Format Digital download Length 3:51 | Genre Country Label Curb | |
Released December 3, 2012 (2012-12-03) Writer(s) Jessi Alexander
Connie Harrington
Jimmy Yeary | ||
"I Drive Your Truck" is a song written by Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, and Jimmy Yeary and recorded by American country music artist Lee Brice. It was released in December 2012 as the third single from his album Hard 2 Love.
Contents
Content
The song is about the narrator driving a truck owned by his brother, who died in action in the United States Army. Co-writer Connie Harrington was inspired to write it after hearing an interview on Here and Now of a father, Paul Monti, whose son, Medal of Honor recipient Jared, was killed in Afghanistan while trying to save a fellow soldier. In the interview, he states that he drives the truck to feel close to his son.
Critical reception
Billy Dukes of Taste of Country gave it 4.5 stars out of 5, saying that "Brice’s strong lyrical performance[…]should broaden the story’s scope, making it a big hit commercially and artistically." Tammy Ragusa of Country Weekly gave the single an A grade. She said that Brice "sings it like his life depends on it" and praised the detail of the lyrics.
The song was awarded Song of the Year honors at the 47th annual Country Music Association Awards, as well as Song of the Year at the 49th annual Academy of Country Music Awards.
Music video
The video features Brice's brother, Lewis.
Commercial performance
The song gained sufficient airplay to debut on the Country Airplay for chart dated February 23, 2013, and eventually reaching No. 1 on this chart on April 20, 2013, making it his third consecutive No. 1. It also debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 91 in February 2013 and peaked at No. 47 on April 13, 2013. It reached No. 6 on the Hot Country Songs and No. 11 on the Country Digital Songs. The song has sold 870,000 copies in the US as of April 2014.