Cole Swindell has recorded several songs about his own life that he has written, including “You Should Be Here,” about the loss of his father, and “Forever to Me,” about his fiancée, Courtney Little. But he also recorded “3 Feet Tall,” a song written by Jordan Walker, Trannie Anderson and Trey Lewis, about the experience a child goes through when their parents divorce. It’s something that is, sadly, all too personal for Swindell, who experienced that himself as a young boy.
“I remember listening to this song they sent me. It was just a work tape, just an acoustic vocal, and it just crushed me,” Swindell shared with Everything Nash and other outlets at a recent media event. “I went, ‘No way,’ ’cause I saw the title. I saw ‘3 Feet Tall,’ and I was like, ‘What is this going to be about?’ … It’s one of those songs that, I just haven’t heard that take on it like that.
“And you don’t get those kind of ideas every day,” he continues. “You would think to tell your own story, but sometimes when somebody tells it better than you’ve been able to, it’s a weird feeling, but how many people are out there that have been through that?”
“3 Feet Tall” means a lot to Swindell because of his own story, but he has already seen the song touch people, even if their own parents didn’t divorce as his did.
“I think it hits the people that have been through it, and then also the people that don’t want to go through it, that wouldn’t want to put anybody through that,” Swindell shares. “But it’s a tough song to listen to. … It’s one of the most powerful songs I think I’ve ever been a part of. And it is unique. I know everybody can’t relate to it, but some songs aren’t for everybody. Some songs are for the people that know exactly how it feels.”
Swindell’s parents have now sadly both passed away, but the 40-year-old insists he harbors no ill will to either his mother or his father for how their divorce impacted him.
“It’s personal to me,” Swindell shares. “But I’ve been able to look back and find the good in that. I think when I moved over with my mom, I got to grow up around my grandparents, and they helped raise me. I wouldn’t be who I am today without everything I’ve been through. I know everybody doesn’t have a story like that … If I can sing about personal stuff to me, and let people know that I’m just like you.
“I’ve been through a lot of the same things, and I’m just a dude from Georgia,” he adds. “If I can relate to them through my music, then that’s how I want do it. That’s why I fell in love with country music in the first place. It just felt like somebody understood.”
Swindell just kicked off his Win the Night Tour, with Dylan Scott joining Swindell for all dates. Find “3 Feet Tall” and all of Swindell’s music and upcoming shows at ColeSwindell.com.