Why Scotty McCreery’s favorite George Strait song isn’t among tracks he name-checks in “Damn Strait”

ABC

Scotty McCreery pays homage to the King of Country himself in his current single, “Damn Strait,” a track that strings together references to some of George Strait’s biggest hits to tell a new breakup story.

Scotty didn’t write the song -- Trent Tomlinson and Jim Collins are the writers on the track -- but the singer says he was immediately impressed by how “Damn Strait” didn’t just name-check classic country songs, but used them to create a new narrative.

“Even if you don’t know this George Strait song -- which, shame on you if you don’t -- but if you don’t, you still get the song, you know?” Scotty tells ABC Audio.

But Scotty’s very favorite George Strait ballad -- “The Chair” -- actually doesn’t make an appearance in the lyrics of “Damn Strait.”

He tried to find a way to reference that song, since it’s such an important and influential track for him. “My favorite George Strait song that I always go back to, if I’m in the shower or washing dishes, is ‘The Chair.’ I always go back to that,” he says. When it didn’t fit into the lyrics of his song, Scotty was hoping to include a musical reference to the track.

“In the demo, we put the steel guitar lick [of ‘The Chair’],” he says. “And then, in the actual recording, I think it was a little too close for comfort for the lawyers.” 

“Damn Strait” is one of the tracks on Same Truck, Scotty’s album from September 2021.

Monday, May 23, 2022 at 6:00AM by Stephen Hubbard and Carena Liptak Permalink