'She Hurts Like Tequila' by Carín León and Cody Johnson – Lyrics & Meaning

Country superstar Cody Johnson has been on a collaboration kick as of late, the artist's most recent success having come by way of his Carrie Underwood-assisted 'I'm Gonna Love You'.

His latest collaborative effort, though, may just trump the radio No. 1.

Johnson and música Mexicana star Carín León have joined forces for ‘She Hurts Like Tequila’, an intoxicating ballad about burning desires, fiery passions and the sting that comes with loving someone so deeply.

‘She Hurts Like Tequila’ is a trademark CoJo serenade, gifted with the texture and vibrancy of a Carín León classic. The song sweeps and builds like all great country ballads should, the instrumentation mirroring the swelling of emotions the lyrics detail. With this number, though, crisp, melodic strings and sighing accordion pulls keep the impassioned song grounded as surges of rhythm and steel build and balloon.

"As she lies in my arms in the darkness
Her eyes and her smile are my weakness
Me tienen mal y empiezo a alucinar
Y me tiemblan los pies
Me trae todo jodido y dañado
Y no quiero entender"

It's often been said that love is like a drug. The feeling, the act of it, is addicting, a substance able to make anyone weak because of it and jones for more of it.

In so many words, ‘She Hurts Like Tequila’ speaks of something similar, comparing love to an intoxicating substance. In this case, that substance is tequila.

The song opens on a casual scene in the dark with two lovers in each other's arms. Trading verses in the song, Johnson and León take turns recounting the craving they often feel for their respective lovers.

Johnson sings of bewitching eyes, lips and smiles, recounting a love that's like "a fire burning down in my soul" and singing, "it takes over my body and mind until I've lost all control."

He attests that "No drink from a bottle could get me that high / She hurts like tequila."

León, too, seems to be under the same love-drunk spell, crooning "Con sus besos se va el estrés / Y pone mi mundo al revés," or "With her kisses, stress goes away / And turns my world upside down."

While he admits that one day this love drug might be the end of him – in the song, he sings, "Y no puedo negar / Que un día me va a matar," or "I can't deny / That one day she's going to kill me" – it will have been worth it.

This feeling is unlike anything else; and while she may hurt like tequila, her love is worth the burn.

"Every taste of her heavenly lips
Is laced with her wickedness
No drink from a bottle could get me that high
She hurts like tequila"

As she lies in my arms in the darkness
Her eyes and her smile are my weakness
Me tienen mal y empiezo a alucinar
Y me tiemblan los pies
Me trae todo jodido y dañado
Y no quiero entender

She's a feeling like I've never known
She's a fire burning down in my soul
And it takes over my body and mind until I've lost all control
Every taste of her heavenly lips
Is laced with her wickedness
No drink from a bottle could get me that high
She hurts like tequila

I'm hypnotized by the pale moonlight dancin' there on her skin
And I know it's a reckless obsession, but here I go again

Ella me hace sentir mejor
Borrachito traigo el corazón
Sé bien que me hace mal
Pues la cruda moral nomás no la cura el alcohol
Con sus besos se va el estrés
Y pone mi mundo al revés
No puedo negar
Que un día me va a matar
She hurts like tequila

Every taste of her heavenly lips
Is laced with her wickedness
No drink from a bottle could get me that high
She hurts like tequila

Y no puedo negar
Que un día me va a matar
She hurts like tequila

--