“Shotgun” by 25-year old British singer/songwriter George Ezra has 29 million+ YouTube views, so, just to be in the know, you’ll probably want to it check out—he’s in the rock/pop arena, his idol is Bob Dylan, he’s grounded in American blues and folk, has a deep, bass-baritone voice that sounds much older and wiser than 24, has interesting lyrics and phrasing, and in the video he’s utterly inoffensive.
“Our” Boomer version of “Shotgun” (1965) by Jr. Walker and the All-Stars was overtly sexual; this “Shotgun” is less lecherous, but no doubt relevant to Ezra’s 20-something peers and fans.
Homegrown alligator, see you later
Gotta hit the road, gotta hit the road
The sun it changed in the atmosphere
Architecture unfamiliar
I can get used to this.
I’ll be riding shotgun underneath the hot sun
Feeling like a someone
“Shotgun” brings to mind another Adult Top 40 hit from across the pond: 1995’s “Roll to Me” by Scottish band Del Amitri.
There’s a melodic thread that runs through both of these songs, both are highlighted by guitar driven foundations, and set in motion by a memorable chorus.
“Shotgun” is climbing on Adult Top 40 play-lists, following its Top 10 run on Adult Alt radio.