Damn Strait by Scotty McCreery

Album: Same Truck (2021)

Charted: 32

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Damn Strait, I used to love your songs
But now every time that one comes on
My heart gets broke in half
But do I wish I could get her back?

"Damn straight" is a colloquialism meaning without doubt or for sure. Here, "straight" becomes "strait," alluding to country legend George Strait. This is because every time Scotty McCreery hears one of King George's songs, it reminds him of how much he misses his ex. Thus, the title has two meanings: The original sense of "Damn straight," and how George Strait's songs exacerbate his heartbreak.
Trent Tomlinson and Jim Collins penned the song. The two Nashville writers namecheck several of Strait's hits in the lyrics. Some examples:

Baby Blue was the color of her eyes
I can still see them in my mind

But this ole heart just ain't the same
Hell I can't even Give It Away

And you know you'll always be the king
But right now I Hate Everything
Scotty McCreery recorded the song for Same Truck. This is one of only two tracks on the album that came from outside writers, the other being "It'll Grow on Ya."

McCreery told Billboard that Kevin Herring from his label e-mailed him Tomlinson and Collins' tune. When he played it, McCreery "had a little mini freak out session" because he's such a huge George Strait fan.

He added: "I love the different tidbits in there of songs of his... It's a classic country breakup song, but paying homage to George Strait throughout the song."

Comments: 5

Paula Hughes from LouisianaWho wrote the song Damn Striat?
Cody Pendant from CaliforniaTotally love this song and the dual application of the song titles chosen. However, there seems to be much more to the duality of this song than those 3 quoted lines above. For instance: the first 9 words of this song is one of Strait's hits (Nobody in his right mind would have left her). Then there was "Marina Del Rey", and "Blue Clear Sky". The song continues from there with what sounds like the background music mimicking Strait's sounds from some of the songs referenced within McCreary's. Not being a hardcore fan of Strait's (love his music, never memorized it), It seems McCreary's shuffles around in the song barrel as the verses, and songs mentioned in "Damn Strait" progress with sounds from Strait's originals, but I cannot place them. It seems that the composers placed the feeling of each song McCreary mentions into this song for punctuation. There may also be other musical parallelism without any verbal mention going on here as well. Or I could be totally imagining it. lol.
Christina Creede from NysLove Scotty Mcreerys songs
Heather from WvI love how the beginning and ending obviously nod to "Nobody..." with the melody.
Deborah from Roscoe, IlLove, Love Country Music...Love, Love, Love, LOVE Scotty McCreery, Damn Strait!

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