Zach Bryan's single release, "Something In The Orange" is one of those types of songs that hits everyone hard, no matter what genre of music they love. The magic behind this song is in the lyrics and the heartfelt vocal delivery by this super-talented singer.
The country song was released in April 2022 and quickly rose on the charts with a video that has over 50 million views from users who can't help but keep coming back to this emotional gem.
Zach is no stranger to making songs that tug at people's heartstrings, but I think this one takes the cake.
The poetic and somber lyrics can come across as confusing because they have a few layers and can hit people differently, but it's also pretty simple when you break the lyrics down.
Zach, who wrote the song, also gave some background on his songwriting process for this hit that sheds light on how his intention was pretty straightforward but deep as he uses object songwriting to bring the lyrics to life.
In an interview with Apple Music, he said:
"Everyone thinks it was over some deep, dark thing, and it was just me in a cabin in Wisconsin. I thought about the word 'orange', and I was watching the sunset, and I was like, 'Oh, that's a cool story to tell in a song.' You know?"
Writing a song with the help of nature can positively impact the depth and intenseness of the lyrical story you'll tell while you're in your creative process, and it shows.
On top of the artistic inspiration he received from nature, Bryan chose to craft this song in a way that was very basic in terms of instrumentation, especially in the verses that just feature his voice and the guitar.
In the chorus sections, harmonica and a bit of piano come in to join the guitar to bring home the emotional stirring in your heart as you let the song sink in.
The overall story in the lyrics is about how Zach is lamenting over a recently lost lover with whom he wishes things were going differently.
The song opens up pretty straightforwardly, letting you know that he and his lover are having some problems that he hopes will be resolved by the next day.
It'll be fine by dusk light, I'm telling you, babyThese things eat at your bones and drive your young mind crazy
So when Zach is talking about something being in the orange, he is speaking of the sun, and it's no deep metaphor there. But the depth comes from when you consider how much the sun can affect our lives, as well as how the sun operates.
Some of the confusion comes in when Zach first thinks that something in the sun is telling him that things will be looking up.
'Cause if I say I miss you I know that you won'tBut I miss you in the mornings when I see the sunSomething in the orange tells me we're not done
Later in the story, he switches his thought to thinking that things won't be looking so good in the future as he watches the sunset.
Where the hell am I supposed to go?I poisoned myself againSomething in the orange tells me you're never coming home
This is where the object writing comes in, comparing his love story to the way the sun rises and sets, where sometimes there is light in a relationship and other times dark.
While the orange sun is giving him some hope, the sunset is really frustrating him to the point of poisoning himself, mostly likely with liquor, as he goes back and forth with his emotions, wondering if things will get better or worse.
Where this song really shines is how it relates the orange of the sun to memories of the past that people reminisce over. I mean, who doesn't reminisce about the good times?
I need to hear you say you've been waitin' all nightThere's orange dancing in your eyes from bulb lightYour voice only trembles when you try to speakTake me back to us dancing, this wood used to creak
And on the sad side of things, the view of the sun was a great way for Zach to get these emotional lyrics out, and it gets a lot of us (even the less creative people) in a reflective mood, especially when it comes to our romantic relationships.
If you leave today, I'll just stare at the wayThe orange touches all things aroundThe grass, trees and dew, how I just hate you
The video is really a treat to watch while you listen to his voice and read the lyrics. It's a compilation of fan-sent imagery and videos of memories that take place during the sunrise and sunset, and it's really well done.
Again, this simple yet effective creativity at play reels you in and gets you thinking about some bittersweet memories you have with someone you may have loved and lost.
It could remind you of times you have with a current lover when things get rocky, or it could make you pine for a time with someone who passed away, and you hope to be able to reconnect with them in the afterlife.
I encourage you to check out the comments on the video to get personal stories from hundreds of fans on how the song affects them and to see how this beautiful song has touched many hearts.
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