“I Was Just So Humbled”: Morgan Wallen’s Mom Lesli on Hearing ‘Thought You Should Know’ for the First Time

Morgan Wallen has made a point in recent years of digging deeper and peeling back more and more layers through his music, epitomised by his deeply introspective meditation on fatherhood, ‘Superman’, and the soul-searching despairing ‘Revelation’.

And you could argue that the pivotal moment in Wallen's discography where he started sharing more of himself was ‘Thought You Should Know’, the heartfelt ode to his mother, Lesli, which arrived back in 2022 ahead of his third album, One Thing At A Time.

The timing felt significant, with ‘Thought You Should Know’ following the spiritually-minded ‘Don't Think Jesus’, which was largely interpreted as a response to the criticism he'd been facing after his high-profile racial slur incident the previous year.

This was a new, maturer and more contemplative version of Wallen that we'd only seen in doses in his music before this, on underrated Dangerous gems like ‘Livin’ the Dream’.

While attending the 2022 Billboard Music Awards with his mother shortly after releasing ‘Thought You Should Know’, Wallen warmly reflected on why he felt it was important to pay homage to the woman who helped make him the man and artist he is today, “Yeah, I mean, I don't think I would be here if it weren't for her. She threw me up on stage when I was 3 years old...and a whole lot of other things since then, too. But she gave me my initial start, so I'm trying to show her some recognition”.

The interviewer then asked what Lesli's reaction was when Wallen played her ‘Thought You Should Know’. She underlined that it was an emotional moment, “The first time I heard it, I cried, and of course I was just so humbled that he would do that for me”.

Lesli goes on to joke about the country hitmaker's notorious lyric, “I got me a new girl down there in Jefferson City, and / She lets me fish whenever I want to”. Wallen's mother quips, “The second time I heard it, I said, ‘Who's the girl from Jefferson City?’” Wallen laughs, before awkwardly remarking, “She's not around anymore”.

Despite it being over four years since its release, ‘Thought You Should Know’ remains a true fan-favourite in the ‘Love Somebody’ singer-songwriter's expansive discography.

It showcases both his willingness to be vulnerable and his continued dedication to highlighting his roots. Even as his star-power has exploded in recent years, Wallen still makes a point of tipping his backwards-baseball-cap to his Sneedville upbringing. Lesli, meanwhile, plays a pivotal role in the Morgan Wallen Foundation.

And with this in mind, it's perhaps no surprise that family has become such a crucial muse for Wallen of late, with the ‘Last Night’ crooner opening up about his blossoming relationship with his dad, Tommy, in recent interviews, as well as stressing how having his own son, Indigo Wilder, has helped him appreciate his father a lot more. It's a welcome evolution for the once-rowdy country maverick, and with a new album in the works, we're excited to see this reflected in the music.

Comments

Sign in to commentAnyone can read the comments. You need a free account to post one.

Loading comments…

Keep it civil. Read our community guidelines.