Tim McGraw has been making great music since the early nineties. I was first turned-on to his stuff when visiting a little Bed and Breakfast on Bluebird Mountain, North Carolina by this local acoustic musician playing “Don’t Take The Girl”. I was blown-away by the depth and simplicity of his lyrics and melodies, still am today. Tim McGraw Highway Don’t Care with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban seems to be a visit back to his earlier roots in its beauty and storytelling.

Tim McGraw Highway Don’t Care Story

Tim McGraw Highway Don’t Care is the title of a song recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw and features American country pop artist Taylor Swift on vocals. It was released in March 2013 as the third single from McGraw’s first album for Big Machine Records, Two Lanes of Freedom. The song was written by Mark Irwin, Josh Kear and Brad and Brett Warren. Keith Urban plays guitar on the song. McGraw and Swift recorded their parts separately.

Thom Jurek of Allmusic, in his review of the album, wrote that “the hook is irresistible and McGraw’s vocal, paired with the young singer’s, is a perfect match.” Chuck Dauphin of Roughstock also reviewed the song favorably, saying that “this song flows well, with winning performances from two of the format’s top vocalists.” Billy Dukes of Taste of Country gave the song five stars saying that the track is arguably “one of the best collaborations of the decade — maybe even ever. Each artist brings his or her best effort to the song from McGraw’s Two Lanes of Freedom album. ‘Highway Don’t Care’ feels like a special moment from the very first listen, and only becomes more cathartic with time.”  Jeff Benjamin of Fuse said the track has “major crossover potential.

Tim McGraw Highway Don’t Care Music Video

The song is a mid-tempo ballad where the male narrator is separated from his lover who is driving. Throughout the verses, he tells her what he “bets” she is feeling, when a song comes on her radio (its part sung by Swift) containing the lines “I can’t live without you, baby.” He also says that the highway she’s driving on won’t dry her tears, doesn’t care if she’s alone, doesn’t care if she’s going home(hence the song’s title), and several other things.

Tim McGraw Story

Samuel Timothy “Tim” McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. Many of McGraw’s albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the Soundscan era. He is married to country singer Faith Hill and is the son of the late baseball player Tug McGraw.

McGraw had 11 consecutive albums debut at Number One on the Billboard albums charts. Twenty-five singles hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. He has won three Grammys, 14 Academy of Country Music awards, 11 Country Music Association(CMA) awards, 10 American Music Awards, and three People’s Choice Awards. His Soul2Soul II Tour with Faith Hill is the highest grossing tour in country music history, and one of the top five among all genres of music.

McGraw has ventured into acting, with supporting roles in The Blind Side (with Sandra Bullock), Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom, and Four Christmases (with Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon), and lead roles in Flicka (2006) and Country Strong (2010). He was a minority owner of the Arena Football League‘s Nashville Kats. Taylor Swift‘s debut single, “Tim McGraw“, refers to him and his song, “Can’t Tell Me Nothin'”.

In acknowledgement of his grandfather’s Italian heritage, McGraw was honored by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) in 2004, receiving the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Music during the Foundation’s 29th Anniversary Gala.

Tim McGraw Don’t Take The Girl Music Video

Tim McGraw Highway Don’t Care may be Taylor Swift’s strongest performance yet. She is perfect for the hook, “I can’t live without you, I can’t live without you, baby
I can’t live without you, I can’t live without you, baby, baby”.

Tim McGraw Highway Don’t Care Lyrics