Bailey Zimmerman’s ‘Fall in Love’ Is a Heartbreaker With Bite [Listen]

Bailey Zimmerman's stubborn heartbreaker "Fall in Love" introduces the newcomer as a chin-first country-rocker willing to dive into his personal life, love and loss. There's a familiar defiance to his scorching missive to an ex.

Sonically, he's the best representative yet of a new sub-genre of country. There's no snappy name for it yet — and Zimmerman has not done enough interviews to prove or disprove the theory — but fans of 2000s rock bands like Linkin Park and Nickleback will recognize this aggressive (but still mainstream) sound. Thick guitar chords and a slow, steady rhythm section back vocals that are kept hot in the mix.

That's not to say the song exists on country music's perimeter. Morgan Wallen — who, when blended with Kip Moore, makes a perfect comparison to Zimmerman — lives in this space. Both artists are sure to bring enough organic instrumentation to their real life storytelling. All three artists are lyrics first kind of artists.

The lyrics are what separate Zimmerman. "Fall in Love" isn't predictable. It begins like a tear-in-my-beer ballad before he snarls just a little bit at the woman who has done him wrong. By the end, the song is an unapologetic, scorching rebuke of this girl's motives — her own mother even takes a shot! It all matches Zimmerman's persona on TikTok, which is to say it's real. There's enough new here to make this song compelling. There's enough familiar to make it the breakout hit of 2022.

Did You Know?: Bailey Zimmerman co-wrote "Fall in Love" Gavin Lucas and Austin Shawn. All three men are enjoying their first radio success in American country music.

Listen to Bailey Zimmerman, "Fall in Love"

Bailey Zimmerman's "Fall in Love" Lyrics:

Heard you moved out to South Carolina / Just like you always said we would / Packed your bags in that old 4Runner / That I bought you when things were good / I'm glad to see the stop sign didn't hit ya / Bring you back to your senses / Oh, it waved you gone, goodbye / Yeah, it waved you gone, goodbye.

I heard you found yourself a brand new man / Put a rock on your finger / And he vowed you a second chance / Built a house right by the coast / That ocean view is beautiful / But baby, I just want you to know / He don't know you like I did / Well money talks, but I ain't buying.

Chorus:
'Cause love's a smoke ring / Wrapped around your finger / One second it's a blessing / And the next it's already gone / A broken heart, I'm a walking testimony / My confession is a lesson / That I'm pouring out in this song / Oh whoa whoa, Oh whoa whoa / You don't wanna fall in love / Oh whoa whoa, Oh whoa whoa / You don't wanna fall in love.

I seen your mama walking out the county market / And I thought to ask her how she's been / She said she's missing ya / And tried to go convincing ya / Not to settle down with him / She ain't wrong, the whole town knows it / You had a bed of roses / But girl, you couldn't walk that line / You can act like you're doin' fine.

Repeat Chorus

Repeat Chorus

Heard you moved out to South Carolina / Just like you always said we would.