“It’s my first real love song I wrote for my wife,” HARDY says of the track.
HARDY is generally known for being a hard-hitting country/rock artist who never shies away from celebrating his deep Mississippi roots and his passion for country music. However, when he released“SIX FEET UNDER (Caleigh’s Song),”fans got a glimpse into a whole new side of HARDY, one that evokes tenderness and heavy emotions.
What Sparked The Inspiration For This Song?
Back in October of 2022, the “Truck Bed” singer and his band were involved in a tour bus crash that resulted in him fracturing a vertebra in his back. The traumatic event not only affected him physically, but also mentally as it occurred nearly three weeks before his wedding was set to take place. He remembered calling his soon-to-be wifeCaleigh on the phone with blood on his face and fear in his voice. In that moment, he gained a new perspective on life before saying “I Do” to his other half.
“I didn’t know if I was hurt, but I just remember calling her and just being like, “I love you,” and all this crazy stuff. And then going from that moment to the moment where we gave each other our vows and how far apart they were. And it really put in perspective how fragile everything is and how special life is in general,” HARDY toldKelleigh Bannen onToday’s Country RadioonApple Music Country.
All the incredible highs and devastating lows that occurred in that short span of time found HARDY digging deep into his heart and reflecting on how precious each day truly is. As a result, he poured his thoughts and emotions out through songwriting and ended up with“SIX FEET UNDER (Caleigh’s Song).”
“It’s my first real love song I wrote for my wife. I mean, it’s really heavy… Going from basically the worst moment of my life to the greatest moment of my life and the emotional roller coaster behind that. That’s kind of everything that “SIX FEET UNDER” is about. And that time period.”
This track is the only solo write on hishighly anticipated new albumQUIT!!,which is set to drop July 12. Throughout the chorus, HARDY begins by raising questions surrounding mortality such as, “Where do you go when you die?” and “How do you know when you’re there?” He then attempts to capture the memory of exchanging vows privately withCaleigh and cementing their love for one another when he delivers theline, “if heaven’s a moment that you wish never ended, then I’m six feet under somewhere.”
HARDY continues the sentiment in the next verse as he sings, “Oh, what I’d give for a bottle to keep/ These memories forever locked up in my heart/ Why can’t I just relive your sweet words on repeat?/ The ones that you said making my last name ours/ My darling, this feeling’s one I never imagined.”
While reflecting on this intense imagery, he says“That’s the moment that we gave each other our vows because there’s nothing that will ever … I mean, we don’t have kids yet, but there’s nothing to me that will ever, ever, ever beat that moment.”
LISTEN
Thinking Back To The Fear Of The Bus Accident
HARDY still maintains his edgier sound throughout the entirety of the song as death holds a strong presence among the electric instrumentals. The shakiness of his vocals ignite a certain power within the lyrics, causing fans to feel every ounce of love, fear, pain and joy that HARDY endures throughout the narrative. The emotions run high towards the end of the song as he reflects back on the crash and how his only worry in that moment was not death, but instead whether or not he would see his other half again.
“SIX FEET UNDER (Caleigh’s Song)” was sent to country radio on Monday, June 10 and follows “ROCKSTAR,” which is currently climbing at rock radio, as well as “PSYCHO,” the album title track and “JIM BOB.”
HARDY has set the bar incredibly high for the remainder of his upcoming project. If the rest of the unreleased tracks are as gritty and soulful as what he has delivered so far, fans are certainly in for a treat.
QUITT!! Tour
In support of the Quitt!! album, the Mississippi native is currently in the midst of his headlining tour of the same name.Produced by Live Nation, this 15-date run features stops in amphitheaters and arenas across North America alongside his openers Kip Moore,Travis Denning,Ella Langley, andStephen Wilson Jr.
He kicked things off in May and will wrap up in October with a milestone performance at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO.
