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Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fabulous songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, country music star Cody Johnson reminds us to make the most of every moment with loved ones in his 2021 hit, “‘Til You Can’t.”
Reminiscent of Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle (1974),” Johnson’s ballad deals with the fleeting nature of time and the importance of acting now. You never know when an opportunity may be lost forever.
He sings, “You can keep puttin’ off forever / With that girl whose heart you hold / Swearin’ that you’ll ask someday / Further down the road / You can always put a diamond on her hand / ‘Til you can’t.”
Written by Ben Stennis and Matt Rogers, “‘Til You Can’t” is the lead single from Johnson’s eighth studio album, Human: The Double Album. The release ascended to #1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Song and Billboard Canada Country charts. It also captured a 2023 Grammy for Best Country Song as well as two coveted awards at the 56th Annual Country Music Association Awards in 2022: Single of the Year and Video of the Year.
In the video, Johnson is seen enjoying various family activities, such as fishing, rebuilding a classic car and enjoying an outdoor meal, juxtaposed with Johnson’s powerful solo performance. But, part-way through the video, the perfect days is disrupted when a woman in the video gets a distressing phone call about a loved one who has passed.
“I love the story line in the video,” Johnson noted on his official website. “You think it’s going in one direction and then suddenly you are surprised at the turn of events. When they sent me the rough edit of the video it was so powerful and brought tears to my eyes. It put into perspective the song that I had been singing for months.”
Johnson told Billboard that the song became even more meaningful when he and his wife, Brandi, shared a harrowing experience on a private jet in the summer of 2021.
“After that I thought, ‘Why did I tell my daughters I didn’t have time to get down on the floor and play with them,” he said at a listening party, according to songfacts.com. “Why didn’t I tell this person I loved them, why didn’t I tell that person, ‘Hey, sorry for doing that,’ or why didn’t I apply myself more here? Our days are numbered and I think it’s something people need to hear. Do it now.”
Johnson, who is also known as “CoJo,” is credited with six self-released albums, the last of which made its debut at #2 on the Billboard US Country Albums chart without the benefit of major label support or widespread radio play. His ninth album, Leather, was released in 2023 via Warner Bros. Records Nashville and reached #1 on the US Billboard Country Albums chart.
The 37-year-old country star’s road to success was hardly paved with gold. Born in Sebastopol, TX, Johnson discovered his passion for music as a pre-teen and started writing songs in junior high school. In 2006, at the age of 19, he formed the Cody Johnson Band with his dad, Carl, and drummer Nathan Reedy. The group played the rodeo circuit and sold albums out of the back of Johnson’s pickup truck.
The struggling artist worked as a corrections officer in Huntsville, TX, but his wife encouraged him to pursue his dream and record full time. In 2011, Johnson got a big break when he won the Texas Regional Music Award for New Male Vocalist of the Year. That accomplishment landed him better gigs at larger venues. He became the first unsigned independent artist to play to a sold-out crowd at the 74,177-seat Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Please check out the official music video of Johnson performing “’Til You Can’t.” The video has earned more than 118 million views on YouTube. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“‘Til You Can’t”Written by Ben Stennis and Matt Rogers. Performed by Cody Johnson.
You can tell your old manYou’ll do some large mouth fishin’ another timeYou just got too much on your plateTo bait and cast a lineYou can always put that a raincheck in his hand‘Til you can’t
You can keep puttin’ off foreverWith that girl whose heart you holdSwearin’ that you’ll ask somedayFurther down the roadYou can always put a diamond on her hand‘Til you can’t
If you got a chance, take itTake it while you got a chanceIf you got a dream, chase it‘Cause a dream won’t chase you backIf you’re gonna love somebodyHold ‘em as long and as strong and as close as you can‘Til you can’t
There’s a box of greasy partsSittin’ in the trunk of that ‘65Still waitin’ on you and your grandadTo bring it back to lifeYou can always get aroundTo fixin’ up that Pontiac‘Til you can’t
So take that phone call from your mamaAnd just talk away‘Cause you’ll never know how bad you wanna‘Til you can’t somedayDon’t wait on tomorrow‘Cause tomorrow may not showSay your sorry’sYour I love you’s‘Cause man, you never know
‘Til you can’tYaaaaah. Take it.
Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com / Cody Johnson.
