To Be Loved By You

Album

Rockstar Junkie: after the party

Label

MCA Nashville

Genre

Neo-Traditionalist Country

Composer(s)

Parker McCollum;Rhett Akins

Entered Chart

Nov 13, 2021

Peak Date

Feb 19, 2022

Released

January 25, 2021

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

MCA Nashville

B-Side

n/a

Inspired by a rough patch he went through with his girlfriend Hallie Ray Light, Parker McCollum penned this song about navigating the difficult times in a loving relationship. What in the Hell does a man Have to do, to be loved by you? McCollum wants to know what changes he can make that will stop his partner from getting so angry with him. The song originated with a comment made by the singer to his merch guy, Lane. The pair were driving in the singer's truck heading for his tour bus when McCollum said out loud, "Man, what does a man have to do to be loved by that girl?" Lane suggested he write it down as a song idea. When McCollum got on the bus, he sat in the back lounge with a little guitar and just started playing and singing stream-of-consciousness lyrics into his iPhone. McCollum had a songwriting session booked two weeks later with Rhett Akins, the father of Thomas Rhett. The "Pretty Heart" singer recalled to The Boot how he wasn't feeling it that day. He told Akins, "Man, I got this thing I hadn't finished. I'd like to finish it." Akins helped him complete the second verse, and then the veteran songwriter cautioned McCollum against messing with his earlier freestyle lyrics. "Just leave it as is," he said. "Don't touch it." He took his advice and the final recording is the exact first verse and chorus McCollum freestyled into his iPhone. McCollum and Akins' original demo was slow and balled-y. The singer felt it dragged and had a hard time feeling motivated to complete the track. Once his producer Jon Randall added some tempo, the song found new life. "I was like, 'I feel like this song could be rippin,' like almost in your face a little bit," he told Audacy's Katie Neal.

Hell, maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong
Finding out why shouldn't take this long
Easier said than done, I guess
I'm a little bit harder to love than the rest
Why does this have to be so hard?
Doin' my best to hold your heart
And I, I'll never let it go again

So why are you always angry?
Why are you always quiet?
Why do you sleep alone
When I know you don't like it?
Maybe you might be different
Would it kill you to tell me the truth
What in the hell does a man
Have to do
To be loved by you?

Well, I've been running as fast as I can
And you'll never get over what you can't understand
Pissed off, hanging up the telephone
Forever ain't far, I'm heading home
Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong
Last time you ever gonna find me gone
And I, I'll never let you go again

So why are you always angry?
Why are you always quiet?
Why do you sleep alone
When I know you don't like it?
Maybe you might be different
Would it kill you to tell me the truth
What in the hell does a man
Have to do
To be loved by
You?

So why are you always angry?
Why are you always quiet?
Why do you sleep alone
When I know you don't like it?
Maybe you might be different
Would it kill you to tell me the truth
What in the hell does a man
Have to do
To be loved by you?

To be loved by you
To be loved by you
To be loved by you