Tim McGraw is getting reflective in his new single.
After releasing a teaser campaign through an Amazon Playlist that secretly spelled out “Standing Room Only” using Tim’s previous hits, the song is officially out. And it’s better than I anticipated.
I won’t lie, I was a fan of the “7500 OBO” release back in 2020 – but it’s been nearly 3 years. And with all of Tim’s continuous activity on social media, my selfishness was questioning when he might get back in the studio and record again.
The song was not a disappointment. It was reminiscent of the morals shared in his 2004 hit, “Live Like You Were Dying,” with both narrators focusing on the true importance of life and living it to the fullest with no regrets.
In a conversation with Storme Warren on SiriusXM’s The Highway, Tim even called the song a “triangle” with the likes of “Live Like You Were Dying” and his 2016 hit, “Humble & Kind”:
“They sort of complete the triangle, I guess, so to speak… and then they’re all songs that just have good things to say, and I like being able to do that.
I like being in a position to be able to do that, you know? And to choose to be able to do songs like this and people will pay attention to them.”
“Standing Room Only” is a nostalgic track with a lot of comparisons to the height of Tim’s career. But instead of having “standing room only” at live shows and concerts, Tim seems to be looking ahead in an effort to make his funeral a venue with “standing room only” as well.
It sounds a bit morbid, but it’s really not. Instead, the song zooms in on some of the fruitless things we get wrapped up in that don’t matter quite as much as the big picture impact we may be making.
“‘Standing Room Only’ caught my ear the first time I heard it because of its message. For me, this song is so positive and life affirming. It isn’t about the funeral or the procession, it’s about how we live in the here and now. How do we push ourselves and in which direction do we push ourselves?
For me, it’s a reminder to live a life filled with gratitude and not take things for granted. Also, it’s a reminder to give back and be there for others.”
Tim reflects on times he’s been mad, upset, or held grudges and denounces the past in exchange for a brighter, more positive future where he can be remembered for all the best things:
“I wanna live a life, live a life,
Like a dollar and the clock on the wall don’t own me,
Shine a light, shine a light,
Like mama’s front porch when I’m lost and lonely,
Start forgivin’ and start forgettin,’
Be somebody that’s worth rememberin’
Live a life so when I die
There’s standing room only, standing room only…”
Frankly, I’m always here for a revival of Tim McGraw, and with this being the title track of his 17th career studio album, I can’t wait to see what is in store:
