Fresh off his debut in 1989, Clint Black claimed four consecutive number-one hits, making him a force to be reckoned with in the genre. The first two— “A Better Man” and “Killin’ Time”—were definitely the most impactful. Not only were they chart-toppers, but Billboard also published them as the number one and number two songs of the year, respectively. Their success made a statement that he has an undeniable potential for a long-lasting career.
And it really did. Black became cemented as one of the truest traditionalists in the genre, with influence spreading across generations of singers. He also went on to sell over 20 million records, earn 22 number-one career hits, and collect nearly two dozen gold and platinum awards. He also won a Grammy and numerous country music awards.
“Killin’ Time,” the title track of his same-titled album, left an indelible mark on the genre.
Meaning Behind the Song
The song, which was written by Clint Black himself along with Hayden Nicholas and produced by Mark Wright and James Stroud under RCA Nashville, tells the story of a man who attempts to numb the pain of a lost love but, unfortunately, finds his efforts futile. That is, love isn’t only his adversary. Time, too.
The song opens with the sorrowful and resigned line, “You were the first thing that I thought of / When I thought I drank you off my mind.” The man then continues to sing about how she’s the only one he finds whenever he gets lost in the liquor. But he knows that even if he had only done what he should’ve done, she still wouldn’t be his.
For You
But he didn’t, and so there he was, drinkin’. Unfortunately, there was no amount of alcohol to drown the memories of her and the love they once shared.
And so, he drank just to kill time – the perfect metaphor to reflect the passing of time and the destructive nature of his coping mechanism. That is, it may lead him six feet underground, and he’d have to kill time for eternity. He was just that hung up on her.
In the second verse, he pours all his feelings away. He sings, “And I don’t know nothin’ ’bout tomorrow / I’ve been lost in yesterday / I’ve spent all my life just dying for a love that passed away.” And he just accepted that if drinking would end all of his sorrows, then he’d be a happy man when he goes.
Sometimes, love just renders us powerless.
Catch Clint Black downing all the booze in “Killin’ Time” and drowning all his sorrows away in the video below. You might as well check out the rest of Clint Black’s biggest hits for a no-skip playlist.
