The fourth single to be released from Dierks Bentley's Black album, What The Hell Did I Say, is sure to climb the charts in a hurry. Can this summer anthem continue the trend and hit No. 1 like the three singles to come before it?
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"We named the tour after this song hoping that it would be a single this summer because it perfectly captures the anything-goes spirit out there this year," Dierks explains.
Mission accomplished.
Though not a song penned by Dierks himself, it was written by the team who, with Dierks, wrote his single Drunk On A Plane--Ross Copperman, Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins. He knew he needed to have it on the album.
"I've learned over the years of making records that ... it's okay to have some of those fun songs on there," he shares.
It certainly brings a care-free spirit to the album and the tour, not to mention the social media craze with #WTH.
A song filled with regret, and a potential hangover, WTHDIS follows a man who clearly blacked out the night before. Waking up to a call saying "I loved every single word you left on my phone" leads the caller to try to determine "what the hell" he said last night.
The momentum-carrying intro practically begs the subject of the song to get it into gear to figure out what happened. The baseline teases of potential trouble in what he said. The chorus slams into the frustration (and humor) of not being able to remember. By the time you hit the bridge, you really start to get concerned (did he propose? promise expensive gifts?). While you never reach the answer, the journey is a sobering one set to a party song tune.
"My fans are really patient on this record [Black]," Dierks said in a recent media event. "We've taken a lot of twists and turns: Somewhere on a Beach was different. Different for Girls was different for me. And then Black, for that to go No. 1, it's not the typical song that does that. [My fans have] been really patient allowing us to do stuff. So to come back with a song that's a real down-the-middle, fun party song--it's kind of a good summer song, and I'm excited about it."
The new music video, filmed last month in Tampa on the WTH tour, was released at midnight EST. Watch it here:
You can help get this song to No. 1 by requesting it from your local radio station! Let's see how fast we can get this song up the charts and leave radio listeners saying, "'What the hell' was that song? Let's 'dial it up again'!"
Jessica Borrelli
DB Congress Rep, WA @AllTheWayToMe
Imagine climbing Everest in the dark, feeling
your way up the arduous mountain, holding on to a rope notched with 13 beautifully-laced
loops along the way. That's how I feel
listening to Black. I can’t see a thing, but Dierks Bentley is
pulling me along, making me feel one
song at a time, each one taking me higher and deeper into the intelligent
uniqueness of Dierk’s eighth studio album.
Take a trip with me and DB Congress Chart
Reporter, Carrie Srebro, as we try to put our feelings about this body of work
into words.
Black: Written by Ashley Gorley, Ross Copperman and Dierks Bentley There have been quite a few
overtly sexual songs released to country radio over the past few years, which
I’m personally not a fan of. What ever happened to leaving something to the
imagination? But I think Dierks does a good job here of keeping it sexy but not
overdoing it. I also really like the production on this song. I can see this
being single #3. –Carrie Srebro (NC) I still maintain this sensual
song will replace Come A Little Closer as his signature love song. The echo throughout positions the listener
right in the moment. Here, black is not
nothing, but everything—no need to see, just feel. I don’t
wanna see a thing, I just wanna feel your love...Make my world go black. –Ronna
Clark (FL) Watch Dierks intro the songwriters then perform "Black" at Highline Ballroom, NYC, 5/25/16: Pick Up: Written by Jaren Johnston, Jimmy Robbins and Andrew Dorff I liked this song when it was
pre-released, but the more I listen to the album, the more I LOVE this song. I
feel like Dierks sings the hell out of this one, you can really hear his
frustration. And this is a pretty universal theme, but also one that hasn’t
been done a million times, either. I’d be totally fine if this were to become a
single, but I don’t see it falling that way. – CS Clever, crafty songwriting! Dierks said in an interview that his wife
“screens” his calls, so he can relate to such a relatable story—who doesn’t get
frustrated or worried when the person you’re calling won’t pick up the phone!
Nothing more irritating, and you just want to hear their voice no matter what.
Vocally and emotionally, Dierks nailed this one. -RC I’ll Be The Moon (featuring Maren Morris): Written by Heather Morgan, Matt
Dragstrem and Ryan Hurd Easily one of my favorite songs
on the album. Maren and Dierks complement each other nicely and both sing the
song well. You can feel the heartache and sadness. It’s so pleasant to listen
to. –CS How could a story of a secret
love triangle sound so sweet and forlorn at the same time? Easy—get Dierks Bentley and Maren Morris to
sing it as a duet! The narrative
explores subject matter from a unique perspective and I hope it becomes a
single and radio plays it all the way to #1.
