"Worst Way" is a steamy, passionate country song that showcases a more sensual side of Riley Green's songwriting. Released in March 2024 as part of his Way Out Here EP, the track quickly became a popular sing-along at Green's live shows.
Riley Green describes a passionate encounter with a lover. The Alabama native forgoes traditional romantic gestures like wine and roses, and just gets right to the point, telling the girl he wants her in the worst way. We'll need to wait for an answer song to find out if this play works.
The song title comes straight from the song's chorus, where Riley Green belts out, "I want you in the worst way," a phrase that pretty much sums up the whole vibe of the track. Green isn't mincing words; the phrase captures the raw, urgent need at the heart of the song, a passionate longing that's all about physical connection with a partner, and preferably sooner rather than later.
When Riley Green wrote "Worst Way," he was enjoying life as a bachelor - a status he's not shy about owning. In fact, he's even joked that he's more of an "ineligible bachelor," thanks to his relentless touring schedule, which leaves little room for anything resembling a conventional relationship. This song doesn't seem to be inspired by any particular romance from his past. Instead, Green has credited Eric Church's "
Like a Wrecking Ball" as the direct influence.
Back when he was first cutting his teeth as a touring musician, Green often covered "Like a Wrecking Ball," but after a while, he figured he needed a version of his own. Thus, he wrote "When She Comes Home Tonight," a song that served the purpose well enough, but as Green admits, the production back then left a lot to be desired.
"I didn't have a producer, I didn't have a manager - I would just record it in like, Bob's garage," Green explained during an interview on the Kelleigh Bannen Show on Apple Music Country. "So the production quality wasn't necessarily what I've learned to now pick apart and try to be creative in the studio."
Fast forward to 2024, and "Worst Way" is what "When She Comes Home Tonight" wishes it could have been: polished, refined, and, dare we say, sultrier.
The "Worst Way" music video stars Riley Green alongside a female love interest, visually depicting the song's story through several passionate scenes. One scene recreates the iconic kitchen moment between Kevin Costner and Susan Sarandon in the film Bull Durham.
Riley Green wrote "Worst Way" on the road, drawing inspiration from the moody intimacy of John Mayer's "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" and Eric Church's "
Like a Wrecking Ball."
"I set out to blend traditional country instrumentation with a modern edge - something smooth and reflective, but still grounded in that raw, country feel,"
he told Billboard. "With the help of my producer Dann Huff, I think we were able to do just that."
Riley Green never thought of himself as a love song guy, which is why the runaway success of "Worst Way" surprised him as much as anyone. "It's not really my thing,"
he told CMT, adding that writing about romance pulls him out of his comfort zone. Still, the hit left him in what he jokingly calls a professional dilemma: "I'm afraid I'm going to have to write more love songs now. I think I'm going to have to have one of those on each record."
The timing of the rise of "Worst Way" fueled plenty of chatter about Green's dating life, with names like Megan Moroney and Ella Langley tossed around. All parties have denied anything romantic, leaving the inspiration for the track a mystery, if it's even drawn from real life at all.
Green sang "Worst Way" at the 2025 CMA Awards, where his Ella Langley duet "
You Look Like You Love Me" was a big winner, taking Single Of The Year and Song Of The Year. Green also got some airtime when presenter Leanne Morgan talked about how she was hoping he'd help her out of her pants after the show.
