Morgan Wallen is one of the hottest names in country music right now, with a string of hit songs, a record-breaking album, and a loyal fan base. But he is also a controversial figure who has faced backlash and consequences for a racial slur.
Through it all, he has maintained a close bond with his mom, Lesli Wallen, who has been his biggest supporter and inspiration. In this article, we will explore Morgan Wallen’s song Thought You Should Know, a touching tribute to his mom. We will look at who Morgan Wallen is, who wrote the song with him, the meaning behind the lyrics, when and how he released it, and how it performed on the charts.
Morgan Wallen was born on May 13, 1993, in Sneedville, Tennessee. He grew up in a musical family, as his father was a preacher, and his mother played the piano and sang in church. Morgan learned to play the violin and piano at a young age and later picked up the guitar. He also developed a passion for baseball and played throughout his high school years.
Wallen had a chance to pursue a college baseball scholarship, but an injury dashed his hopes. He then decided to focus on music and moved to Nashville in 2015 to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter. He auditioned for the sixth season of The Voice in 2014 and initially joined Usher’s team before switching to Adam Levine’s team, but he was eliminated in the playoffs but gained some exposure and fans from the show.
Wallen signed with Big Loud Records in 2016 and released his debut single, The Way I Talk, later that year. The song reached number 30 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart and was certified platinum by the RIAA. He followed it up with his debut EP of the same name in 2017.
Wallen’s breakthrough came in 2017 when he collaborated with Florida Georgia Line on the song, Up Down, which became his first number-one hit on the Country Airplay chart and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA. He released his debut album, If I Know Me, in 2018, which spawned two more number-one hits: Whiskey Glasses and Chasin’ You. The album was certified double platinum by the RIAA and won him the CMA Award for New Artist of the Year in 2020.
Wallen’s second album, Dangerous: The Double Album, was released in January 2021 and became a massive success. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart with a record-breaking 265,000 equivalent album units sold in its first week. It also broke the streaming record for a country album with over 240 million streams in its first week. The album stayed at number one for ten consecutive weeks, making it the first country album to do so since Garth Brooks, The Chase in 1992.
The album featured four singles: More Than My Hometown, 7 Summers, Sand in My Boots, and Wasted on You. All four songs reached number one on the Country Airplay chart, making Wallen the first artist to have four consecutive number-one hits from two different albums. The album also included collaborations with Chris Stapleton, Ben Burgess, Eric Church, Diplo, and Thomas Rhett.
Wallen’s career faced controversy in February 2021 when he was caught on video using a racial slur outside his home. The incident sparked a backlash from fans, fellow artists, radio stations, streaming platforms, and industry organisations. Wallen apologised for his actions and asked his fans not to defend him, announcing that he would take some time away from the spotlight to work on himself.
Despite the controversy, Wallen’s music continued to sell and stream well throughout 2021. He won three Billboard Music Awards in May 2021 for Top Country Artist, Top Country Male Artist, and Top Country Album. He also won two CMT Music Awards in June 2021 for Collaborative Video of the Year (with Diplo) and Breakthrough Video of the Year for Chasin’ You.
Wallen returned to performing live in July 2021, making a surprise appearance at Luke Bryan’s concert with Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard. He sang More Than My Hometown and Whiskey Glasses to a cheering crowd, who welcomed him back with open arms.
Wallen’s appearance at Bryan’s show marked his first major concert appearance since his scandal. In May 2021, he released a new song called Thought You Should Know, a heartfelt tribute to his mom.
Who Wrote Morgan Wallen Thought You Should Know Lyrics with Him?
Thought You Should Know is a song Wallen co-wrote with two of country music’s most acclaimed female artists: Miranda Lambert and Nicolle Galyon. Lambert is a seven-time Grammy winner and the most awarded artist in ACM history, with hits like The House That Built Me, Over You, and Bluebird. Galyon is a songwriter and producer who has penned hits for Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Lady A, and Kenny Chesney, among others. She also co-wrote Lambert’s Automatic and Tequila Does.
Wallen, Lambert, and Galyon wrote the song together in 2019, before Wallen’s scandal. Wallen revealed in an Instagram post that he had been holding onto the song for a while but decided to share it with his fans as a way of expressing his gratitude for their support.
When and How Did Morgan Wallen Release Thought You Should Know?
Morgan Wallen first shared Thought You Should Know with his fans on May 22, 2021, through his Instagram page. He posted a video of himself singing the song in his living room, accompanied by an acoustic guitar. He captioned the video: “Happy Mother’s Day Momma. I hope you know how much I love you. I wrote this song for you with @mirandalambert and @nicatnitemusic. I hope y’all enjoy it.”
The video quickly went viral, garnering over 2 million views and thousands of comments from fans who praised the song and his vocals. Many fans also expressed their hope that Wallen would officially release the song.
