Cole Swindell Shares Story Behind ‘Dad’s Old Number’ From New Album

Cole Swindell shared the story of the loss of his father with “You Should Be Here,” the No. 1, platinum-selling title track of his sophomore album. But there’s a song on his upcoming All of It album, “Dad’s Old Number,” which Swindell didn’t write, but is every bit as personal to him.

“‘Dad’s Old Number,’ Chase McGill and Jesse Alexander wrote this on my bus,” Swindell shares with PopCulture.com and other media. “They were out writing with me that weekend, and the night before, Chase McGill had told me this title, ‘Dad’s Old Number.’ I automatically go to football and he’s like, ‘No, having the number that you can’t call anymore.’ Then I was just immediately, just floored. I was like, ‘I love that.’”

Unfortunately, McGill and Alexander started writing the next afternoon, and texted Swindell a few times, but he had fallen asleep and didn’t hear them reaching out.

“I never responded,” Swindell recalls. “I was sleeping. I woke up and he’s was like, ‘Man, I’m sorry. It just kind of all fell out.’ I remember being like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ I didn’t get to write it that night. They played it for me, and I just knew that I wasn’t supposed to be a part of that song. As an artist sometimes you over think things and I think I could have messed that song up somehow. That’s how they make a living, and that song’s special to them. I know they had me in mind. It’s just that these kind of songs are the ones that are going to stick with people forever.

“These are the type of songs – I’ve said about ‘You Should be Here’ – this is why I love country music,” Swindell continues. “Because no other genre can make me feel like I feel right now just talking about it. It’s the most anticipated [song]. I cannot wait for people to hear it. Especially, even the ones that haven’t, can relate to it. I hope that people can. But if it scares you to call on your dad or your mom or whoever and you still have, if it scares you enough to call them while you can, because you’re going want to someday, then I’ve done my job.”

All of It will be released on August 17. The debut single, “Break Up in the End” is currently in the Top 15. Swindell will kick off his Reason to Drink … Another Tour on Oct. 4, with Dustin Lynch and Lauren Alaina serving as his opening acts. Find dates and more information at ColeSwindell.com.

Photo Credit: Getty images/Matt Winkelmeyer