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Country's latest viral vocalist, Bayker Blankenship, has come a long way in 2024, and he maps such a whirlwind journey throughout his newly dropped single, '300 Miles'.
Arriving on Dec. 11, the year-end release caps the young artist's breakthrough year, which has seen the rise of his smash success, 'Maxed Out', and the release of his subsequent EP, Younger Years.
Where the new tune finds him looking back at how far he's come, '300 Miles' also gives fans a little taste of what they can still expect from the skyrocketing star as he heads into 2025 with even more hits in store.
Born from a distant "Hey!" and the pluck and jangle of bright folk acoustics, '300 Miles' is a racing number reminiscent of open roads and late nights. The song doesn't stray far from its shuddering beat and simple strings, but it's an effective composition all the same as the artist sings of chasing highs and achieving dreams but never forgetting where it all started.
"Laid up in Glasgow, it's not a likely thing
Them boys from Kentucky, they sure can drink
Bluegrass and bourbon, yeah, the bottle got me hurting
Been tryna slow down, doesn't seem to be working
Light a cigarette and the night's just begun
If I play this song right, would you let me bum one?
If I buy another round, would you tell me what you're thinkin'?
Them boys from Kentucky, they sure been drinkin'"
'300 Miles' finds Blankenship reflecting on his life and career, two things that changed seemingly overnight with the viral success of his 2024 hit, 'Maxed Out.'
The new tune plants him amidst distant places and unfamiliar faces as he chases his dreams out on the road. When the song opens, he's in the middle of having all these new experiences, drinking and smoking with "them boys from Kentucky."
He sings of being 300 miles from home, describing himself as a "man on the run, just a-looking for fun", who's been making his way "from the Mississippi river to the California sun."
He's among the evergreen trees and the Rocky Mountains, surrounded by weed smoke, as well as "Subaru yuppies and the little hippie honeys." And while it's all fun, fresh and freeing, the moral of the song is there's no place like home.
"Headed back to God's country in the rural Tennessee
Gotta check my momma as she can't see
Bet a boy might be dancing to the beat of his own drum
But he won't ever forget where he's coming from"
As he sings of heading homeward and seeing his mother for the first time in a while, Blankenship and his song both begin to brim with equal parts excitement and ease. He may be off finding himself and taking in the world beyond his Tennessee home, but he declares "he won't ever forget where he's coming from" and confesses "being out on the road makes me love this place more"
When announcing the tune's arrival on social media, Blankenship explained, "This song was written during my last cross-country tour, as I explored new places and breathtaking views I’ve never seen before. I can’t wait to share my story through this song."
He also took a moment to reflect on his whirlwind 2024, writing in the post, "This has been the most extraordinary year of my life, surpassing even my wildest dreams. I started this journey a few years ago, simply strumming a guitar. The overwhelming support and love I’ve received since maxed out was released has filled me with such gratitude for this opportunity. It has also taught me a valuable lesson, while all this music stuff is incredibly enjoyable and rewarding, sometimes, the longing for home can be stronger than anything else."
Hey
Laid up in Glasgow, it's not a likely thing
Them boys from Kentucky, they sure can drink
Bluegrass and bourbon, yeah, the bottle got me hurting
Been tryna slow down, doesn't seem to be working
Light a cigarette and the night's just begun
If I play this song right, would you let me bum one?
If I buy another round, would you tell me what you're thinkin'?
Them boys from Kentucky, they sure been drinkin'
And I'm three hundred miles from you
I pray that I make it home soon, baby
Man on the run, just a-looking for fun
From the Mississippi river to the California sun
Hey
Come on
The evergreen trees make it hard to brеathe
I ain't talking elevation, I'm talking 'bout weed
Thе Subaru yuppies and the little hippie honeys
Breathe in too deep, got you feeling kind of funny
And I'm 300 feet from losing my mind
Man on the moon, Rocky Mountain high
Man on the run just a looking for fun
From Peachtree, Georgia, all the way to Canada
Headed back to God's country in rural Tennessee
Gotta check my momma as she can't see
Bet a boy might be dancing to the beat of his own drum
But he won't ever forget where he's coming from
And I'm 10 more steps from my front door
Being out on the road makes me love this place more
Man on the run just a looking for fun
From the Mississippi river to the California sun
Man on the run just a shooting out his gun
From Peachtree, Georgia, all the way to Canada
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For more on Bayker Blankenship, see below: