We put the country back in Country 104 during this week's Scoop with Coop.
As teased last week, country music superstar Luke Combs was the main topic of this week's morning show segment.
We tried to get Combs as a guest; but had to settle for the knockoff version (aka Cooper Douglas circa Halloween 2020).
Thankfully I can tell the story that Combs shared on the Dog Walk podcast (link below) back in July, detailing what went into his hit song "When It Rains It Pours" released in June 2017.
"It's one of my favorites that I've ever done, without a doubt."
Combs talked about the feeling that went into the initial songwriting session ten years ago, and how it was initially supposed to be more of a sad song.
The original idea went from, "let's go, he stopped loving her today... just the saddest song you've ever heard", to the complete opposite said Combs, giving all the credit to writing mate Jordan Walker who had the idea to flip the song on its head.
"What if we just made it a happy song instead?"
With the title chosen and the attitude changed to a more positive tone, Combs said the lyrics started to come easy as the group laughed along. Anytime you can be caller number five on a radio station and win a four-day three-night beach vacation — you just have to let it flow.
"Something I think now, you would almost not write, because you think yourself out of it at this point in your career."
Combs said that every great song is a product of putting in the reps, working day after day to see what sticks, in case it's a hit.
"Sometimes the magic of we don't know everything yet, is what makes a song (like 'When it Rains') great... You almost think yourself out of it, your almost too good in some ways," said the humble singer.
If 'When it Rains' stayed the same sad song, Combs doesn't think it would near the hit it is today.
"No. Without a doubt, no... But I also think that is probably the most pivotal, important song of my career."
Combs first hit single might have been 'Hurricane', but even he says the second release is what people in the business look for. After that song's initial radio run, Combs was coaxed by his manager Steve into releasing When it Rains as his second single to show Nashville, and his fans the variety of music he could offer on his route to stardom.
"If Rains works... they are going to think "he can do this thing", and then it leaves you open," said Combs, as instead of being pigeon-holed as a mid-tempo heartbreak singer, Combs continued his rise to stardom singing about unmatched vibes from the Shell off I-65.
That's a lot of reading for the Scoop with Coop this week.
Listen to the morning show discussion below as I joined Nick Cooper for our Friday show, and the song in question after: