‘Whoever You Turn Out To Be’ by Luke Combs - Lyrics & Meaning

Across his fifth studio album, Fathers & Sons, country behemoth Luke Combs explores what he's learned so far as a father of two, trading in his party anthems for more introspective musings on domestic life and the importance of family.

With 12 songs depicting the various aspects of fatherhood and his experiences thus far, there are several autobiographical songs found throughout the project, as well as bigger picture offerings that speak on the futures he hopes for for his children, Tex and Beau.

In similar fashion to the rest of the album, 'Whoever You Turn Out To Be' finds a trusted trio of co-producers behind the soundboard: Combs, Chip Matthews & Jonathan Singleton, all of whom have been in the studio for Combs' other recent releases.

Marking the fifth song on the album's tracklist, it also notches the second outside cut for Combs on Fathers & Sons. Following the Luke Bryan-penned 'Little Country Boys,' this song was written by the dynamic duo of Ben Stennis & Rhett Akins, a pair of tunesmiths that can be credited for a long lists of country hits in the last thirty years.

As the whole album was recorded as one-take, live to tape songs, you can hear the charm of the acoustic and organic instrumentation at play on 'Whoever You Turn Out To Be.' It keeps things simple throughout the entire 3-minute journey through life's unknowns.

"A hand-me-down F150 might not be the tank you empty
Burnin' gasoline, the day you turn sixteen
And just because dusty boots and camouflage are in your roots
Don't mean you ever gotta wear 'em
If that ain't you, I don't care

Yeah, I used to love to sling that dirt up down them rural routes
But God might have a different map-dot plan for you mapped out"

The crux of 'Whoever You Turn Out To Be' hinged on Combs' acceptance that his children may very well not end up being anything like him... and most importantly, that that's okay!

Noting some pieces of his upbringing, like his hand-me-down truck, camo-filled closet and rowdy teenage behavior, he simply sings that, for his sons, "God might have a different map-dot plan for you mapped out."

"So what if you don't stick around this little town that raised ya
So what if you don't cut your teeth on Jr., Jones, and Waylon
Now it might work out that you don't turn out anything like me
But I'll love whoever you turn out to be"

Already anticipating some of the ways that his boys might grow up to choose different paths, Combs reinforces his undeniable acceptance of them by challenging who would care if they moved away from their hometown or aren't even fans of country music.

At the end of the day, regardless of whatever choices they make, Combs promises that he is going to love and support his children no matter what comes their way. It's a sweet sentiment and one that plenty of people all around will surely hang their hats on for years to come.

"What if you picked up a canvas and you just up and single-handed
Painted scenes the world ain't ever seen?
Or maybe you were made for somethin' me and your mama don't see comin'
You ain't gotta know right now, you got your whole life to figure it out

You might choose a simple life, raise some kids and settle down
But you ain't gotta change the world to make your daddy proud"

Pondering on his children's potential career choices, he wonders if maybe one of them will become a big-time artist, or maybe something that he and his wife, Nicole, can't even begin to imagine.

Underlining that there's no rush to have it all figured out or speed through life, he notes that whatever choices they make, he will always be the proudest father in the world simply for them being themselves.

"So what if you don't stick around this little town that raised ya
So what if you won't bait a hook even if it paid ya
Now it might work out that you don't turn out anything like me
But I'll love whoever you turn out to be"

A hand-me-down F150 might not be the tank you empty
Burnin' gasoline, the day you turn sixteen
And just because dusty boots and camouflage are in your roots
Don't mean you ever gotta wear 'em
If that ain't you, I don't care

Yeah, I used to love to sling that dirt up down them rural routes
But God might have a different map-dot plan for you mapped out

So what if you don't stick around this little town that raised ya
So what if you don't cut your teeth on Jr., Jones, and Waylon
Now it might work out that you don't turn out anything like me
But I'll love whoever you turn out to be

What if you picked up a canvas and you just up and single-handed
Painted scenes the world ain't ever seen?
Or maybe you were made for somethin' me and your mama don't see comin'
You ain't gotta know right now, you got your whole life to figure it out

You might choose a simple life, raise some kids and settle down
But you ain't gotta change the world to make your daddy proud

So what if you don't stick around this little town that raised ya
So what if you won't bait a hook even if it paid ya
Now it might work out that you don't turn out anything like me
But I'll love whoever you turn out to be

So what if you don't stick around this little town that raised ya
You'll always have your spot at Sunday supper that we saved ya
Now it might work out that you don't turn out anything like me
But I'll love whoever you turn out to be

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