Wallen granted their wish on May 6, 2022, when he released Thought You Should Know as a promotional single from his upcoming third studio album, One Thing at a Time. He announced the release on his social media platforms, saying, “This one’s for my momma. And yours too. Thought You Should Know is out now.”
The song was officially sent to country radio on November 7, 2022, as the second single from One Thing at a Time. The song was produced by Joey Moi, who has worked with Wallen on all his previous projects.
The Meaning Behind Morgan Wallen’s Thought You Should Know Lyrics
The song, Thought You Should Know, is about Wallen’s appreciation for his mom and how she has always been there for him through thick and thin. The song is structured as a phone call between Wallen and his mom, where he tells her about various aspects of his life and how he feels about them.
Verse 1
What’s goin’ on, Mama?
Somethin’ just dawned on me
I ain’t been home in some months
Been chasin’ songs and women
Makin’ some bad decisions
God knows I’m drinkin’ too much
Yeah, I know you’ve been worryin’ ‘bout me
You’ve been losin’ sleep since ’93
The first verse sets up the context of the call: Wallen has been away from home for some months, chasing songs and women, making bad decisions, and drinking too much. He knows his mom has been worried about him since he was born in 1993.
Chorus
I thought you should know
That all those prayers you thought you wasted on me
Must’ve finally made their way on through
I thought you should know
I got me a new girl down there in Jefferson City, and
She lets me fish whenever I want to
Yeah, I’m still proud of where I came from
Still your only damn son
Can you believe I’m on the radio?
Just thought you should know
Thought you should know
Thought you should know
The chorus reveals the purpose of the call: Wallen wants to let his mom know that her prayers for him have not been wasted but have finally made their way through. He also lets her know that he has found a new girl who lives in Jefferson City (a reference to Jefferson City High School in Tennessee, where Wallen graduated from) and who lets him fish whenever he wants to (a reference to one of Wallen’s favourite hobbies). He also expresses his pride in where he came from (Sneedville, Tennessee) and his achievement of being on the radio (a reference to his successful music career). He ends each chorus with the phrase, “Just thought you should know“, as he shows his humility and sincerity.
Verse 2
Oh, by the way, Mama
Didn’t mean to ramble on ya
How’s everything back at home?
Yeah, how’s that garden comin’?
Is dad still doin’ dumb shit?
And how’d he keep you this long?
Yeah, I’m sorry that I called you so late
I just miss you but anyways
The second verse continues the conversation between Wallen and his mom as he asks her about how things are going back home. He asks her about her garden, his dad’s antics, and their long-lasting marriage. He apologises for calling her so late but says he misses her.
The bridge repeats the first verse but with a slight change in the lyrics. Instead of saying “I ain’t been home in some months“, Wallen says “I’m coming home in a month“. This shows that he is looking forward to seeing his mom again and spending some quality time with her.
I thought you should know
That all those prayers you thought you wasted on me
Must’ve finally made their way on through
I thought you should know
That I really like this girl down in Jefferson City, and
It turns out she’s a lot like you
Yeah, I’m still proud of where I came from
Still your only damn son
The bus is leavin’ so I gotta roll
Just thought you should know
Thought you should know
Thought you should know
The final chorus adds another detail to Wallen’s update, as it reveals he really likes his new girl and that she is a lot like his mom. It is highly complimentary coming from Wallen, who clearly admires and respects his mom. He also says the bus is leaving, so he has to go, but wanted to let her know how he feels.
The song ends with Wallen repeating the phrase “Thought you should know” several times as if he is reluctant to hang up the phone and end the conversation with his mom.
How Did Morgan Wallens’ Thought You Should Know Perform on the Charts?
Thought You Should Know was well-received by fans and critics alike, who praised its honesty, vulnerability, and emotion. The song also performed well on the charts, despite not being officially released as a single until May 2022.
And the song debuted at number 17 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated June 5, 2021, based on streaming and sales data. It also debuted at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated June 12, 2021, making it his 13th entry on the chart.
The song climbed to its peak position of number 10 on the Hot Country Songs chart dated November 27, 2021, becoming his ninth top 10 hit on the chart. It also reached its peak position of number 58 on the Hot 100 chart dated December 4, 2021.
As of November 2021, the song had sold over 200,000 units in the US and had been certified gold by the RIAA. It has also accumulated over 50 million streams on Spotify and over 20 million views on YouTube.
Conclusion
Thought You Should Know is a song that showcases Morgan Wallen’s love and gratitude for his mom, Lesli Wallen. The song is a personal and heartfelt tribute that reflects Wallen’s growth and maturity as a person and an artist. The song is also a fan favourite and a chart success, proving that Wallen still has a loyal and passionate fan base.
If you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and family who are fans of Morgan Wallen or country music in general. You can also check out Morgan Wallen’s new album, One Thing at a Time, which features Thought You Should Know and other songs that reveal more about his life and journey.