Sunshine & Whiskey

Album: Sunshine & Whiskey (2014)
Charted: 57
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Songfacts®:

  • Ballard released a live video of the song in which he prefaced the tune by labeling it "self-explanatory." He added with a laugh, "I've found myself in a little bit of trouble from time to time in my music career, in a honky tonk and being on the road, and the two things that have always put me there, in trouble, are women and whiskey, and that's what this song is about."
  • Ballard told Radio.com the song helped him find the sound he was looking for on his sophomore album. "The way we arranged it, sonically speaking, that sound is going to be identifiable with the record," he explained. "It's a fun song, 'Every time you kiss me, it's like sunshine and whiskey.' It's a summertime thing."
  • The song also worked as an album title as well. "I felt like it really wrapped its arms around all the songs," Ballard said. "If nothing else, maybe people in Walmart will look at it and go, 'Sunshine and whiskey?' and at least give it a second glance."
  • This was written by Jaren Johnston (Tim McGraw's "Southern Girl," Keith Urban's "You Gonna Fly") and Luke Laird (Carrie Underwood's "Undo It," Little Big Town's "Pontoon.") Johnston told Roughstock about the day the pair wrote this song at Laird's house. "After we hashed out the song that day, I kind of took the track home to work it up," he said. "It was kind of different from what we had first done. I just started rapping on it. I sent it to Luke, and I think his text said 'OMG, someone is going to cut that!' We were so excited."

    "Luke and I write together all the time," added Johnston. "We always have a blast. We'll just find an 80s beat and just start rapping over it. It's hilarious."

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