“Jersey Giant” really is just a chaotic song, isn’t it?
I don’t mean the content because the song has a very easy-to-follow story. The singer is reminiscing about an old love and wishing they had them back, going as far as to ask this person to take them back:
“Looking back at all them memories
Lord, I hate to sleep alone
But if you ever get the notion
That you need me, let me know”
When I say it’s chaotic, I really mean the official release.
Originally written by Tyler Childers, the song became pretty popular on TikTok with people using an audio from one of Childers’s live performances.
The song was never officially recorded or released though. So, it was pretty surprising when former pop artist (now country artist) Elle King officially released the song after announcing her move into country music.
When the song was released, it came with some pushback from fans of Childers who wanted his version and who began to critique King’s version. And fair enough if you wanted Tyler to cut it, but it’s hard to argue that Elle didn’t do a fantastic job with it.
But when I came across this cover by Evan Honer along with Julia DiGrazia, I was pretty excited because it sounds a lot more like the Childers version everyone was wanting.
This cover is more stripped-back and mellow with just a couple instruments playing the tune rather than an entire production. Plus, while Honer’s voice is certainly smoother than Childers (though few can beat that man’s rasp), there’s just something about his twang that is faintly Childers-esque.
The stand-out lines from the song based on the TikTok sound that went viral come from the second verse:
“Never worry ’bout the police
Never worried much at all
I miss those nights of reckless glory
And I’d come back if you’d just call”
Specifically, that last line and the way that Childers just hammers it similar to the word “thicket” in “Feathered Indians” is just immaculate. And while Honer doesn’t hit it as hard as Childers, the more stripped-back vibe of his cover allows the lyrics and the meaning of the words to be more impactful.
Overall, I don’t think we could go wrong with any version of this fantastic song, but if you’re looking for a new and a different vibe, check out this cover.
