Bronco

Album: Bronco (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The title track of Canaan Smith's debut album is a tribute to the singer's older brother, Nathaniel, who died at the age of 16 in a car crash. "'Bronco' is a song I wrote in honor of my brother who I lost when I was young. Songs like this are important to me because though fads come and go, stories last forever," Smith explained. "He was my hero and I wanted to put out something in memory of him. I think it symbolizes his wild spirit and I'm really proud of it."
  • Smith told The Boot regarding this cut: "It's why country music means so much to me, because I've heard songs like that before, like [Steve Wariner's] 'Holes In The Floor Of Heaven,' [John Michael Montgomery's] 'Letters From Home.' Songs like that... are the ones that move me the most because they're real-life stories about real-life things - tough times, loss, hurt and pain."
  • The song title references the blue-and-white Ford Bronco that Nathaniel drove, which Smith pictures whenever he thinks of his late brother. The image also inspired the tattoo of a bronco horse inked on the singer's left arm.
  • The song acts as a reminder to Smith of his brother's free spirit, a spirit that often inspires the singer to be a renegade himself. "A wild bronco has that exact mentality," Smith told Radio.com. "They're kind of stubborn and they're ready to run wherever they want to run and see where the road goes, and that's what I want to do with my music, too."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Michael Franti

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.

Graham Parker

Graham ParkerSongwriter Interviews

When Judd Apatow needed under-appreciated rockers for his Knocked Up sequel, he immediately thought of Parker, who just happened to be getting his band The Rumour back together.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."

Chris Frantz of Talking Heads

Chris Frantz of Talking HeadsSongwriter Interviews

Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz on where the term "new wave" originated, the story of "Naive Melody," and why they never recorded another cover song after "Take Me To The River."

Dar Williams

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.