The Way I Talk

The song that started it all, ‘The Way I Talk‘ captured the in-your-face, rebellious attitude that came to define Morgan Wallen's introductory If I Know Me chapter.

It's proudly down-home, rowdy and carries the kind of soaring hook that peppers If I Know Me, before Morgan started to explore a subtler, more sinuous vocal style on later projects.

Despite the dizzying array of chart-toppers Morgan Wallen has secured in subsequent years, ‘The Way I Talk’ has maintained its position as a cornerstone of his setlist, as well as giving Morgan one of the greatest personal honours of his career - by being chosen as the fourth-quarter song for his beloved Tennessee Volunteers.

Broadway Girls (with Lil Durk)

A cross-genre collaboration that nobody saw coming. Lil Durk, one of rap’s most prominent voices, recruited Morgan Wallen for a ferocious, angst-ridden hook and verse on this unlikely duet. It went on to become Lil Durk’s first ever No. 1 as a lead artist.

Wallen’s gritty, rough-around-the-edges vocals filter through the track like an angry snarl, as he laments being messed around by another ‘Broadway Girl’.

The only thing wrong with the song is the grammatical nightmare of a lyric that somehow made its way into the chorus: “There's two things that you're gonna find out / They don't love you, and they only love you right now”.

F150-50

One of the stand-out lyrical odes on One Thing A Time, ‘F150-50’ combines two country tropes - trucks and heartbreak - and melds them into a sumptuous earworm. Wallen weighs up his chances of seeing his ex’s Ford returning to his driveway (“Heads, it's headlights headed home / Tread left on forgiveness / Tails, it's taillights tailin' off / Floor that Ford, forget this”), before concluding that his outlook is bleak with a punchline that’ll delight pun-lovers everywhere: “Tonight, it’s lookin’ F150-50”.

This Side of a Dust Cloud

A true deep cut that Wallenteers hold close to their hearts, ‘This Side of a Dust Cloud’ was tagged onto Dangerous as a bonus track alongside ‘Bandaid on a Bullet Hole’ and an acoustic version of ‘Sand in My Boots’. As a result, it flew largely under the radar.

But make no mistake, ‘This Side of a Dust Cloud’ is a storytelling gem, with Wallen teaming up with Matt Dragstrem, Chase McGill and Josh Thompson to produce a sinuous earworm. The cascading hook combines with Wallen's baleful delivery for a wonderfully pared-down meditation on the unique agony of watching your love ride off into the sunset. For any other artist, ‘This Side of a Dust Cloud’ would be a no-brainer radio single; for Wallen, it barely makes it onto the album.

‘98 Braves

Sports metaphors have regularly found their way into Morgan Wallen’s discography, but none are as compelling as his so-close-and-yet-so-far tale of the Atlanta Braves’ title-chasing season in 1998.

It’s packed with appealingly subtle baseball analogies, as Morgan compares the way they fell at the final hurdle to a doomed romance (“But just like that season / Girl, you and me didn't end with a ring on a hand / We got close but close doesn't cut it / Had a good run to end up with nothin'”).

Silverado For Sale

Remember the car that got you through life, from A to B and everything in between? You know, the car with all the memories attached? Come and get it, it's for sale.

Although country music has no shortage of truck songs, ‘Silverado For Sale’ somehow manages to sound like a gleaming, freshly buffed ride, with Wallen’s delicate, drawn-in delivery showcasing his vocal versatility.

Chasin’ You

Morgan Wallen’s third straight No. 1, this early If I Know Me ballad illuminated the softer, more intricate quality of his songwriting.

‘Chasin’ You’ again demonstrated Morgan's ear for a hook with chart-topping calibre, and in many people’s minds, it remains the song that first solidified the young Tennessean as a serious contender as a future country star.

TN

When Wallen dropped his 37-song opus, I'm the Problem, it's safe to say there was a lot of new material for listeners to digest. But it wasn't long before ’TN’ set itself apart as an early fan-favourite, despite not being teased by Wallen during the rollout.

