×

When it comes to inspirational hits, there’s “Standing Room Only” for Tim McGraw

By Stephen Hubbard Mar 13, 2023 | 5:00 AM
Big Machine

Tim McGraw‘s new single, “Standing Room Only,” arrived Friday, just the latest in his string of inspirational hits like “Humble and Kind,” “Live Like You Were Dying” and “I Called Mama.”

So does the superstar set out to find life-affirming tunes with a message?

“I certainly try to find songs that I can find some deeper meaning in, and songs that can have a sort of a wide view in ’em,” he reflects. “But no, I don’t look for songs like that in particular, like sort of family/home/mama.”

“But maybe subconsciously I gravitate to ’em,” he admits. “Maybe they find me, I don’t know. I guess I’ve done enough of those kinds of songs throughout my career, certainly about life…  I’ve done enough of those now that probably I get more sent to me maybe than average. So maybe I run across ’em more often.”

Tim confesses some of his favorite finds don’t always work out for him. 

“I really try to find great songs,” he says. “And there’s plenty of great songs that I find that go on to find better homes than they woulda had with me that you’ll never hear that I’ve tried that didn’t work out.”

Craig Wiseman — the man behind “Live Like You Were Dying” — also co-wrote “Standing Room Only.”

It’s the title track of Tim’s 17th studio album, due later this year.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.