‘Huntin' By Yourself’ by Luke Combs - Lyrics & Meaning

Within country music, there are a number of common themes that your average song will hit. Beer, girls, fishing, football, breakups, and yes, hunting.

Though there aren't as many hunting themed songs washing up on our radio dials in recent years, country superstar Luke Combs has gifted us with one on his highly-anticipated new album, Fathers & Sons.

Exploring and embracing all of the different elements of fatherhood, this specific song recounts the importance of hunting in the southern man's lifestyle and depicts the first time Combs took out his firstborn, Tex, to make his bones out in the woods.

Much like the rest of the album, and most of Combs' material in recent years, 'Huntin' By Yourself' is helmed by a trusted trio of co-producers, including Combs, Chip Matthews & Jonathan Singleton.

Consisting of a hodge podge of usual suspects and new offenders in Combs' writing circles, the tune was penned by Alex Palmer, Michael Tyler, Ray Fulcher and Thomas Archer alongside the 'Love You Anyway' hitmaker.

As with much of Fathers & Sons, 'Huntin' By Yourself' is a super stripped back tune that doesn't depend on anything but organic and authentic instrumentation, led most notably by a gorgeous banjo who stays in the forefront throughout.

"He ran out of that bedroom 'bout as gung-ho as he could be in his Mossy Oak
Took a first hunt picture on my phone 'fore he fell asleep on the way
I held the gun, he held the light
A cup of coffee and a can of Sprite
The stand was only ten feet high but on top of the world that day

I already knew he wouldn't see a thing
Been three more times and it's always the same"

Taking us back to the very first time Combs and his son, Tex, went on the hunt, the award-winning entertainer describes how the little boy ran out of his bedroom just drowning in excitement for the big day.

After taking the always necessary selfie for Instagram with his little man, Combs packs him up and they hit the road... Tex falling asleep on the way. Upon arriving at their deer stand, they're armed with a sprite and a cup of joe and ready to take on the world... or maybe not?

"Cause he moves too much and he talks too loud
But I don't mind 'cause I'm finding out
That even if it's just time we're killin', it's never felt more like livin'
They'll make you cuss and wear your patience thin
But next thing you know, they're all grown up and then
You're huntin' by yourself again"

At the end of the day, Combs knows they aren't going to see any deer and he honestly doesn't even care. Just a few years old, Tex moves too much and talks too loud to see any wildlife, in an environment where stealth is key.

But getting a 10-point wasn't the point for Combs, it never was. Though it might feel like they're just killing time and getting out of the house, this is the quality time that Combs lives for. After all, he knows that it's only a matter of time before he's back to sitting in the stand by himself again.

"Well I've heard 'em say these days don't last
I know the years are gonna fly fast
Right out the door and never come back
As bad as you want 'em too
Pretty soon, he'll sit in his own tree
Be a bat outta hell with a set o' keys
Chasin' girls is gonna be all he'll wanna do

He'll have a lot less time for his old man
So I'm gonna soak it up while I still can"

Well aware that time is never on our side, Combs gets flashes of the future, where Tex gets his own car and sits in his own dear stand, taking on life on his own terms.

Knowing that in the future he won't be the equivalent to superman for Tex, he's choosing to bathe in these moments with him while he can.

"When he moves too much and he talks too loud
When I don't mind 'cause I'm finding out
That even if it's just time we're killin', it's never felt more like livin'
They'll make you cuss and wear your patience thin
But next thing you know, they're all grown up and then
You're huntin' by yourself again"

He ran out of that bedroom 'bout as gung-ho as he could be in his Mossy Oak
Took a first hunt picture on my phone 'fore he fell asleep on the way
I held the gun, he held the light
A cup of coffee and a can of Sprite
The stand was only ten feet high but on top of the world that day

I already knew he wouldn't see a thing
Been three more times and it's always the same

'Cause he moves too much and he talks too loud
But I don't mind 'cause I'm finding out
That even if it's just time we're killin', it's never felt more like livin'
They'll make you cuss and wear your patience thin
But next thing you know, they're all grown up and then
You're huntin' by yourself again

Well I've heard 'em say these days don't last
I know the years are gonna fly fast
Right out the door and never come back
As bad as you want 'em too
Pretty soon, he'll sit in his own tree
Be a bat outta hell with a set o' keys
Chasin' girls is gonna be all he'll wanna do

He'll have a lot less time for his old man
So I'm gonna soak it up while I still can

When he moves too much and he talks too loud
When I don't mind 'cause I'm finding out
That even if it's just time we're killin', it's never felt more like livin'
They'll make you cuss and wear your patience thin
But next thing you know, they're all grown up and then
You're huntin' by yourself again

Runs out of that bedroom 'bout as gung-ho as he could be in his Mossy Oak
Hop in the truck and off we go
I can't help but smile as he don't know

He moves too much and he talks too loud
But I don't mind 'cause I'm finding out
That even if it's just time we're killin', it's never felt more like livin'
They'll make you cuss and wear your patience thin
But next thing you know, they're all grown up and then
You're huntin' by yourself again

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