By Annie Reuter
Eric Church is kicking off 2014 in style with his new single “Give Me Back My Hometown.” Released today (Jan. 3), the soaring ballad is a departure from lead single and title track “The Outsiders.” The two tracks indicate the versatility that his new album will likely bring when it drops on Feb. 11.
The rootsy, nostalgic song brings Church back in time and to his hometown as he tries to get over an ex. “Damn, I used to love this view/ Sit here and drink a few/ Main Street in high school/ Up on Friday night,” he sings at the track’s opening as he revisits his high school football field.
With a drum machine and his familiar vocals, Church leaves his mark on the second single off his forthcoming release.
Related: Eric Church, Zac Brown & the Increasingly Blurred Lines Between Rock & Country
In a November Billboard cover story, Church revealed that he wrote or co-wrote 121 songs for The Outsiders and said there is no irony in the album title selection.
“A lot of people think it’s ironic that we’ve had the success we’ve had over the last couple of years, won awards and had No. 1s, and it’s called The Outsiders,” Church said. “But it’s about the journey to get to that point. I certainly have a place in my heart for anybody who is different, anybody who is doing things that other people aren’t doing. I’ve been that person.”
He added: “Most people are focused on singles. They are focused on downloads. I can’t do records that way. I don’t think you can ever really dive into what an artist is about after a song or two. You have to read the whole book, not just one chapter.”
Read more about Eric Church’s new single and get a link to hear the song on Radio.com
