Give Heaven Some Hell

Album: A Rock (2020)
Charted: 69
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Songfacts®:

  • "Give Heaven Some Hell" is a percussive track where Hardy bids an emotional farewell to a fallen friend who is gone too soon. The singer's pal was not an especially reverent person during his time on this planet, and Hardy tells him to "crank it loud, hold it down until I get there."
  • Big Loud released "Give Heaven Some Hell" as the second single from Hardy's debut album A Rock on January 25, 2021.
  • The penning of another A Rock cut, "Trucks" served as inspiration for this heavenly hellraiser. During the writing of that song with Hunter Phelps (Florida Georgia Line's "Talk You Out of It") and Ben Johnson ("Lee Brice's "One Of Them Girls") a phrase on the second verse stood out.

    "The original line we threw out was like, 'I bet there's stories about his best friend that he can barely tell. Because he's givin' heaven some hell,'" Hardy recalled to Billboard. "I can't remember who said the line, but we all were like, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, give heaven some hell is a great line. We need to write that song.'"

    The three reconvened to pen the tune a few weeks later at the home of Ashley Gorley (Carrie Underwood's "Good Girl," Thomas Rhett's "T-Shirt"). "Everybody just kind of knew where the song was going to go as soon as the title was out," recalled Phelps.
  • The chorus pictures the still-rebellious dude sneaking beer into heaven.

    I hope you hit those gold streets on two wheels
    I hope your mansion in the sky's got a ten-acre field
    With some mud and some hubs you can lock in
    Make some thunder, make 'em wonder how you got in
    Hide your beer, hide your clear from the man upstairs


    "People pass on, and they do it at random ages," said Gorley. He added that the song "can be about your high school buddy or your cousin or your dad, or your brother or sister or anybody like that, that just has that wildfire spirit about them. It's hard to imagine those people singing on clouds with harps and wings."
  • Justin Clough directed the video, which follows a suited Hardy paying respect to his departed friend. Johnson plays the deceased pal, while Phelps and Jameson Rodgers also feature.

    "I wanted to have my friends be in the video," said Hardy. "And when we were carrying the casket - that scene - it was weird, man. Like, we didn't say a word, and I think in the back of our minds, we all were kind of thinking, 'This could be one of us one day.'"

Comments: 10

  • Adrianna R. from FloridaI have a friend who almost died today and this song totally would've been her. Love her so much. Thank you HARDY for helping me through some things with your amazing music. Btw my favorite song by him is country country if you haven't heard it go listen to it now
  • Kris from CaI keep watching this video over and over again. Hardy is a master at this type of storytelling video. This is the third Hardy video I've rewatched, all different but with the same quality to tell the story! Master Storyteller and vocalist :D
  • James from IowaThis hits so hard because I have a dad that has stage 4 cancer. I can't imagine saying goodbye...
  • Liv from Big RapidsI lost my grandpa in 2021, and I was heartbroken. But somehow this song seemed to help me cope with the loss
  • Cateb from FloridaI lost my best friend and this song means a lot to me...
  • James from Olive Branch Msi love this song who did hardy write it for though?
  • Morgan from Floridai lost a friend that was like a sister last year and every time i listen to this song it makes me think of them.
  • Tonnie from FloridaI love this song.. I lost my son May 2022...he was 40 every line is him. His daughters picked this song for his funeral.
  • Michelle Thacker from Spring Garden, AlThis song reminds me of Colby Jake Slayton & my dad. Colby passed the end of his junior year of High School. He had just played the best game of baseball. Finishing a great season of football. He was a high school hero to so many and a wonderful young man. I call him my chosen child. My dad holds the part in the song of hiding your beer & clear. He was a bit of a wild one but a one of a kind, give his shirt to anyone in need. I miss both more than anything but I know I will see them again. #Flyhigh5
  • BrockThis song hits so hard because I’ve lost so many people, cousins, grandparents, my sister, I love this song but I cry at the same time while listening to it, thank you…
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