After sharing common ground with Dale Earnhardt Jr. over their separate losses, Cole Swindell is back with a brand-new track dedicated to the pair’s conversation and in honor of Father’s Day. Titled “Dale Jr.” the song out now via Warner Music Nashville will appear on Swindell’s forthcoming album Spanish Moss, set for release on June 27.
Cole Swindell Releases Emotional New Song, “Dale Jr.”
Written alongside Greylan James and Matt Alderman, the nostalgic and reflective “Dale Jr.” is a song based on the real life experience of losing one’s father. Featuring soothing shakers, melodic guitar notes, and a relaxing country melody, Swindell pulls in the listeners with his story of a personal conversation he had with Dale Jr. that had nothing to do with award wins or checkered flags. Instead, he recalls the night the two shared a down-to-earth exchange over missing their respective late fathers.
“Cause last night I met Dale Junior, backstage at a show/ We drank a few Bud Heavy’s/ And he said, “Man, you know who should be here right now”/ With his arm round my back/ We didn’t talk about gold records or all of his checkered flags/ Naw, we just did what missin’ dad son’s do/ Yeah, last night I met Dale Junior/ And all we talked about was Senior and you,” he croons throughout the heartfelt and highly-relatable chorus.
Inspired By Loss Of Swindell And Earnhardt’s Fathers
Dale Jr.’s father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., one of the winningest drivers in NASCAR history, passed away in February 2001 during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. He was 49 years old. Dale Sr. died on the racetrack after his car collided with Ken Schrader’s in a three-car crash that also involved Sterling Marlin on the final lap of the race.
For his upcoming album, Swindell was intentional in his tribute, placing “Dale Jr.” at the No. 3 spot on the track list. The song is the most personal release from Swindell since his emotionally-charged 2015 hit “You Should Be Here,” which he wrote two years prior with Ashley Gorley, in tribute to his late father, who died unexpectedly while he was on a radio tour.
“It’s one of the most emotional songs on this album,” Swindell teased the track in a press release. “It’s track three, obviously, on purpose as a little nod to Dale Sr. and I don’t think you would expect what you’re about to hear. It’s just a true story.”
Dale Jr. Related To Swindell’s Song, “You Should Be Here”
“Dale Jr. reached out to me years back when I had, ‘You Should Be Here’ and he said he could relate to the song after the loss of his Dad, Dale Sr. Obviously, he had never heard of my dad or met him, but it just shows you that people are real people. They’re dads, too. It’s not about what their occupations were. Dale Jr. and I connected over a common bond of loss.”
“’We just did what missing dads sons do’ is one of my favorite lines I’ve ever been a part of writing,” he added, reciting some of the lyrics in the song. “I hope Dale finds his song as special as I do.”
In a message shared with his fans on Instagram, which included a slideshow of tribute throwback photos of his dad, Swindell added, “Everybody’s stories and situations are different… but I believe the one thing we all have in common, when it comes to losing a loved one, is how much we miss them… and how much we wish we could pick up the phone and tell them what just happened. Meeting Jr. was definitely one of those moments for me. The response to this song and the stories and pictures you have already shared of your Dads mean the world. “Dale Jr. is out now”
To Appear On Forthcoming New Album, Spanish Moss
“Dale Jr.” is the latest song from Swindell’s upcoming Spanish Moss collection following the release of songs — “We Can Always Move On,” “Forever To Me,” “Bottom Of It,” “Dirty Dancing,” “We Can Always Move On,” “Spanish Moss,” “Kill A Prayer,” and “One Day.”
