On This Date: Eric Church Released The Biggest Hit Of His Career, “Springsteen,” In 2012

Eric Church country music
Youtube/Eric Church

Has it really been 12 years already?

On this date in 2012, Eric Church released his smash hit “Springsteen” as the third single from his breakout third studio album, Chief.

Written by Eric along with Jeff Hyde and Ryan Tyndell, it’s become one of his signature songs, a fan-favorite, and I don’t think anyone would argue if you called it the biggest song of his entire career. It peaked at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and has since been certified 7X Platinum by the RIAA.

Of course, the title is a nod to one of his musical idols, Bruce Springsteen, but it’s not really about him. It tells the classic story of teenage love and how every time he hears a certain “Springsteen” song, it reminds him of his younger years and that fleeting romance.

As he says in his live show, it’s about connecting a melody with a memory, one that can instantly take you back in time. He says that he still thinks about his own experience with a girl and specific artist at a concert back in the day that originally inspired the song:

“The interesting thing about this song is it has probably less to do with Springsteen than it is about what’s happening at this amphitheater up on the lawn. I had this experience.

If you’ve had this experience, no matter whether you stay together or don’t stay together, when you hear that person’s music whether it’s Springsteen or anybody else, you always think of the person you were with at that show.”

And that feeling of nostalgia and young love is something a lot of us can relate to, which is a huge part of what makes the song so dang good:

“And I have that. I just thought it was an interesting story about two people falling in love at a concert, and for the rest of their life that’s the soundtrack.

That artist is the soundtrack to their love, to that time. I just love that. It makes me feel seventeen again every time I hear it, and I think that other people feel the same way.”

I couldn’t agree more… listening to this song is the only time I actually want to feel 17 again.

I mean, is there a better summer song to listen to while riding around with your windows down that simultaneously hits you right in your feels and brings back so many good memories at the same time? If there is, I haven’t found one yet…

Eric received two Grammy nominations for “Springsteen,” and it remains an all-time classic from one of the best in the business to this day.

Gonna have this on repeat today… it’s simply timeless.

“Springsteen”

A beer bottle on a dock

STAY ENTERTAINED

A RIFF ON WHAT COUNTRY IS REALLY ABOUT

A beer bottle on a dock