Drugs Or Jesus

Album: Live Like You Were Dying (2004)
Charted: 87
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Songfacts®:

  • Growing up in a small town, it can seem like there are only two paths to enlightenment: drugs or Jesus. In this song, Tim McGraw sings about that struggle, concluding that Jesus is the way to go. McGraw grew up in the tiny town of Delhi, Louisiana.
  • This was written by the Nashville songwriters Brett James, Troy Verges, Chris Lindsey and Aimee Mayo. Lindsey, who is married to Mayo, explained on the Songfacts Podcast: "I co-wrote a Tim McGraw song called 'Drugs Or Jesus,' and that one did get some letters from Christian people. What's the Karl Marx thing? 'Religion is the opiate of the masses'? It's exploring that in a country song. I didn't think we'd get away with that and we did."
  • This was the third single from McGraw's album Live Like You Were Dying, following the title track and "Back When," both #1 Country hits. "Drugs Or Jesus" wasn't as successful on the charts, but did OK, reaching #14 Country and #87 on the Hot 100. The album went on to sell over 4 million copies.
  • McGraw called "Drugs Or Jesus" on of his "personal favorite songs" in 2025 when he got word that Brett James, who co-wrote the song, was killed in a plane crash. McGraw called James "one of the most talented and most respected songwriters in Nashville."

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