Wine Into Whiskey

Album: Waves On A Sunset (2024)
Charted: 68
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Wine Into Whiskey" is a heartfelt country ballad that takes a fresh look at the aftermath of a relationship gone wrong. While the theme of lost love is familiar territory in country music (Parker McCollum's "Handle On You" and Morgan Wallen's "You Proof" are two of many examples), "Wine Into Whiskey" stands out by offering a unique perspective. Instead of the singer drowning their sorrows in a bottle, Tucker Wetmore sings of his ex-lover seeking solace in alcohol, symbolized by the shift from "wine" to "whiskey." This subtle but powerful imagery hints at a potentially darker path his ex might be headed down, adding a layer of complexity and empathy to the narrative.
  • The lyrics are laced with regret as Wetmore acknowledges his own shortcomings in the relationship:

    Turned heart of gold into a heartbreak
    If I was her, I'd damn sure hate me
    I turned her love into pain and her wine into whiskey


    He grapples with the guilt of his actions and the lasting impact they've had on his former love.
  • Wetmore's inspiration for the song stems from witnessing the struggles of the women in his life. "Growing up with four sisters who mean everything to me, I've seen how they've been treated in relationships, and that was the inspiration behind this song," he shared.
  • The song came together in 45 minutes during a co-writing session with two of Wetmore's buddies, Jacob Hackworth and Justin Ebach. Released on February 23, 2024, "Wine Into Whiskey" quickly gained traction on TikTok, with users taking its chorus lyric, which begins with the line, "I took a good thing and I turned it into goodbye," to share their own stories of heartbreak.
  • It wasn't exactly a recipe for songwriting magic. The day after his birthday, Tucker Wetmore found himself hungover at a writing session with Jacob Hackworth and Justin Ebach. Ideas were tossed around, but nothing sparked. Then Ebach, admitting his own post-party woes, muttered, "Sorry guys, I'm hungover right now."

    Wetmore and Hackworth erupted in laughter. "Thank God," they chimed in, "because we are too. We do not feel good at all."

    This shared misery, it seemed, was the key they needed. Minutes later, Ebach threw out the concept of "Wine into Whiskey." The room crackled with energy. As Wetmore described to Billboard, "We loved it, and it just kind of poured out onto the paper. There was something special in the room that day, for sure."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Who Did It First?

Who Did It First?Music Quiz

Do you know who recorded the original versions of these ten hit songs?

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

Vince Clarke

Vince ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

An original member of Depeche Mode, Vince went on to form Erasure and Yaz.

Martin Page

Martin PageSongwriter Interviews

With Bernie Taupin, Martin co-wrote the #1 hits "We Built This City" and "These Dreams." After writing the Pretty Woman song for Go West, he had his own hit with "In the House of Stone and Light."

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.