Rascal Flatts Celebrate a Lover’s Quirks With ‘Back to Life’ [Listen]
Rascal Flatts' new single, "Back to Life," is a soaring ballad in the style of the trio's previous love songs, but lyrically they recall another hitmaker that had done well since 2000.
There is a "Little Moments" quality to the story Gary LeVox sings. Like Brad Paisley's hit from 2003, he focuses on the adorable quirks and cute habits he can count on. Falling asleep when a movie begins, lipstick love notes, way too much sugar in her coffee — these may not be the things you recognize in your lover's routine, but it's easy enough to swap out details to make the song your own.
Where "Back to Life" really shines is the melody. The chorus waterfalls down to a plain-spoken confession that hints at trouble, even if the song never goes into detail. LeVox maximizes his range, while Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney add harmonies as they've done for nearly two decades. It's familiar, but not a match for anything they've released previously.
Did You Know?: Dan + Shay singer Shay Mooney co-wrote this song with Cary Barlowe, Niko Moon and Fred Wilhelm. The duo were on tour with Rascal Flatts in 2018, and they've admitted the country veterans are their No. 1 influence.
Rascal Flatts' "Back to Life" Lyrics:
She got that hey y’all little southern drawl that she got from her mama / Likes coffee with her sugar in the morning / She likes to leave little red lipstick love notes on the mirror / Loves rain on the tin roof when it’s pouring / Doesn’t matter what we’re listening to / Spinning her around the living room / And I fall apart every time.
Chorus:
She puts that beat in my chest, pounds like a drum, shakes me like thunder / Taking my hand, pulling me up when I’m going under / My dreams come alive when I wake up and look in her eyes / She brings me back to life / Yes she does.
She’s got her feet on the dash, hair blowing back, hand out the window / Making up half the words that’s she’s singing / And she takes an hour to pick a movie out / Five minutes in and she’s passing out / And I wouldn’t dare wake her up when she’s sleeping / I’d stay there forever if I could / Nothing ever felt so good / I wish I could stop time.
And I don’t wanna think about where I would be without her.