Trace Adkins‘ new album Something’s Going On offers fans a completely different look at the artist they thought they knew. While you can still catch a few of Adkins’ signature rowdy tunes, such as “Lit,” overall the album takes on a reflective approach.
No track is more personal to Adkins than one titled “Whippoorwills and Freight Trains.” The song is told from the perspective of a man who has been brokenhearted in the past. In those times, all he had to listen to at night was the sound of whippoorwills and freight trains, which caused him to focus too much on his heartache.
But through the song, the man reveals that he has since found a new love. She makes him feel safe and comfortable, and he no longer worries about the sounds of whippoorwills and freight trains at night.
Although he didn’t write the song, Adkins was easily able to connect with it. He opened up to USA Today about the emotional process of recording the song, which took a surprising toll on him.
“I was about halfway through recording the master vocal when I just had to step away from the microphone,” he said. “I looked…and said, ‘You’ve got to give me a moment. This song is killing me.”
Adkins opened up further about “Whippoorwills and Freight Trains” in his special Story Behind the Song video series on his YouTube channel. Seated on a black couch in a dimly-lit room, Adkins explained the deep connection he felt to the song during the recording process:
“‘Whippoorwills and Freight Trains’ is one of the songs on this record that hit me the hardest when I was recording it,” he said. “I was in the vocal booth singing this song, and I remember I just had to stop and regain my composure, because this song was really hurting me.“
He goes on to tell a more lighthearted tale about the song, which relates to country legend Buck Owens and a really low note. Tune in to Adkins’ Story Behind the Song clip below to learn all about it!
If you want to know more about “Whippoorwills and Freight Trains,” then the recording is the best place to start. You can give it a listen by downloading a copy of Adkins’ new album Something’s Going On right here. Hope you enjoy it!