Nobody else can match this extraordinary effort. -RC Watch Dierks and Jessi Alexander perform "I'll Be The Moon" at Highline Ballroom, NYC, 5/25/16:
What The Hell Did I Say: Written by Ross Copperman,
Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins This one has grown on me
immensely since being a pre-release track. Once I listened to it in the car, I
was sold, haha! I love a good song to jam to, and this one doesn’t disappoint.
It’s super catchy, and Dierks hinted it may be a future single on SiriusXM The
Highway. –CS Ross Copperman’s oriental
sounding treatment gives it a diverseness only Dierks could pull off. And how different that the girl actually
LIKED “every single word you left on my
phone.” Love the creative new verbs—Did I say we’d go shoppin, that I’d Louis
Vuitton her, That I’d Rodeo Drive her slide a Tiffany diamond on her.” Is that like new math? Kudos to Ross, Josh and Chris. The chorus is infectious and I find myself
singing it at the top of my lungs at red lights. -RC
Watch Dierks perform "What The Hell Did I Say" at Highline Ballroom, NYC, 5/25/16:
Somewhere On A Beach: Written by Michael Tyler,
Jaron Boyer, Alexander Palmer, Dave Kuncio and Josh Mirenda Still not my favorite, but damn,
did this song blow up and get the job done for leading off this album with some
serious momentum. And in the context of the full album, it doesn’t sound out of
place at all. –CS When I heard this was the first
single from the new album, I was disappointed to say the least. Another bro song? Really? I know Dierks has so much more depth, but I
also know radio needed something for the masses. And sure enough, SOAB climbed quickly and spent
two weeks at #1 and three weeks on the Hot Country Songs chart and is still in
the top ten this week—four months later!
The song has really grown on me and I sing along happily now. And yes, it is perfectly placed as chapter
five in Dierks’ book of Black. -RC Freedom: Written by Ashley Gorley, Ross
Copperman and Dierks Bentley This song makes me want to skip
along and bop to it. Obviously a theme that’s been done before, but I love how
anthemic and sing-along this is. Once more people are familiar with it, this
should be a highlight of the live show. Definitely single worthy. –CS Paying homage to our US military—that flag on a soldier’s sleeve—is
always a popular theme. Makes me feel
very patriotic. That, and all the singing
about all freedoms we enjoy because of those soldiers. I can see this going over big on tour and can
already hear the audience singing it at the top of their lungs. That
ticket to your favorite show/Getting’ lost in the rock n roll. -RC Why Do I Feel: Written by Dan Wilson, Ross
Copperman and Dierks Bentley This is where the album kind of
hits the brakes for me. Lyrically and vocally (as in, Dierks sounds good), I
like this song. But I don’t like the sparse production at all. When I hear the
opening piano, I immediately expect to hear Luke’s “Strip it Down” and that’s not
really a comparison I enjoy making. I’ve been trying to get more into the song,
but the R&B cadence and vocal style aren’t working for me. –CS When I hear the piano intro, I
hear a matureness in Dierks’ music that easily fits in today’s all-genre world. The production is distinctly Ross Copperman-crafted. The second verse gets all the way to me—Dierks’ voice at its gritty finest: Trying to find pain, where there’s only
love…And when I get more, it’s never enough. I love the reverberation in the melody and the
subtle dobro—that works for me! I can’t
wait for the vinyl version so I can start with Side B! - RC Roses And A Time Machine: Written by Luke Dick and Adam
James I think I’m the only person who
likes this song. It’s quirky and funky, but I find the lyrics to be
self-deprecating and self-aware – the dude knows he screwed up and at least
he’s able to make fun of himself. –CS No, you’re not the only one, Carrie!This is the old-school Dierks that we know
and love!Co-writer Luke Dick delivered
this tongue-in-cheek tune at the Highline Ballroom Songwriters show May 25 and
the whole room was laughing and singing along half-way through. Best regret
song ever!Great
rhymes—edumacation/relations. Is THAT
what a time machine sounds like?Cool
vibe, Ross Copperman!I can see a black
hole/time travel treatment video for this song—what do you say, Wes Edwards? –RC Watch Luke Dick perform "Roses And A Time Machine" at Highline Ballroom, NYC, 5/25/16:
All The Way to Me: Written by Luke Dick, Scooter
Carusoe and Dierks Bentley This song is like your favorite
pair of worn in jeans. It feels so good. It’s like if Lot of Leavin’ Left to Do
and Free & Easy had a baby. I love it. It just feels so… DIERKS. The
production is like a nod to “old” Dierks, the lyrics are SO Dierks – really
this is like a continuation of I Hold On and I just love everything about it.
