It’s easy to understand why Zac Brown Band’s ‘As She’s Walking Away’ went platinum. The soulful melody and meaningful lyrics flow so smoothly that it’s no-brainer listeners love it. Not to mention, collaborating with country superstar Alan Jackson helped boost the song’s popularity.
Looking back, Zac Brown Band obviously gets inspiration from relatable scenes. And you can bet even a millennial would love the country vibe of this harmonic tune.
An Unrequited Love
Believe it or not, the song is somehow about unrequited love. Well, a one-night unrequited love, that is. Songwriter Zac Brown and Wyatt Durrette co-wrote the piece after a night out in Orlando, Florida. Interestingly, it was from the perspective of Durrette.
The songwriter opposite Brown looked back on that night. He and Zac had wrapped up a show in Orlando together with Los Lonely Boys. After their gig, the duo hangs out in a bar to kill time and catch up on a UFC fight. While they were engrossed on the TV, a girl and a guy walked in. Durrette hadn’t noticed at first how beautiful she was, but when he did, the songwriter couldn’t take his eyes off her. After a couple of minutes, the girl must have felt the unwavering stare of a man, so she turned to look in his direction.
According to Durrette, they seemed to have a staring contest and had a mutual understanding of some sort. The songwriter even revealed that only by a second more of their intense gaze would he come up to her table. However, he suddenly noticed that a guy who looks like her boyfriend was with her. Of course, this stopped the songwriter, but he can’t help himself and still stare at the beautiful lady until the end.
For You
Only when they left that it dawned onto Durrette how his encounter with the girl frustrated him. Heck, he described it as finding yourself missing the chance and kicking his self because of it. And in that exact moment, he thought of making it a song.
Successful Collaboration
Some of Zac Brown Band songs have notable collaborations, and that includes this song. ‘As She’s Walking Away’ is unimaginable if Alan Jackson isn’t on it. The veteran singer’s vocals gave the tune a whole new light that fans love.
John Driskell Hopkins, the band’s bass guitarist, was the one who suggested for Jackson to take part in the song. He figured that the veteran’s fans would be a different kind for the band. They’re lucky as they have Keith Stegall, who produces their band and Jackson’s music, as he made the collaboration possible.
Released in 2010, ‘As She’s Walking Away’ hit No. 1 in the Billboard’s Hot Country Songs. It had 1,000,000 sales which made it certified platinum. The collaboration even gained Grammy Awards’ attention as it earned them the Best Country Collaboration with Vocals in its 53rd celebration. Overall, this became the second Grammy not only for the band but for Jackson as well.
Click on the video below to see why it’s a Grammy winner.
