Walker Hayes has made a not-so-subtle shift in presentation with his new song “Y’all Life.” The aggressive new hip-hop-influenced Southern rock anthem turns the volume way up on just about every element.
Vocally, Hayes is deeper in the mix than he was on previous No. 1 singles, “AA” and “Fancy Like.” That makes “Y’all Life” more of a production spotlight than anything he’s released to radio yet. There are some really sharp lyrics and even more Hayes-ian rhymes, but listeners will need a few spins to catch them.
Slide guitar and heavy drums float the Alabama native through nostalgia. His stories of the formative years (the ”white limousine to Olive Garden” lyric will hit hard for prom kids of the late 1990s) are a fit for who he is musically. No, neither of his last two single look back per se, but Country Stuff: The Album and released prior to that are full of stories from his diary.
Hayes is about as hot as it gets right now, with a nomination in top artist categories at upcoming awards shows a real possibility. He’s asking a bit more from listeners with “Y’all Life.” As always, time will tell if his people answer.
Did You Know?: Yes, that is an adjusted sample of Nelly‘s “Country Grammar” you hear midway through the chorus. In 2000, Nelly sang ”I’m goin’ down, down, baby, your street in a Range Rover.” Hayes sings, “I’m goin’ down, down, baby, your street in my Bronco.”
Listen to Walker Hayes, “Y’all Life”:
Walker Hayes’ “Y’all Life” Lyrics:
Small town, y’all town, double dutch in the park / Ice cream truck, failing that emissions test hard / Got that blow up grinch in the yard and it’s March / Ain’t coming down anything soon / Y’all them nursing homes still rattling with some Dolly Parton / And them high school kids traveling like James Harden / In them white limousines to the Olive Garden / On prom night, it’s good times right.
Chorus:
We be livin’ that y’all life y’all / Rolling in the south / Where it’s all football and Jesus / Barbershop talking like nah / Shut your mouth, my mama’s sweet tea’s the sweetest / Turn that bass up, Shawty show ‘em how / Y’all we raise up, and y’all we goin’ down baby / Yo street in my Bronco / I’mma talk to ya real slow / Said where the crawdads crawl / Living that y’all life y’all.
Y’all all them dads tell them boys son walk it off / Y’all them mamas tell the girls better keep your legs crossed / All them hands in the stands praying for the coin toss / Lord please, we want the ball at the half / Say y’all it’s all about a dub and a dirt road / And amen in a church on the third row / With your arm around your girl like a fur coat / On Sunday, come Monday.
Repeat chorus
Oh, oh, y’all life, y’all life / Oh, oh, y’all life, y’all life.
Y’all I got that whiffle ball bat flip swag in my walk / Down in Bama where they grammar got some country in it y’all / Nanna pudding, prayer chains, tailgates in them jeans, ain’t no thang but a chicken wing.
Repeat Chorus
attachment-y’all life cover art