Cushioned by a shimmering synth and an undulating guitar riff, the East Tennessee boy's vocals are once again on point here, as he captures the wistfulness of the narrative. It's one of those classic Wallen hooks that builds through multiple key-changes, and somehow manages to become even catchier with time. If Wallen doesn't send ‘TN’ to Country Radio before he turns his attention to his keenly anticipated next album, it will be a crime against country music.

Last Night

Another of Wallen’s many beat-driven, genre-blending tracks, ‘Last Night’ has become one of the most popular tracks from One Thing At A Time. Shortly after its release, it set up camp atop the Billboard Hot 100, keeping the likes of Drake and Miley Cyrus at bay for weeks on end.

While the subject matter stays close to his well-trodden path of heartbreak and alcohol-dressed wounds, the outward-looking sonic blueprint of ‘Last Night’ emphasises why Morgan's country hip hop fusion succeeds where the likes of Zac Brown, Brad Paisley and Jason Aldean have fallen flat.

I Got Better

Epitomising Wallen's exploration of some more indie-infused textures and genre-blurring sonics across I'm the Problem, ‘I Got Better’ saw the country titan delving into a brand new sound. We could listen to that cushioning guitar riff on a loop. When Wallen's sleek vocals enter the fray, it all comes together for an undeniable earworm.

There's a kind of casual confidence and swagger underpinning Wallen's delivery, as it dawns on him that the departure of an ex was the life-change he needed all along.

Superman

As well as seeing Wallen dive into new sonic territory, I'm the Problem found the Tennessee superstar getting more candid than we've ever heard him. ‘Superman’ is the embodiment of this, with Wallen penning the track in honour of his son, Indigo Wilder.

Over the course of the deftly stripped-back offering, Wallen self-consciously nods to his chequered past, before tentatively wondering whether his beloved son will be able to accept that his dad - his superhero - is fallible just like everyone else. It's a viscerally honest offering, and serves as a keystone of the album as a whole.

I Had Some Help (with Post Malone)

In many ways, the song of 2024, this seismic, tectonic-plate-shifting collaboration served as the official introduction to Post Malone’s F-1Trillion era. Given how Post had been one of the most popular artists on the planet for the best part of ten years, as well as possessing the only Double-Diamond single in history, what was striking about ‘I Had Some Help’ was the fact that Morgan Wallen ended up being the one who gave this the boost it needed to become a six-week Hot 100 No. 1.

On Spotify alone, Morgan’s involvement helped bring a 260% increase in first-time listeners for Post Malone, with this sleek, pop-infused hit blossoming into one of the biggest, most recognisable songs in each artists’ respective catalogues.

Whiskey Glasses

Here’s the one that sets up another key element of Wallen’s success – the very lack of it.

The ‘Morgan Wallen’ we get in songs like these is a sad and remorseful character; always losing the girl and feeling the pain of heartbreak. It's this deeply-felt and visceral emotion that makes his victories – if they come – feel more like triumphs.

The infectious ‘Whiskey Glasses’ has become an ubiquitous feature of country-themed club nights across the US and UK alike, and you'll struggle to walk down Nashville's famous Broadway strip without hearing it blaring from one of the many bars.

Love Somebody

Although exploring familiar heartbroken territory lyrically, sonically, ‘Love Somebody’ feels like the antithesis of its predecessor, ‘Lies, Lies, Lies’. Debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, ‘Love Somebody’ confirmed - just in case there was still any doubt - that the 2023 crossover popularity of ‘Last Night’ was no flash in the pan.

It’s the first time Morgan Wallen ventured into this breezy, Latin-inspired ambience, and hints at a continued willingness to explore adjacent genres to country music. ‘Love Somebody’ is a laid-back hit that, in Morgan’s words, will “sound good on the boat”. With that in mind, it was just a shame he waited until October to drop it.

You Proof

Although not one of Morgan Wallen’s most lyrically ornate or sonically complex songs, ‘You Proof’ has blossomed into one of the biggest hits of the past few years or so, and in mid-2023 became the longest-running Billboard Country Airplay Chart No. 1 ever.

Morgan's fiery vocals snake along a slick, energising beat, as he laments the fact that his ‘Whiskey Glasses’ no longer seem to be working like they used to (“Someone said it drowns a memory / Ah, but it ain't doing jack”).

