Songfacts®:

• This is the opening song of Cass County, Don Henley's first country solo album. Originally, the title track of alternative country artist Tift Merritt's 2002 debut LP, it is one of the few tunes on Cass County that Henley didn't co-write. Henley told interviewer Beverly Keel during the CMA Music Festival that he had been a fan of the song ever since he had heard Merritt's original version.
• Mick Jagger contributes a turn on the country ballad, recording his verse in Los Angeles. Of the Rolling Stone frontman's appearance, Henley said during a June 18, 2015 event held at Capitol Studios, that he thought to himself, What's the wackiest thing I could do?, never expecting Jagger to say yes.
• Mick Jagger played the harmonica on the track as well as providing vocals. Don Henley told The Sun that the harmonica was Jagger's idea. He added: "I'd forgotten he's a great player."
• The female vocalist that you hear is country star Miranda Lambert.