Eric Church Speaks out About Keith Urban Recording His Song, ‘We Were’

Keith Urban’s current single, “We Were,” was co-written by Eric Church, along with Ryan Tyndell and Jeff Hyde. Although it would have seemed likely that Church sent Urban the song, the truth is that Church had nothing to do with Urban hearing the song, and Urban had no idea that Church wrote the song until after he decided to record it.

“That was the coolest thing for me,” Church told his record label. “I didn’t send Keith the song and say, ‘Here’s a song I wrote.’ He found it, and honestly, it fits him more than it fits me. There’s a line in there about ‘two heartbeats in the moonlight in leather jackets on a back of a Harley.’ I don’t ride a Harley. That’s a line, call it poetic license. That’s where it came from. He and Nicole [Kidman] used to do that when they first started dating, and they were touring. They would jump on his Harley and they would put on their leather jackets and they’d go ride up in the countryside before the show.

“I did not know that until after he cut that song. I truly believe songs find the path that they’re supposed to find, and that one was supposed to be with him. Now, as it goes No. 1 in a few weeks, I’m gonna rethink that a little,” Church added with a laugh. “It was perfect that he’s the guy that did that and did it better than I could have done it. I love hearing it on the radio. It’s fun for me. I came to this town to be a songwriter, so for me, I’m not sure if that’s not as proud as I’ve been as when you get a song cut by somebody else and then it becomes a hit.”

Urban has also spoken out about finding “We Were,” revealing it was even more special to him because he didn’t know one of his friends was a co-writer on it.

“It got sent to me, not by Eric, but by someone who finds songs for me,” Urban revealed to Bobby Bones on his iHeartRadio The Bobby Bones Show. “I didn’t know he was a writer, which was really cool, because it wasn’t until we recorded the song, it was all done, and I found out after the fact. I found out and I called Eric, and I was like, ‘Dude, I just cut this song.’

“He was thrilled,” added Urban. “I said, ‘I had no idea that you were a writer on it.’ He said, ‘Well that’s even better, because it means you really loved the song.’ I do. I really love the song.”

Photo Credit: Getty Images / Ethan Miller