Thought You Should Know

Co-written with fellow country star Miranda Lambert and one of Nashville's most prolific songwriters Nicole Galyon, ‘Thought You Should Know’ is an emotional sucker-punch phone call to Wallen's mother, with a moving sets of lyrics that read just like a transcript. It's a much, much harder trick to pull off than it looks, or sounds.

The level of vulnerability and self-awareness that underpins ‘Thought You Should Know’ foreshadowed the similarly intimate ‘Superman’ from Wallen's I'm the Problem era.

Cover Me Up

Another of those iconic Dangerous songs, originally recorded by its writer Jason Isbell on 2013's Southeastern.

The understated longing in Morgan Wallen's delivery brings a newfound sense of gravitas to the track. This cover opened up the song to an entirely new audience, and revealed to many what has become Morgan's most lethal weapon - his charismatic, drawled vocals.

Livin’ The Dream

The controversial context within which Dangerous arrived intensified the poignance of ‘Livin’ The Dream’.

For the first time, Wallen opens up about his struggles with alcohol and drug abuse, as he seeks to cleanse the lens through which the world has been seeing him (“Oh, there’s a stranger in the mirror / Oh, but according to the pictures / I’m a rockstar, in and out of cop cars / Livin’ out a suitcase, trashing hotel bars”). And that brilliant opening line - “Mama don't pray for my success anymore / Yeah, but Mama still prays for me” - immediately gives this track an ominous, foreboding spirit.

It’s the personal precursor to One Thing At A Time’s emotional finale, ‘Dying Man’, which offers a hopeful resolution to ‘Livin’ The Dream’.

Somebody's Problem

It’s a ringtone, it’s a pop tune, it’s the feeling in your stomach when you see that person walk through the door. Most of all, it’s demonstrably real.

Such a simple concept, but delivered with a level of sincerity and charisma that highlights once again how Morgan Wallen can transform a solid track into a world-class earworm.

Had Me by Halftime

One of Morgan Wallen’s very first sports-themed tracks, ‘Had Me by Halftime’ is a sweet, romantic tale of two Tennessee Volunteers fans hitting it off during a chance meeting ahead of the game.

‘Had Me by Halftime’ is an underrated classic in Morgan's discography, and evocatively transports you to a place where the Autumn leaves are fluttering down, the smell of freshly cut turf lingers in the air and everyone is on the edge of their seat, eagerly waiting for the chance to celebrate the opening touchdown. For the sequel to ‘Had Me by Halftime’, see One Thing At A Time’s ‘Tennessee Fan’.

Man Made A Bar (with Eric Church)

With Eric Church having lent Morgan Wallen his pen for Dangerous’ ‘Quittin’ Time’, it felt like a collaboration between the two was inevitable. ‘Man Made A Bar’, which was co-written by Larry Fleet, remoulds the Biblical account of creation into an origin story for the invention of neon lights as a remedy for broken hearts.

Similarly to I'm the Problem's ‘Number 3 and Number 7’, Wallen and Church's vocals combine seamlessly here, transforming a simple but witty heartbreak tale into a dramatic epic.

865

It’s no mean feat to work an entire phone number into a song and still make it sound cool. Morgan Wallen succeeds on this whiskey-drenched tear-jerker, where he returns to his familiar spot at the lonely end of the bar, staring wistfully into his glass as he wonders where it all went wrong.

Just as a heads-up, unlike Big Sean, who bafflingly included his actual phone number in a song, nothing too exciting happens if you dial Morgan ‘865’ digits. But we know you’re probably going to try it anyway.

I'm a Little Crazy

One of the most fascinating pieces of songwriting on Wallen's fourth studio album, I'm the Problem, ‘I'm a Little Crazy’ feels like a personal cri-de-coeur, despite Wallen not being a co-writer. It has HARDY's pen written all over it, with the country-rocker crafting this gem alongside Smith Ahnquist, Hunter Phelps and Jameson Rodgers.

‘I'm a Little Crazy’ is permeated by an eerie, off-kilter ambience, with Wallen stepping into the shoes of a cranky, Boo Radley-type figure who lives in a mysterious old house.

