Riley Green Songs That Reflect His Life Growing Up In A Small Town

Isn’t it amazing how Riley Green songs are made to get bar crowds singing along whenever it is being played in shows? The Alabama native received his first big break in 2018 after joining the fourth season of CMT’s reality series Redneck Island. The show raised Green’s profile and brought him to a much bigger audience, which he took advantage of.

Since then, he has released songs about trucks, beer, and lost love. Oftentimes, these tunes are set to a big beat that would make you think of the boot-scootin’ in the 1990s. Now, we’re going to look at some of them.

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Here are the best Riley Green songs released so far. Check them out below.

1. I Wish Grandpas Never Died

From: I Wish Grandpas Never Died (2019)

Green had performed “I Wish Grandpas Never Died” on tour before finally adding it to his debut album’s tracklist. The song then caused waves on country radio and ranked No. 12 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Green co-wrote the song as a tribute to his grandfathers. Interestingly, the two were credited as Green’s co-writers.

2. Bury Me In Dixie

From: Bury Me In Dixie (2015)

In 2015, Green introduced himself with the song “Bury Me In Dixie,” where he paid homage to his hometown. The song immediately turned into his signature number and helped him sign with Nashville’s Big Machine Label Group. However, Green found himself in the middle of a controversy when the song was pulled from digital streaming services as people reacted to a lyric celebrating Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

3. There Was This Girl

From: Different ‘Round Here (2019)

“There Was This Girl” was Green’s first single after he was signed to Big Machine Records and the song that put him on the country music map. 

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This catchy country rocker sings about the impact that different women have had in the narrator’s life. Green said he wrote the song with Erik Dylan, talking about some of the dumb things they had done when they were young – and it turned out that in every scene, “there was this girl.”

4. Numbers On The Cars

From: Different ‘Round Here (2019)

This heartfelt ballad was inspired by the emotional journey Green’s family went through from having a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. It details how the disease has totally changed the life of Green’s grandfather as well as what the singer’s relationship is like with him. 

“Numbers On The Cars” was inspired by how the old man managed to retain in his memory the names and car numbers belonging to his beloved NASCAR drivers even though he was afflicted with the illness.

5. In Love By Now

From: Different ‘Round Here (2019)

Green finds himself mourning the loss of a girlfriend in this hard-rocking heartache anthem. He wistfully reflects on his then-lover and how she’s already far out of reach and “probably in love by now.”

The singer wrote the song with Ben Hayslip, Marv Green, and fellow country singer-songwriter Rhett Akins. Green recalled the songwriting session, where he thought of writing something like a “’90s country-sounding song.”

6. Bettin’ Man

From: Different ‘Round Here (2019)

Green once again finds himself singing about the end of a relationship,  trying to figure out if his girl has left him for good, as if he’s playing a game of chance. Interestingly, the song is true-to-life. Green co-wrote it after splitting up with his girlfriend and knowing he could no longer get her back. Apparently, the singer went to try to win her back, but she had already told everyone close to her how horrible a boyfriend he was.

7. If It Wasn’t For Trucks

From: If It Wasn’t for Trucks (2020)

Whenever Green performs “If It Wasn’t For Trucks” live, he always quips how he has grown frustrated at the lack of truck songs in the genre, so he thought of writing one himself.

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In the song, Green reminisces all the precious moments his trusty 4×4 has witnessed, like experiencing his first kiss, crying behind the wheel after finding out his grandfather had died, and talking to God on the pew of his bucket seat.

8. If I Didn’t Wear Boots

From: If It Wasn’t for Trucks (2020)

Here, Green paid tribute to his favorite, weather-beaten boots, which he said gave him an extra boost of confidence. He ponders what his life would be like if he had been forced to live without it. “Might have let that guy keep runnin’ his mouth. Might’ve walked away before I knocked him out. If I didn’t wear boots,” the song goes.

9. Better Than Me

From: If It Wasn’t For Trucks (2020)

In 2020, Green finds himself reflecting on how the pandemic has left him no choice but to take a pause and surrender everything to a higher power. That is what this song is about, and how his time locked down in his hometown of Alabama gave him more liberty to enjoy the little things in life.

Green said he wrote the song about how things may be “bad and look awful, and you need to try to find the positive in it.”

Alabama’s Randy Owen joined Green on the song’s latter part.

10. Break Up More Often 

From: Different ‘Round Here (2019)

You will seldom find romantic slow-burners within Green’s catalog – but whenever he delivers, it charms listeners at the speed of light. 

“Break Up More Often” tells the story of a man whose girlfriend drove away after a stormy fight. But the two made up the next day, giving their relationship a fresh sense of passion. The man can’t help but muse about doing it more often.

There you go, the best Riley Green songs by far. Which one is your favorite?