Heavy Is the Head

Album: Jekyll + Hyde (2015)
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Songfacts®:

  • This song features Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell. It's not the first time that Zac Brown and his colleagues have collaborated with an artist associated with the Seattle rock scene. In 2013 they released an EP, The Grohl Sessions, Vol. 1, which was produced by Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl (formerly of Nirvana). Brown is upfront about his rock influences. "The great stories live around country and folk music," he said. "I think the challenge is just taking that same lyric and story that's in that song and wrapping in something that's gonna move all those people the same way that those rock songs do. It's always a challenge to try to make 'em better and figure out that puzzle."
  • The Zac Brown Band premiered the song during their March 7, 2015 appearance on Saturday Night Live. Chris Cornell joined the group on the SNL stage for the performance.
  • This was used as the theme song for the 2015 Major League Baseball season.
  • The song topped the Mainstream Rock chart, giving Zac Brown Band their first #1 on a non-country music tally. They became only the second act after Bon Jovi to reach the summit of both Billboard's Mainstream Rock and Country Airplay lists.

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