LISTEN: Walker Hayes Pays Tribute To Hank Williams Jr In New Song “Drinking Songs”

On the heels of the success of his singles “Fancy Like” and “AA,” Walker Hayes just released another brand-new song ahead of his new album, which is set for release later this month.

On Friday (Jan. 7), the GRAMMY-nominated hitmaker shared his brand-new song, “Drinking Songs,” a track co-written by Hayes alongside Jordan Gray that features Hayes’ signature witty lyrics, sticky melodies and autobiographical storylines. The new track finds Hayes paradoxically declaring his love of drinking songs while proudly six years sober – he may have quit drinking, yet he can’t quite surrender Country music’s longstanding devotion to songs about them.

“‘Drinking Songs’ is one of my favorites off the new album,” Hayes said of the track. “I don’t drink anymore, but I still connect with how a song can get you through, just like a drink can for some people. We’ve all been in a bar full of people singing together, arms around each other. Plus, the lyrics and the beat just have a relatable quality to them that feels so country to me.”

In the song, Hayes also pays tribute to country icon, Hank Williams Jr., when he sings: “So give me that Bourbon and Bocephus / I can’t help me so help me Jesus / She ain’t coming back like you, she gone / So what I need is in William’s voice right now / Hank and Evan don’t let me down / Bring them Family Traditions on / I’mma just keep sittin and sippin’ and singing along / Thank God for drinking and drinking songs.”

Listen to the new track below.

Arriving on January 21, 2022, Country Stuff The Album will feature his viral hit “Fancy Like,” as well as his previously released “U Gurl,” along with “AA,” and 10 other tracks, including Hayes’ collaborations with Carly Pearce, Jake Owen, and Lori McKenna, and a re-imagined version of “Craig” featuring MercyMe. See the full track list below.

The new project will be uniquely Hayes, and share a range of emotion from nostalgia and pain to joy and good old fashion fun.

“I’ve been waiting so long to put out a project like this,” Hayes said. “It has everything I love from the fun of ‘Fancy Like’ to the more personal lyrics in ‘AA.’ As an artist, it’s such a unique thing to be able to share all the different versions of you in a project, and that’s really what I tried to do here.”

Preorder Country Stuff The Album now, HERE.

Country Stuff The Album track list
1. Drinking Songs
2. AA
3. Life With You
4. U Gurl
5. DeLorean
6. Fancy Like
7. Craig (feat. MercyMe)
8. What You Don’t Wish For
9. Country Stuff (feat. Jake Owen)
10. I Hope You Miss Me
11. Briefcase (feat. Lori McKenna)
12. Cry
13. What If We Did (feat. Carly Pearce)