Vacation

Album: Tangled Up (2015)
Charted: 101
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This feel-good song is about having fun. Thomas Rhett explained: "Clearly, with lyrics like 'Billabong bikini' and 'Solo cup amplifier,' the song is about having a good time, whether you actually are on vacation - like we are in the video - or just kicking back in a kiddie pool in your backyard."
  • The song's music video was filmed in July 2015 during a Hawaii vacation that Rhett and his wife Lauren took on the island paradise. It was shot on an iPhone and a GoPro.
  • The track has a likeness to War's 1975 hit "Low Rider," although Rhett and his co-writers didn't recognize the resemblance until after the penning of the song. "When we took it in the studio and cut it, we were like, 'This definitely sounds like 'Low Rider,'" he explained to USA Today.

    As a result, the "Low Rider" writers were added into the songwriting credits. "Never in a million years would I have thought the guys in War would have been co-writers on a Thomas Rhett record," said Rhett.
  • Thomas Rhett explained the song to the Las Vegas Review Journal: "It's basically like, you know, you're at work and you're kind of daydreaming about, you know, getting off at 5 o'clock, and even though you might be somewhere in the Heartland or somewhere where it's cold, you know, we're going to get out there and we're going to party just like we're on vacation," he said. "We're going to pretend like we're sitting under a palm tree drinking a Red Stripe, and we're going to pretend like we've got all of our friends here, just being idiots."
  • This song was released as the fourth single from Tangled Up. "'Vacation' is the perfect follow-up [to "T-Shirt"] to me because it's becoming one of my favorite songs to play live. It's all about letting loose and having fun, wherever you are, and that's what we want people to do at our shows," Rhett said. "And hopefully, if you are stuck in traffic or on your way to work, this song will take you to that place for a few minutes, too."
  • Rhett wrote the song with Sean Douglas and Joe Spargur. The same trio also penned his hit single "Die a Happy Man."

Comments: 1

  • John from Pathways AcademyBest song ever.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Tom Johnston from The Doobie Brothers

Tom Johnston from The Doobie BrothersSongwriter Interviews

The Doobies guitarist and lead singer, Tom wrote the classics "Listen To The Music," "Long Train Runnin'" and "China Grove."

Adam Duritz of Counting Crows

Adam Duritz of Counting CrowsSongwriter Interviews

"Mr. Jones" took on new meaning when the song about a misguided view of fame made Adam famous.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.

Maria Muldaur

Maria MuldaurSongwriter Interviews

The "Midnight At The Oasis" singer is an Old Time gal. She talks about her jug band beginnings and shares a Dylan story.

Todd Rundgren

Todd RundgrenSongwriter Interviews

Todd Rundgren explains why he avoids "Hello It's Me," and what it was like producing Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real Group

Modern A Cappella with Peder Karlsson of The Real GroupSong Writing

The leader of the Modern A Cappella movement talks about the genre.