Super high on my list of album highlights for sure. (And I would do a lot to
hear a bluegrass version of this. I bet that would be killer.) –CS Hard to believe the same guy who
wrote Roses, also penned this page right out of Bentley’s boyhood morphing into
adulthood. When I first heard this and
saw the background video on Apple Music, I couldn’t help but think of Kansas
Ambassador and country artist, Logan Mize (Somethin’
‘bout starlight on Kansas/ The way a wheat field dances), yet distinctly
Dierks. This song demonstrates how
deeply he feels about the influences in his life (Cass and the kids). Favorite line: Somethin’ ‘bout me and her and how our love turned into brown eyes
lookin’ up/The sound of hardwood floors on little feet. Bluegrass version gets my vote, too!- RC Different For Girls (Featuring Elle King): Written by Shane McAnally and J.T. Harding Another great duet. I think the
duets on this album are my favorites of Dierks’ career so far. I know there’s a
lot of brouhaha over the lyrics and the over-generalization of male behavior,
but Dierks himself even said he sucks at being a “dude” when it comes to
heartache, so I’m not going to read too much into it. This song sounds great,
and I think this is a moment on the album where Dierks is really saying “you
know, I’m raising two daughters now, and I look at these things differently
than I used to.” And I also like the idea that it’s the douchey bro from SOAB
having an introspective moment, too. Love this and I hope it’s a huge hit for
him. –CS A guy takes up for a girl – yes
please! This may not have been written
by Dierks, but it’s true to the core of his character. He has said many times he can relate to how
girls handle heartbreak because it’s kind of like he has reacted in the
past. Remember Yeah, 'cause
I've lost weight and I've lost hair/And I don't intend to ever go back
there/Drinkin' and a-thinkin' 'bout a love that just wasn't true (Forget About You)? Yeah—that was autobiographical. Thank you Shane McAnally for thinking of
Dierks for this song. And thanks,
Dierks, for thinking of Elle King’s (daughter of Rob Schneider and London King) exceptional voice. Perfect duet and harmonies. The unique lyrics tell an honest story of
guys and girls reacting to break-ups so differently; different than any other
song on the radio right now. DFG should
easily be his 15th number one single. Favorite line: She don’t scroll through her phone just lookin’ for a band-aid. -RC Mardi Gras (Featuring Trombone Shorty): Written by Natalie Hemby, Steve Moakler and Dierks Bentley I wasn’t too sure about this one
when I listened to the album the first time, but wow, has it grown on me. It is
so catchy, and again, I think Dierks kills the vocal on this one. I’ve had this
song in my head a lot since Friday. –CS While the production and melody
remind me of Mardi Gras, the title is a metaphor for a girl who trashed the
guy’s heart just like the streets of New Orleans the day after the real Mardi
Gras. The trombone sliding of Trombone Shorty is the perfect action to tell
this guy-done-wrong song. Lyrical imagery
abounds, painting the perfect charade picture.
Favorite line: Strung me right along like lights on a
balcony. Light It Up: Written by Jessi Alexander, Ross Copperman and Dierks Bentley This is another great track. I
really like the spiritual metaphors. The production is perhaps a bit louder
than it needs to be here, but it’s still a really great song, and one I
wouldn’t mind seeing as a single, but it’s a bit similar thematically to HOLY
by FGL so they’ll probably steer clear. –CS Loved this song since I heard
Dierks sing part of it acoustically on The Bobby Bones Show. Vocally and melodically, the chorus soars and
is much stronger than the verses. Conversely,
the lyrics in the verses are brilliantly written! I used
to get numb on a whiskey remedy/But then your spirit poured in like a symphony. It’s apparent his angel (wife Cassidy) lights
ups his soul! Co-writer Jessi and Dierks sang “Light It Up” at the Highline
Ballroom in NYC last week. –RC Here's a short clip of Dierks and Jessi performing "Light It Up" at Highline Ballroom, NYC, 5/25/16:
Can’t Be Replaced: Written by Hillary Lindsey, Luke
Laird and Dierks Bentley Not much to say here that hasn’t
already been said by basically everyone ever, but this is a fantastic song.
First of all, I could talk about those dobro solos all day long. They’re
gorgeous. Everything about this song is just perfectly executed. Definitely one
of the best songs of his career. –CS Whether its things or people, we
all have memories of the images this song conjures up—totally saw my teen years
flash before my eyes—Levi jacket, spinnin’ that bottle, Memorex mixtape and
Boone’s Farm kiss. Totally agree with
the dobro solos, too—beautiful. This may
never be a single, although Dierks has said he would like it to be. Our heart goes out to Jake who has been there with him since the beginning. -RC If you want to feel every emotion in life, be sure to take
Bentley’s Black along on your
mountainous trek. It will seep into your soul, light it up and transcend you.
"We can pick up right where we left off," sings Dierks Bentley in part three of the video series that started with a love triangle story-line in "I'll Be The Moon, followed by "What The Hell Did I Say," where the lover, played by Austin Cook, leaves texts on the girls phone that her live-in boyfriend reads while she's sleeping.
The video "Pick Up" starts with her waking up to a missing phone and an angry, abusive boyfriend. While the lover is desperate to get her to pick up the phone, he drives to her house to find her on the floor. Watch to the very end to see the shocking scene.
The four-video series is chronicled exclusively at rollingstone.com featuring four songs from Dierks Bentley's upcoming album Black releasing May 27.
"When you're in the throes of a relationship, it can be crazy and lustful, even obsessive and jealous," says Bentley. "'Pick Up' drops into the sequence as that point when you just have to be closer to your girl. For the storyline and plot of these videos, Wes [Edwards, director] definitely takes it there and puts a shocking spin on it."
iTunes put "Pick Up" at #79 on the Country Chart today, while "I'll Be The Moon" lands at #114 and "What The Hell Did I Say" is #137. The fact that these songs charted at all on iTunes without even being released as singles speaks volumes about the power of video and Dierks!
Stayed tuned for our recap of the fourth video, "Black," to close out the series.
Dierks kicked off his Somewhere On A Beach Tour Thursday night in Homdel, NJ, complete with a "Black" Bus before the shows for Black Card holders to listen to the whole album prior to the May 27 release. Great way to give something special to the hard core fans! He even jumped on the bus himself!
You may remember we told toldyou about our one and only Ireland DB Congress member, Rita (Reet) Eaton, who promotes Dierks daily--without every having seen a show or meeting him. In April, Reet finally had the opportunity when Dierks did a show in Dublin. Here's her story:
To say that I've been looking forward to seeing Dierks play live for a while now would probably be an understatement. I had thought about trying to save money to get over to the U.S. to see him, but when I heard last October/November that he was coming to Ireland, let's just say I was a little ecstatic. Oh hell......let's be honest here....I was freaking over the moon. I couldn't believe it. Dreams really do come true.
So, on November 19th 2015, I got my Dierks tickets. No's 6 and 7. Happy bunny here I can tell you. only problem was the gig wasn't until April 21st 2016....5 whole months to wait. A lifetime away, or so it seemed. Some of you may have been aware that I was counting down the days!
We have a few Country Music TV programmes over here in Ireland and I started sending in requests for Dierks videos and songs, telling them about his upcoming concert and was lucky enough to get him mentioned on a couple of the programmes, and get the videos and songs played.
I have been friends with a few DB Congress reps and Dierks fans on Facebook and Twitter and was delighted when I found out some of them were coming over for the show. I met up with Janet, David and Jim in Dublin. We had a great time. They were so nice, and before too long we were getting on like a house on fire. They all made my first Dierks gig so much more fun. David and Jim had some really cool stickers made especially for the Dublin show and we were giving them out to all and sundry.
Time went by and finally, FINALLY, April 21st was here. OMG! I'm going to see Dierks.
We were standing in line outside The Olympia Theatre in Dublin for a couple of hours wanting to make sure that we got a good spot (I mean....that's normal right?) when all of a sudden, there in front of me was DIERKS. FREAKIN'. BENTLEY. It took me a minute for this to sink in. Then I managed to pull myself together.
