Cole Swindell shared a vulnerable story as he debuted the first song from his forthcoming Album No. 5. The reigning iHeartRadio Music Awards Country Song of the Year winner shared the experience of divorce from a young child’s perspective in “3 Feet Tall,” which made its debut on Friday (December 1).
Swindell, whose parents split up when he was young, tells the story of a kid trying to make sense of the separation. Leading up to its release, Swindell said this one is “special.” The heartfelt lyrics immediately struck a chord with listeners.
“There's a lot I don't remember, but that cryin' down the hall/ Had a way of makin' me wonder maybe it was all my fault/ I got stuck in the middle of weekends and holidays/ And my suitcase was too little to carry all that weight/ I might not have understood it all/ But, not everythin' goes over your head even when you're three feet tall”
“I can’t believe the first song from Album 5 is finally out,” Swindell said in a statement on Friday. “Songs like these are why I fell in love with Country Music in the first place. For all of you out there that have lived it in any way, I’m here for you. I’ve been there too. Music is so powerful and I feel like this song is just special. I hope it hits a few of you out there like it does me. Love y’all.”
Swindell’s fifth studio album will follow Stereotype and its extended 17-track version, Stereotype Broken, which released in 2022. That full-length project includes “Dinky,” “Never Say Never” with Lainey Wilson, “Single Saturday Night,” “Some Habits,” and his award-winning, Jo Dee Messina-inspired single, “She Had Me At Heads Carolina.” Listen to “3 Feet Tall” here: