Crazy Days

Album: Good Years (2020)
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Songfacts®:

  • The Shires released their first three albums over a space of three years. This meant the English country duo spent a lot of time away from home touring the records and writing and recording in Nashville. It was only after their third album, Accidentally on Purpose, that Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes could catch up properly with their loved ones. Here The Shires reflect on the struggles of living life on the road when their families are back home.

    "We had such a crazy time releasing three albums back to back," Rhodes told The Sun. "We had a bit of time, it was about a year, where it was a little quieter. Still gigging and recording and writing, but we were away from the craziness. We got some time with our friends and family and it made us quite reflective really, appreciative of all the times we've been through together and how our families have evolved in that time with Ben having two little kiddies."
  • Ben Earle wrote the song one night in his garden shed, which he'd converted into a writing room with a piano. Once he started taking swigs from the bottle of whisky by the piano, he started feeling very reflective. Earle explained to Apple Music Country that he composed the track as a direct conversation to his wife.

    "I was just kind of saying, I know it's hard, especially as she's here by herself and it's quite a lot with the kids. But I said these are the kind of days we have to take every opportunity we can and one day we'll look back at how crazy they were."
  • Earle wrote the song before COVID-19, but it took on a whole new meaning once the pandemic and lockdown started spreading worldwide. He said, "A lot of our fans have said this song is helping them, people are going through a tough time and this song means a lot to them it seems."
  • Earle not only wrote the song in his shed, but he also recorded his singing in there. He told Billboard: "I've never been able to get a better take. That's actually a vocal take from the shed in the garden."
  • The song is from The Shires' fourth album, Good Years, which peaked at #3 on the UK albums chart, maintaining the duo's record of reaching the Top 10 in their home country with all their releases.
  • Both Accidentally on Purpose and Good Years were recorded in Nashville and produced by Lindsay Rimes (Kane Brown, LoCash).

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