‘Country in the Clouds’ by Dylan Marlowe & Conner Smith - Lyrics & Meaning

We already think Dylan Marlowe and Conner Smith's rose-tinted, down-home ode, ‘Country in the Clouds’, might be a contender of Song of the Year - but even if it doesn't take this honour, this duet unquestionably deserves to win Rollout of the Year.

Towards the end of March 2025, Dylan Marlowe and Conner Smith - who were on tour together at the time - each started teasing snippets of ‘Country in the Clouds’ via social media.

Then, in a hilarious twist, Marlowe and Smith accused one another of stealing their song, with the latter sending the ‘Boys Back Home’ hitmaker a mock cease-and-desist letter.

These sketches arrived shortly after Dylan Marlowe and Conner Smith kicked off 2025 with an array of amusing, Step Brothers-inspired skits promoting their first ever joint tour.

Although they announced that whoever's TikTok clip got the most interactions would be allowed to release ‘Country in the Clouds’, thankfully, Marlowe and Smith ultimately buried this (pretend) hatchet and dropped the track as a collaboration on April 25th.

It's a warm, bucolic reflection of what Heaven might hold in store, with Dylan Marlowe and Conner Smith expressing their hope that there is plenty of country on the other side of the pearly gates, with deer stands, front porches and dirt roads aplenty.

The composition of ‘Country in the Clouds’ perfectly reflects the rurally-minded themes that pervade the lyrics, with Dylan Marlowe and Conner Smith opting for a wonderfully twangy, steel-infused instrumental. There are energising banjo flourishes thrown into the mix for the hook, giving this track a folk-driven ambience.

The sparse, ethereal opening captures the peaceful feeling of visiting a celestial, angelic space, before the central guitar riff enters the fray. Marlowe and Smith's wistful, commanding vocals combine seamlessly, with their friendship endearingly radiating throughout this joyful, faith-filled ode. This track has us hoping this isn't the last time the two country prodigies decide to join forces in the studio.

“I hope that momma’s house is right down the golden street

So, I can swing on by in my angel wings

I hope that my bird dog is running in the yard

When I walk right through those gates, she’s the first one in my arms

I know the Bible says that it’s as perfect as can be

Is it a sin to wish there’s a couple deer stands in the trees?”

Dylan Marlowe opens ‘Country in the Clouds’ by picturing what Heaven might be like. He muses that, given the fact that the Bible describes it as being “as perfect as can be”, surely he can look forward to there being some country comforts in the skies.

Marlowe yearns to be greeted by the familiarity of his mother's home as he walks down the golden streets of Heaven, along with his old hunting dog running into his arms. He then wonders if it's sinful to hope there are some deer stands in Heaven.

“Yeah, I hope there’s country in the clouds

I hope my side of heaven feels just like a little town

When it’s my time and they lay me down

The good old boy in me just hopes there’s country in the clouds

Hallelujah

Hallelujah”

Throughout the undulating hook, Marlowe and Smith double-down on their longing for Heaven to feel like their close-knit small-town, before singing their praises to God, seemingly underlining that, in the end, they'll be content with whatever He gives them.

“I know my grandma’s up there, heaven knows I miss her

I pray there’s cathead biscuits and catfish in the river

A winding gravel driveway, my mansion in the sky

And a front porch big enough for this old sinner’s whole bloodline

There’s fields full of peanuts and there’s homemade wine

There’s dirt roads and planted pines”

Conner Smith echoes Dylan Marlowe's sentiments, revealing that he's been praying that his grandmother will be waiting for him up in Heaven, in addition to a very long front porch that can fit all of his ancestors. He introduces a few more country-inspired items onto his bucket-list, such as dirt roads and planted pines.

There's a witty play on words concealed in the first line of Smith's verse, as he croons, “I know my grandma's up there, heaven knows I miss her”. Seeing as he's singing about what might be in store in Heaven, this adds a playful tone to this opening lyric.

“Every afternoon, His praises we’ll sing

Glory to the highest, the King of Kings

And maybe me and Jesus, my daddy, and my brothers

Will go catch a couple of keepers ‘til they call us in for supper”

Dylan Marlowe and Conner Smith conclude by stressing that their afterlives will revolve around praising God and Jesus - often referred to as both ‘the highest’ and ‘the King of Kings’. Marlowe again nods to his well-known penchant for hunting, as he fantasises about catching some deer with Jesus, his brothers and his father.

Throughout the ‘Country in the Clouds’ rollout, Dylan Marlowe and Conner Smith have been jokingly taunting one another, with each artist claiming it was their song to start with.

In one particularly hilarious video, Conner Smith introduces the track by quipping, “Hey what up, Conner Smith fans. We are out here on the first night of tour with Dylan Marlowe opening up for us. It'll be a heck of a show...” before the camera pans to Dylan Marlowe delivering a similar promo in the background.

Smith attempts to regain the cameraman's attention, sharing, “My...hey...my song, ’Country in the Clouds’, comes out April 25th”. He then turns to Marlowe, who calls him a “thief”, before Smith light-heartedly remarks, “I'm not, bro, it's my song...Dude, just because you start the song and wrote the song doesn't mean it's yours...!”

During the more recent portion of the rollout, Dylan Marlowe and Conner Smith have highlighted the gospel-leaning roots of ’Country in the Cloud’, describing this duet as a “country song for Jesus” and proclaiming, “Country Gospel music is BACK”.

“I hope that momma’s house is right down the golden street

So, I can swing on by in my angel wings

I hope that my bird dog is running in the yard

When I walk right through those gates, she’s the first one in my arms

I know the Bible says that it’s as perfect as can be

Is it a sin to wish there’s a couple deer stands in the trees?

-

Yeah, I hope there’s country in the clouds

I hope my side of heaven feels just like a little town

When it’s my time and they lay me down

The good old boy in me just hopes there’s country in the clouds

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

-

I know my grandma’s up there, heaven knows I miss her

I pray there’s cathead biscuits and catfish in the river

A winding gravel driveway, my mansion in the sky

And a front porch big enough for this old sinner’s whole bloodline

There’s fields full of peanuts and there’s homemade wine

There’s dirt roads and planted pines

-

Yeah, I hope there’s country in the clouds

I hope my side of heaven feels just like a little town

When it’s my time and they lay me down

The good old boy in me just hopes there’s country in the clouds

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

-

Every afternoon, His praises we’ll sing

Glory to the highest, the King of Kings

And maybe me and Jesus, my daddy, and my brothers

Will go catch a couple of keepers ‘til they call us in for supper

-

Yeah, I hope there’s country in the clouds

I hope my side of heaven feels just like it’s way on out

When it’s my time and they lay me down

The good old boy in me just hopes there’s country in the clouds

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Hallelujah”

For more on Dylan Marlowe, see below: