Spin You Around (Morgan’s Version)
Bad business deals happen and are unfortunately all too prevalent in the music industry. Taylor Swift has recently started to take back the power of her songs from a similar situation, and it has famously gained the support of just about… everyone!
Photo By: Matt Pasker
Fans want to support their favorite artists in the best way they can, so there was generally no pushback to this idea, and the public really started to rally around the idea of re-recording her songs to then own the rights to them entirely. Fans began re-purchasing the albums they already owned and swapping out their playlist songs for (Taylor’s Version). Since Kelly Clarkson’s infamous Tweet to Taylor with this novel suggestion, other artists, like Taylor’s Eras Tour opener Paramore, have followed suit to take back the ownership of their songs. Today, we see that Morgan Wallen has hopped on the re-recording bandwagon as well.
In an Instagram post, Wallen explains that 10 years ago, he wound up in a recording and an artist management deal that he deeply regrets. They recorded some songs, ones that Morgan is not particularly proud of anymore, and that those colleagues were going to release a 10-year anniversary edition of the EP, including 8 unreleased tracks “from the vault”. Wallen shared, “It’s gross, greedy & an example of how the dark side of the music business can suck the soul out of artists”. So what is a guy to do, other than beat them to it and release his own re-recording of the hit. Unfortunately, he had to leave the duck blind to make it all happen, but it is all made worth it to stick up for himself and the rights to his music. In addition to the re-recording, he is also making a $100,000 donation from the Morgan Wallen Foundation to the Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts program, sharing that he “hopes young aspiring musicians read this story & know they should never have to give up their creative freedoms for an opportunity in this business.”
Now, while this song is 10 years old, and may not sound like many of his recent releases, I think it is eerily similar sounding to a song that Eric Church would write or record - the acoustic setting, the witty lyrics, with a Wallen twist. This is the Morgan Wallen sound I fell in love with at the start of his career, and I foresee him including more of this style in future releases, especially with his and Church's budding friendship and the recent revival of Field & Streams, the clothing outfitter and magazine your grandpa loved.
Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images
I am so proud of Morgan, and everyone who is repossessing their power over their own creative productions. If you’d like to support Morgan by streaming or purchasing his latest release, just make sure it is coming from the man himself before hitting the replay button.
