Songfacts®:

• Morgan Wade describes herself as reckless, and she doesn't think that's a bad thing. "I wouldn't say I'm brave, but crazy? Absolutely," she explained. "Being honest, real and genuine is the only way I know how to write. If I listened to everything everyone ever told me to do, I wouldn't be where I'm at. If reckless is not obeying the rules and making your own path, it's a great thing."
• Wade may be reckless, but she's also sober - they are not mutually exclusive. She developed a drinking habit when she was 19 that led to a serious depression. One day, after a punishing hangover, she went cold turkey.
  
  But just because she doesn't imbibe doesn't mean Wade is a stuffy, sensible sort. Examples of her reckless behavior include getting tattoos on a whim and giving up a promising career in the medical field so she could pursue music.
• "Reckless" is the title track to Morgan Wade's major-label debut album. She got her record deal after releasing an album in 2018 with her group Morgan Wade & the Stepbrothers and putting out a single in 2019 called "The Night." Both were independent releases.
  
  She had a regional following in her native Virginia, but "The Night" caught fire on the internet, especially during the pandemic when it caught a vibe and Wade performed it on a series of livestreams. When the record labels came calling, she went with Arista Nashville. They released the Reckless album in 2021 with "Wilder Days" the first single. Rolling Stone named it the best country album of 2021.
• Sadler Vaden, a guitarist in Jason Isbell's 400 Unit, was Wade's main collaborator on the Reckless album. He wrote this song with Wade and played various instruments on the track, including guitar and bass. Vaden also produced the album along with Paul Ebersold.
  
  Vaden was a key connection for Wade. They met at a music festival, and when he went online to see what she had to offer, he was impressed and offered to work with her. They worked together on "The Night" and he helped guide her through the industry.
• "Reckless" is a pretty common title in music. Other artists with songs of that name include Kip Moore and You Me At Six. Martina McBride and Bryan Adams both have albums with that title.