The 10 Best Parker McCollum Songs of All-Time

Have you ever heard of singer and songwriter Parker McCollum? If you haven’t it might be because you don’t follow the same scene that he does or because you’re just not listening to the right radio station. He’s been writing songs and performing since the early 2000’s, mostly with regard to the country music and Americana genres. If you’re interested in knowing more about his music, here are 10 songs that are often considered his best, ranked from 10 to one. There are YouTube links for each one so if you;re searching for some “new” music and you haven’t heard him before, click on the links and see if any of these songs resonate with you.

10. Wait Outside (2021)

These are the lyrics to what essentially amounts to an elongated pick up line. In the song, the person singing is trying to convince a woman that he sees that they need to start going out and he’s using pretty much every angle he can in his attempt to convince her. If you’ve ever been the subject of a pick-up line, then you probably already know where the song is going before you even listen to it. Nevertheless, it’s commonly named as one of his top 10 songs.

9. Hallie Ray Light (2020)

Here’s a song about two people that have previously had a relationship, yet that relationship has hit a number of difficulties. They’re having one last conversation before they go their separate ways, presumably forever. The song goes on to talk about how even though they can’t really get along well enough to be in a sustained relationship, they only wish the best for each other. It also talks about how difficult it is to say goodbye to people in these types of relationships, even when things are far from perfect.

8. Like A Cowboy (2020)

Just as the title says, this is the song that tells the story of a person who has always tried to live his life in much the same way that he has seen cowboys on the silver screen live theirs. As such, he’s a lot more interested in guns and livestock than he is in staying in one place in order to put down roots or have a relationship.

7. Young Man’s Blues (2020)

This is a rather sad song. It tells the story of a person who used to be one of the most well-known and well-liked people in his high school. He was always at the forefront of the types of social engagements that you would expect someone of that age to be involved in, yet as he got older it was like everyone forgot all about him. Eventually, he left his hometown and when he thinks back on it, he wonders if anyone even remembers that he ever lived there.

6. To Be Loved By You (2021)

In this song, the lyrics talk about wanting to be loved by a certain person, yet having that fear that most people have when they start a new relationship. That fear involves being afraid that things might not go as planned. More specifically, there is a fear that the person he’s interested in won’t be the least bit interested in him.

5. Rest Of My Life (2021)

This is one of those songs that leaves a lot up in the air for debate. It talks about being in a failed relationship, one that apparently has all but destroyed the individual singing the song. The lyrics speak of having ample supplies of both wine and drugs and the person in the song implies that he uses both generously and then lies down in order to drift off so everything will be okay. The question is, is he simply trying to drown his sorrows or is he trying to end his life. The title would imply that it is the latter, but it’s never directly stated in the song lyrics.

4. I Can’t Breathe (2017)

If you’ve ever missed someone so much that you literally feel like you physically cannot breathe until you’re with them, then you will understand the lyrics to this song. That’s precisely what it talks about. The song itself discusses someone who’s been on the road for quite some time and is finally on his way back home. He’s talking to his significant other, telling her that it’s virtually impossible for him to breathe until he’s able to hold her in his arms.

3. Meet You in the Middle (2015)

In this rather melancholy song, there’s a lot happening to the person singing the lyrics. First and foremost, he’s basically losing everyone he loves around him. It’s all happening for different reasons, but nevertheless, he feels like everything that has always been his foundation is sliding right out from under him. His grandfather has been diagnosed with cancer, his mother has literally lost her mind to the point that she’s had to be committed, his father took his own life and now his significant other has been caught cheating. Through all of this, he talks about holding on to what little he still has left and doing his best to understand her reasoning by meeting her in the middle because he simply can’t stand to lose any more.

2. Hell of a Year (2017)

Every person alive has times when they’re at their best and other times when they’re at their worst. The people who are closest to them will eventually see them in both extremes. It is the ones who are capable of seeing these extremes and still loving an individual unconditionally that are worth keeping. This is a song that pays homage to these types of people by telling the story of someone who’s gone through a year full of ups and downs and then thanking the people that have seen him through it all.

1. Pretty Heart (2021)

This isn’t exactly a happy song, but it is a fan favorite. It details the story of a troubled young man who has had a history of getting into a lot of trouble, yet he falls in love with someone that he perceives to be as kind and sweet as a person could possibly be. Eventually, they get into a relationship and then he does the one thing that he can never forgive himself for. He breaks her heart. The lyrics in the song go on to ask what kind of a monster would do something to someone so kind and serves as something of an introspective narrative for anyone who’s ever done something that they have trouble reconciling.