The first thing that hit me was how quiet and unassuming he was. I mean, when you see him on stage (and up to this point I've only seen videos and clips that have been posted up) he's there in front of you...larger than life, owning the stage and the audience. You almost expect him to be this larger than life personality off stage too, But no, he seems humble, normal, just an everyday sort of dude. At least that's how he came across to me anyway.
Having been around bands and musicians for a big part of my life I am all too aware that what you see on stage, isn't what you see off stage. But this was DIERKS. FREAKIN'. BENTLEY. He's in the Hall of Fame (exhibit) in Nashville. He co-hosted the ACM's. He's a huge Country Music Star in the U.S.......and here he is standing in front of me...on the street.....outside The Olympia Theatre. WOW!
Stashed in my bag I had some Irish Whiskeys which I didn't know if I was going to be able to sneak in or not. Luckily I didn't have to worry about that anymore. I gave them to him there and then, along with some Green Cups (as opposed to Red) as he was in Ireland after all. And yes, he used said Green Cups on stage (me privately chuffed). I also managed to get a "Selfie" taken with him (and I hate having my picture taken). It wasn't too long before a small crowd gathered and a few more "Selfies" were being taken. Dierks was great sharing his time.
After that, it was time to go into The Olympia. Second highlight of my day.....I had yet to have my Meet and Greet with Dierks. I had my picture taken with him (again) and he signed my new "Black" t-shirt. He said that was his first time seeing them so that's my claim to fame. Dierks Bentley signed MY "Black" t-shirt first. 😊 Unfortunately, as my brain was not functioning at this point and I didn't get to say thanks to Dierks. Not only for his wonderful music, but also for the incredible friends in DB Congress that I have made through him. That's really what I wanted the Meet and Greet for, but my brain had pretty much left the building at this point.
Off I went into the venue. We managed to get front row spots. No one in front of us, but plenty behind us.
At 8 pm Dierks' support act, Tucker Beathard, came on and showed us his musical talent. He was brilliant. Just him and his guitar, and as Dierks said, it's not easy to come out on stage, in a strange Country, and do what he did, but he did it with no problem at all and the crowd loved him. I loved him, too. A new fan for Tucker.
Finally, it was time.
Dan Hochhalter and Tim Sergent appeared on stage playing an intro with an Irish twist on the fiddle and banjo. This turned out to be the intro to "Up On The Ridge." Soon they were joined by the rest of the band, Cassady Feasby, Steve Misamore, Ben Helson, and Dierks himself for the full version of the song. So damned good.
My night had started. I was flying.
The night went on with many favourites (old and new)...."Free and Easy," "Tip It On Back," "Am I The Only One," "Say You Do," "I Hold On," "Every Mile A Memory," "Freedom," "Lot Of Leaving Left To Do," "Black," "Somewhere On A Beach," "Sideways," "I'll Be The Moon," "What The Hell Did I Say," then finishing the night with the only song that can finish a night like that off, "Drunk On A Plane." In between his set he paid tribute to Merle Haggard and sang one of his songs, also mentioning Prince who had died that day.
Dierks had the crowd in the palm of his hand. He drew everyone in and made you feel like he was singing to you personally. He showed the audience his new "old" boots telling everyone how he got them and where they came from (from his DB Congress!). He's real pleased with those boots.
The Band were just incredible and Ben, the new guitarist, fits right in perfectly. Every single person left The Olympia Theatre in Dublin on a high knowing that they had just witnessed one hell of a show, and one hell of a singer. It was special. No one was disappointed.
We all made our way out of The Olympia having made new friends along the way, gathered outside talking about the incredible night we'd all just had.
The only down side? I was just so sad that it was all over so soon. I had a serious case of Dierks Post Concert Blues.
What the night of April 21st 2016 did for me was make me even more determined to go to MM4K (Miles and Music For Kids) in 2017. Wild horses won't keep me away from that now. No Way.
So there you have it. My first ever Dierks Bentley experience. I just hope I manage to have many more.
Thank you Dierks for probably THE most memorable night of my life.....and that's saying something because I've seen a fair few bands, but nothing like this.
Oh yeah....a small P.S. We even made a brief appearance in the small compilation video that Dierks posted of his Dublin/London/Glasgow trips.
