Either Way

Album: From A Room: Volume 1 (2017)
Charted: 89
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Chris Stapleton penned this sparse ballad about a love gone cold along with Tim James and Kendell Marvel. Speaking in 2017, Stapleton recalled:

    "I wrote that song over 10 years, so I couldn't recall the day or all those things, but I'm sure I t went something like I walked into the room with Tim James and Kendall Marvel, one of them had this idea. It seemed really tragic and sad, so we tried to do that to the best of our ability, but also to put truth in it and honesty in it, and when you can do that, then truth and honesty are going to find somebody inside a song."
  • The song was originally recorded by Lee Ann Womack for her 2008 Call Me Crazy record. Stapleton explained why he redid the tune nine years later for his From a Room: Volume 1 album:

    "My wife always loved that song, which should worry me, but she just loves really slow sad songs and she always wanted me to play that song So, I felt led to do it and if I'm gonna sing something, I'm gonna sing it with every ounce of belief and try to put every bit of believability in a lyric that I can."
  • This won for Best Country Solo Performance at the Grammy Awards in 2018. From A Room: Volume 1 took Best Country Album, and Stapleton also earned Best Country Song for "Broken Halos."

Comments: 1

  • Just MeWhen I first heard this song,I was blown away that Country music and Chrs in particular could be so real,so raw. Then to learn that it was about nothing in his life, but rather believable bs or a " good idea" that someone actually living those lyric was disappointing to say the least. I hope any song writer would be more authentic than just penning tragic lines that someone else is living. But maybe that's just me,Words do Matter,and especially when borne out in their originators life
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Fire On The Stage

Fire On The StageSong Writing

When you have a song called "Fire," it's tempting to set one - these guys did.

Tom Keifer of Cinderella

Tom Keifer of CinderellaSongwriter Interviews

Tom talks about the evolution of Cinderella's songs through their first three albums, and how he writes as a solo artist.

Zakk Wylde

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

70s Music Quiz 1

70s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

The '70s gave us Muppets, disco and Van Halen, all which show up in this groovy quiz.

Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum

Dave Pirner of Soul AsylumSongwriter Interviews

Dave explains how the video appropriated the meaning of "Runaway Train," and what he thought of getting parodied by Weird Al.

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent

Ben Kowalewicz of Billy TalentSongwriter Interviews

The frontman for one of Canada's most well-known punk rock bands talks about his Eddie Vedder encounter, Billy Talent's new album, and the importance of rock and roll.