in between releasing the SÕL Sessions EP. “The Light” also notably soundtracked the finale of Yellowstone Season 4. Along the way, he cemented himself as an electrifying and energetic live presence with over 180 shows in 2022.
“When we’re on stage, our goal is to have the audience clinging to the edge of their seats,” he shares. “I get to play with a bunch of badasses, and I don’t take it for granted. We pounded the pavement and put at least 100K miles on the van in a year-and-a-half.”
Signing to Atlantic Records, he kickstarted 2023 with “Take Me Home,” cracking 10 million streams and counting. On its heels, the single “Give It Some Time” threads together dusty acoustic guitar and unfiltered lyrics as he pleads, “Give me something to believe in, baby, because I’ve been losing my mind.” Against an organ-laden beat, it builds towards an emotionally charged guitar solo that’s as scorching as his delivery is.
Ultimately, Tanner’s music might just say everything you need.
“I hope you hear what you want to hear, enjoy it, resonate with it, and know it’s real,” he leaves off. “It’s been a wild ride. I’ve busted my ass. I started off doing all of this on my own, so it’s crazy to see how this and the team around me have grown. People are going after real music right now, and that’s great. I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes next.”
The Light
Tanner Usrey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It ain't no good for me
I stay drunk all the time
And I can′t get no sleep
Well I'm in my own self inflicted misery
I got no one to blame
Nobody to blame but me
I got this devil on my shoulder
One leads to redemption
One takes me to hell tonight
People say I'm crazy
And they′re probably right
Live so close to the edge
That I can′t see the light
Oh see that light
If these pills don't work
I′ll bet that the whiskey will
You know I got these shakes
That make it hard to stand still
And I'll get in my car
And I′ll go for a drive
It's funny how 100 miles an hour
Is the only thing that makes you feel alive
I got this devil on my shoulder
And an angel to my right
One leads to redemption
One takes me to hell tonight
People say I′m crazy
And they're probably right
Live so close to the edge
That I can't see the light
Oh see that light
Saying woah oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh
Whoa oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Saying woah oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh
Whoa oh
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Whoa oh
Whoa oh oh oh
Whoa
The song "The Light" by Tanner Usrey is a poignant exploration of the singer's troubled state of mind. In the opening lines of the song, Usrey reveals that he is in a bad shape and that he cannot sleep. He then admits that he is responsible for his own misery, as he drinks all the time and has no one else to blame. The song paints a vivid picture of a man who is struggling with addiction and the self-destructive habits that come with it.
The lyrics of the song are very introspective and reveal a great deal about the singer's state of mind. He talks about the devil on his shoulder and the angel on his right, with the former taking him towards destruction and the latter leading him towards salvation. This is a common metaphor used in literature and music to represent the internal turmoil of a person struggling with their own thoughts and emotions.
The structure of the song is fairly simple, with a repeated chorus and a number of verses that explore different aspects of the singer's life. The repetition of the chorus, with the line "Oh see that light", creates a sense of urgency and desperation, as the singer desperately seeks a way out of his troubles.
Overall, "The Light" by Tanner Usrey is a deeply personal and emotionally charged song that speaks to the struggles of millions of people around the world who are grappling with addiction and mental health issues.
Line by Line Meaning
Well this shape I'm in
My current situation is not good
It ain't no good for me
It's not beneficial for me
I stay drunk all the time
I constantly consume alcohol
And I can't get no sleep
I have trouble sleeping
Well I'm in my own self inflicted misery
I am the cause of my own suffering
I got no one to blame
No one else is responsible
Nobody to blame but me
I am the only one responsible
I got this devil on my shoulder
I have negative influences in my life
And an angel to my right
I have positive influences in my life
One leads to redemption
One direction leads to positive change
One takes me to hell tonight
One direction leads to negative consequences
People say I'm crazy
Others think I have mental health issues
And they're probably right
Their perception of me may be accurate
Live so close to the edge
I am living dangerously
That I can't see the light
I am unable to see a way out of my current state
Oh see that light
I want to find hope and a way out of my situation
If these pills don't work
If medication doesn't help
I'll bet that the whiskey will
I will try drinking alcohol instead
You know I got these shakes
I experience tremors
That make it hard to stand still
Tremors make it difficult to remain motionless
And I'll get in my car
I will drive my vehicle
And I'll go for a drive
I will take a ride in my car
It's funny how 100 miles an hour
Reckless driving is a strange way to feel alive
Is the only thing that makes you feel alive
Driving at high speeds is the only way to feel excitement
Saying woah oh
Vocalizing a sound of distress
Whoa oh oh oh oh
Repeating the distressed sound
Whoa oh
Repeating the distressed sound
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Repeating the distressed sound
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Repeating the distressed sound
Whoa oh oh oh oh oh
Repeating the distressed sound
Whoa oh
Repeating the distressed sound
Whoa oh oh oh oh
Repeating the distressed sound
Whoa oh
Repeating the distressed sound
Writer(s): Tanner Usrey
Contributed by Liliana J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TannerUsreyMusic
Thank y'all so much for the love on The Light!
SCOTT LESKER
Hell yeah! Great jam! 😎🎼
I Got Moxie
Randomly heard this song on my 1994 radio several months ago and now I'm a country song fan🤠🤠🤠
WhiteMe
I love and admire your music!!! ❤️
Skinnyframer 91
Killing it fellas. Can’t wait to see a show.
TannerUsreyMusic
Just announced a bunch of new dates, check out the website. Hope to see you on the road!
Megan Hughes
Great tune this helps me when I'm in the gym working out lol
TannerUsreyMusic
We've got some good blood pumping tunes!
Karee B
Love it!
Tina Freeman
Love this ❤much support ❤️ 💙