Halfway To Hell

Album: Whitsitt Chapel (2023)
Charted: 48
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Forget pews and hymns, "Halfway to Hell" throws open the saloon doors of Jelly Roll's soul. This whiskey-soaked anthem blends country twang with a rocking riff and a rap-infused honesty that's pure Jelly Roll. He wrestles with his inner demons, tossing out religious references one minute, then confessing to downing a bottle of bourbon the next. It's a battle for redemption where the angels and the devil are both slinging mud.
  • The chorus hits like a shot of redemption chaser.

    One foot in the fire and I still can't tell
    Am I halfway to Heaven
    Halfway to Heaven or Hell?


    Jelly Roll has no easy answers, but he lays it all bare, the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.
  • This isn't the first time Jelly Roll got real about his struggles. Tracks like "Son Of A Sinner" and "Need A Favor" proved he isn't afraid to stare his demons down. "Halfway to Hell" ups the ante, reminding us all that sometimes looking in the mirror isn't pretty, but it's the only way to clean up your act.
  • "Halfway To Hell" is the opening track of Jelly Roll's first country album, Whitsitt Chapel. All of Whitsitt Chapel's central themes are laid out in this song: life's a mess, whiskey's a comfort, and God's still there.
  • While "Whitsitt Chapel" might have a church on the cover, Jelly Roll isn't preaching to the faithful. This album is for the folks who find salvation with a shot of Jack in their hand, not a hymn book.

    "You'll never see a man pray harder than as soon as s--t gets tight," Jelly Roll said to Billboard. "I was like, 'What if worship music is honest? What would my worship song sound like to God?'"
  • Jelly Roll wrote "Halfway to Hell" with Jesse Frasure, Matt Jenkins, and Jessie Jo Dillon. Frasure also co-produced the track with Whitsitt Chapel's primary producer, Zach Crowell.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Andrew Farriss of INXS

Andrew Farriss of INXSSongwriter Interviews

Andrew Farriss on writing with Michael Hutchence, the stories behind "Mystify" and other INXS hits, and his country-flavored debut solo album.

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino EditionMusic Quiz

Whether he's splitting ears or burning Nazis, Quentin Tarantino uses memorable music in his films. See if you can match the song to the scene.

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillian

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillianSong Writing

A Soul Train dancer takes us through a day on the show, and explains what you had to do to get camera time.