There are some striking turns of phrase sprinkled throughout, marking Wallen's rawest, edgiest release to date. It seems telling that Wallen chose this as one of the lead singles, despite the track not possessing that typically polished Country Radio feel.

More Than My Hometown

This might be the quintessential Morgan Wallen song, packed full of lightly drawn but powerfully felt detail and with a genuine dilemma at the heart of it.

She wants to leave, he wants to stay. Who’s the winner?

Alongside ‘7 Summers’, ‘More Than My Hometown’ confirmed fans’ suspicions that Morgan Wallen was gearing up to reach new heights with the impending arrival of his sophomore album, Dangerous. This track is the touchstone of the Morgan, HARDY and ERNEST trifecta, and established the trio as Nashville's new tastemakers.

7 Summers

Well, ‘More Than My Hometown‘ would be the quintessential Morgan Wallen song, if it wasn’t for this one.

Here, he dials the tempo down a notch and allies the regretful lyric to one of the most gorgeous melodies in his repertoire. A relic of the time when Morgan was as active on TikTok as the likes of Bailey Zimmerman and Tucker Wetmore, ‘7 Summers’ was one of the first truly viral hits that helped remould the way Music City approached its rollouts.

Don't Think Jesus

Long time collaborators Jessi Alexander, Mark Holman and Chase McGill wrote this for Morgan, who burst into tears when he first heard it.

He delivers perhaps the vocal of his career to date on the story of a hell-raising boy seeking forgiveness. Along with the likes of ‘Dying Man’ and ‘Livin’ The Dream’, these ballads find Morgan transforming his often blunt, straight-talking candour into endearing sincerity.

The context within which ‘Don't Think Jesus’ arrived was just as important as the song itself, marking Wallen's first single since Dangerous and the controversy that ensued shortly after. It finds Wallen providing a strikingly honest reflection on his state of mind after being blacklisted by much of the country community, weaving in spiritually-minded imagery around Jesus as he meditates on forgiveness.

Up Down (Feat. Florida Georgia Line)

‘Up Down’ remains a staple of Morgan Wallen's spellbinding live show - and for good reason. It’s a celebratory whiskey shot of a song, made with equal parts bro-country braggadocio and charming Southern swagger.

For lesser artists, this blockbuster, Florida Georgia Line-assisted chart-topper would have become the defining hit of their career. For Morgan, it just about makes it into his Top Five.

One Thing At A Time

An infectious floor-filler that feels like both the musical and thematic sequel to 2021’s ‘Dangerous’. It finds Morgan Wallen shrugging his shoulders as he lays out the options to his ex (“You say I gotta get over you and get sober too / I got a lot of habits I gotta kick / Weigh out all your options and take your pick”), before delivering the killer titular line, “I hate to tell you, girl / But I’m only quittin’ one thing at a time”.

Although being largely overlooked compared to other hits from the album, there's a reason Wallen decided to name the project and the associated tour after this. ‘One Thing at a Time’ showcased a new dimension to Morgan's sound, and laid the foundation for the genre-blurring electricity of ‘I Had Some Help’ and ’Love Somebody’.

Sand In My Boots

There’s a run of hits on Dangerous which is as good as any of the modern country era – melodically strong, lyrically direct but subtle and emotionally wrenching with it.

‘Sand in My Boots’ kicks it all off, with Wallen delivering a sun-soaked tale of holiday heartbreak. It has all the beachside, escapist imagery of your favourite Kenny Chesney song, but minus the joie-de-vivre and jubilation, as Wallen returns home crestfallen. This has become such a crucial song in the country music canon that Wallen even references it himself on his contentious I'm the Problem hit, ‘Miami’.

It's become one of the most evocative moments in Wallen's live-wire set, with the country trailblazer stripping it all back and performing this heartfelt ballad alongside his trusty piano.

Everything I Love

‘Everything I Love’ is well and truly one for the traditionalists.

Inventively interpolating a sample of The Allman Brothers Band's ‘Midnight Rider’, ‘Everything I Love’ finds Morgan Wallen singing jauntily in front of an irresistibly buoyant ‘90s country backdrop.

It’s a wonderfully twangy heartbreak anthem that serves as a playful wink to everyone who claims Morgan's sound isn’t country enough.