‘Back in the Saddle’ by Luke Combs - Lyrics & Meaning

After teasing ‘Back in the Saddle’ across his socials for weeks on end, Luke Combs has finally made the fiery, galvanising track available to stream on Friday, July 25th 2025. It's expected to be the lead single from his keenly anticipated sixth album.

It serves as a rowdy comeback of sorts for the North Carolina hitmaker, after Luke Combs eschewed his trademark, high-energy anthems in favour of stripped-back, vulnerable odes to parenthood on 2024's Fathers & Sons. That project was critically acclaimed and respected by fans, but we'd be lying if we didn't say we've been hankering for some classic ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart’-esque earworms. Combs accompanied the song's arrival with a rip-roaring, NASCAR-themed music video, featuring cameos from Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Richard Petty.

‘Back in the Saddle’ is the traditional-leaning, honky-tonkin’ fire-starter we've been needing from Luke Combs. The ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ singer-songwriter showcases his charismatic, raspy drawl across a charged, angsty bed of electric guitars. It's a powerhouse vocal performance from Combs, with the country titan serving up a timely reminder as to why he's still one of the modern greats.

“I’ve been gone for a little too long
I’ve been waitin’ on the drummer to kick off a comeback song
I’ve been waitin’ in the wings like a dog on a chain

I can feel this fire building up a little wild in it
Went and checked the wire, sure enough there’s live in it
Try to stop it but I can’t, it’s callin’ my name”

Luke Combs immediately sets the tone of ‘Back in the Saddle’ by stressing that he's been chomping at the bit to get back into the game, following a relatively quiet period of time. He describes a “fire” that's been gaining force inside his chest, before underlining that there's no stopping him as he storms back into the musical arena.

“‘Cause I’m back in the saddle like some old cowboy
Who dug his way out of his grave
Pulled up his boots, put his pistol on his hip
Climbed up and took hold of the reins
Don’t worry where I’ve been
I’m back in the saddle again”

Using an age-old country music image, Luke Combs depicts his comeback as a weather-worn cowboy getting back on the horse and reaching for his pistol once again. Combs even uses the metaphor of clawing his way out of the grave, perhaps conveying a sense that many people had started writing him off after the relatively underwhelming sales figures posted by his latest album, Fathers & Sons. That's their mistake, as Combs outlines in no uncertain terms that he's back.

“I’ve been gone for a little too long
I’ve been waitin’ on the drummer to kick off a comeback song
I’ve been waitin’ in the wings like a dog on a chain

-

I can feel this fire building up a little wild in it
Went and checked the wire, sure enough there’s live in it
Try to stop it but I can’t, it’s callin’ my name

-

‘Cause I’m back in the saddle like some old cowboy
Who dug his way out of his grave
Pulled up his boots, put his pistol on his hip
Climbed up and took hold of the reins
Don’t worry where I’ve been
I’m back in the saddle again

-

This time I’m takin’ what’s mine
Like a long lost out west outlaw outta his mind
I’m ridin’ into town, no turnin’ back now

-

‘Cause I’m back in the saddle like some old cowboy
Who dug his way out of his grave
Pulled up his boots, put his pistol on his hip
Climbed up and took hold of the reins
Don’t worry where I’ve been
I’m back in the saddle again

-

‘Cause I’m back in the saddle like some old cowboy
Who dug his way out of his grave
Pulled up his boots, put his pistol on his hip
Climbed up and took hold of the reins
Don’t worry where I’ve been
I’m back in the saddle again

-

Don’t worry where I’ve been
I’m back in the saddle again”

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