Released: 2021At its core, “Only Thing That’s Gone” by Morgan Wallen, featuring Chris Stapleton, is a country ballad that delves deep into the heartache of losing someone you love. This tune is a masterful depiction of seeking solace at the bottom of a bottle, a common theme in country music but delivered here with a rawness that really hits home. Let’s break down the lyrics and get to the heart of this powerful song.
The song starts with a scene many can picture: a man walking into a bar, telling the bartender he’ll be there until closing time or until his money runs out. He’s not there for a good time but to drown his sorrows. The lyrics, “She told me where I could go, Just stopped in here before I went,” immediately set a tone of rejection and sorrow. He’s been told to leave by someone he cares about, and now, he’s turning to the only comfort he feels he has left – alcohol. The line “Or all my money’s spent,” underlines the desperation and the extent to which he’ll go to forget his pain.
One of the most impactful lines, “‘Cause buddy, my last drink, yeah, Ain’t the only thing that’s gone,” is repeated throughout the song, serving as both a chorus and a confession. It emphasizes that while he can keep ordering drinks until they’re gone, it’s his loved one who’s truly missing, a loss much deeper and more permanent than an empty glass.
The generosity the man shows by leaving a 20 for the band, asking them to avoid playing sad songs, is a touching detail. It shows his desperation to escape his heartache, if only for a night. Yet, even amidst this attempt to find a moment of reprieve, he’s brought back to his reality with the bartender’s reminder in the form of another drink.
The repeated plea to the bartender, “Make it quick and make it strong,” reflects the urgency and depth of his pain. He’s not there to savor the drink but to numb his feelings as quickly as possible. The final lines, “And I ain’t got nowhere to be, And I’d rather not go home,” reveal the depth of his loneliness and desolation, highlighting a preference for the company of strangers over the emptiness of his own home.
“Only Thing That’s Gone” is more than just a song about drinking away sorrows; it’s a heartfelt story of loss, loneliness, and the sometimes futile attempts we make to escape our pain. Morgan Wallen and Chris Stapleton bring this story to life with their soulful vocals, making it a poignant reminder of country music’s power to express the deepest of human emotions.
