In one respect,
Megan Moroney
and
Kenny Chesney
‘s “You Had to Be There” lyrics are so relatable, every country fan alive will be able to find their story in the song.
In another, “You Had to Be There” is about an experience so rare that these two artists are part of a small minority that’ll ever know what it feels like.
The tune encapsulates the energy of a lively country music performance. The opening lines focus on the thrill of attendees preparing for the event, wearing brand-new cowboy boots and sharing clandestine embraces beneath the vibrant neon illumination of the stage lights.
That’s the part that any listener can relate to: Many country fans first fell in love with the genre because of the magic of live music.
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But what happens next takes that magic to a whole new level.
Moroney and Chesney sing about what it’s like to go from country fan to country star, and to experience all the excitement of live music point from the vantage point of the singer on stage, staring out over a sea of cheering fans.
At one point in the song, Moroney gets even more specific: “
Going ’round the world with the King of No Shoes
,” she sings, referring to her opening spot on Chesney’s Sun Goes Down Tour.
She isn’t shying away from how specifically this song talks about her life and her rise to stardom.
Before she releases “You Had to Be There” on Friday (May 9), she showed fans a sheet of the song’s handwritten lyrics dated the day she wrote it: Dec. 19, 2024.
The lyrics have been inserted into what looks like a scrapbook from the Sun Goes Down Tour, on a page marked with the date of New Year’s Day in 2025.
Underneath the lyrics lies a personal handwritten note from Chesney himself.
What an incredible way to kick off 2025,” he shares. “Megan gifted me her musical talent with a song she composed inspired by our shared tour! No one has ever penned a tune for me like this before. Such a wonderful present… Love you Megan!
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Here Are Megan Moroney and Kenny Chesney’s “You Had to Be There” Lyrics:
5 girls in front of the mirror applying cosmetics / While down below, guys are engaged with tunes about drinks / Gathered around an inherited acoustic guitar / They’re singing oh-oh-oh
Fresh boots that we’re just about to break in / Got tickets up high in the stands / Spent summer savings gladly / In the parking lot, we’ll take a shot and maybe sneak a kiss too / We’re all set to go…
Chorus:
I notice the lights / I listen to the music / It feels as though the entire globe is within our grasp / Absorbing it all / Taking it deep / Someday we’ll recount ‘Do you recall?’ / We were brimming with life / That evening felt magical / As if enchantment filled the atmosphere / You needed to experience it to believe
After seven years, I gained a new perspective / With a sound check in ten minutes and my personal dressing room / Touring the globe alongside the Shoeless King / Singing oh
Can’t tell you how fast time’s gonna fly by / Keep your heart on your sleeve and your chin held high / Baby hold on tight and don’t let go…
We created the moments / We have the photos / But you needed to be there / You can’t pretend it / That type of sensation / You had to be present…
Oh, we were there