Drinkin' Smokin' Cheatin'

Album: Big Day in a Small Town (2016)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is the only track on Big Day in a Small Town that Brandy Clark wrote on her own. She recalled to Radio.com: "I started it at the very top, and it started with that groove. I just liked that groove, and I was playing my guitar, and I just sang that first line, 'I ain't been drinking, but if I was drinking, I think I'd be drinking bourbon.'"

    "And it sort of became a daydream, if you could just sort of kiss your reality goodbye and responsibilities goodbye, what you would do? And in my mind I had the characters figured out in my head, and they lived in a place where the dishes were stacked two sinks high, just kinda had it with each other."
  • Shane McAnally came in and sang on the song with Clark. The Washington songstress has a long history of collaboration with the Texan songwriter. McNally worked on much of her acclaimed debut, 12 Stories, and he also has a credit on Girl Next Door.

    According to Clark, McAnally didn't feel confident in his vocal. However, producer Jay Joyce only did two takes, as he wanted it to feel very real. Clark said: "Somebody mentioned to him, 'It sounds like you and Shane are singing to each other in that,' and I was like, that is so perfect."

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