If you had told me in high school that one of my favorite country artists today would put a country twang on a 1975 song, I would have called bullsh*t.
Right off the heels of the release of Endurance, Josiah And The Bonnevilles is breathing fresh air into the country music space and is putting his Appalachian flair on Matty Healy’s famed vocals.
If you are new to the new wave country movement and a fan of indie pop and alternative music, this song is the perfect one to dip your toe in. Josiah and The Bonneville’s Appalachian acoustic sound is highlighted flawlessly throughout his recent album, ringing perfectly in your ears as you listen, and this reimagination of The 1975’s “Wintering” follows suit.
“‘Wintering’ is a song by The 1975 about heading home for the holidays. I loved it so much but the verses were very British and I reckoned if I was gonna sing it, it would have to sound a little more like East Tennessee. So I fiddled with a few lyrics and this is what I came up with.
The country version of Wintering is out everywhere today, in time for all y’all’s holiday traveling. Y’all be safe and I love you so very much.”
“Wintering (Country Version)” highlights the same upbeat temp found on the 1975 original recording but with an acoustic base, hint of harmonicas, and a soft piano melody that makes it more folk-sounding than British pop.
The lyric interpretation kicks off right from the beginning, where Josiah changes the first line to:
“She pulls in the drive with a pack of Coors Lights
Like it’s time to celebrate
I’ve got a bad habit of playing
The same four chords
In every song I play.”
He adapted it to the family setting he experienced as a young adult living in East Tennessee. But while he changes the lyrics to fit the life he has lived more, he keeps the integrity of the chorus when he sings:
“I get home on the 23rdYeah, drive up on the 23rd.”
The song is a near-perfect reimagination, in my opinion. As an adult who now lives away from home and who is writing this in my childhood bedroom, gearing up for Thanksgiving, I find it to be the perfect reminiscent song.
It highlights the excitement of driving home to see old friends, catching up, and talking about what everyone has been up to… would it be time spent at home without some mild family spats?
Josiah And The Bonnevilles is a songwriting mastermind proven through “Wintering (Country Version).”
