I don't look at either as being better, just a different experience. It's like that with the 3 versions of Starved as well.
I disagree about the 90's sound OP was talking about, but to each their own opinion. I do agree that this song is one of his best, and it's the first song playing over my patio speakers every Friday night.
Open the Gate is a stellar song. Great energy and instrumentals. Amazing story that means much more than it should at face value. Yet it didn’t make my top ten. Probably would’ve made my top fifteen. Would for sure have made my top twenty. That’s the beauty of Zach’s catalog. Almost all of his songs are a work of art and are in somebody’s top ten. He puts his all into every song and it shows.
Just the entire vibe for me. I currently listen to alot of zach's style of country but when I'm not in that mood, its all 90s country. The very vibrant guitar in open the gate reminds me of Alan Jackson songs such as Chattahoochee. While the lyrics and feeling we get from these songs are very different. That guitar in open the gate still reminds me of one of my favorite songs growing up. Nothing specific, just like a childhood thing that sorta relates
I love this song and fully planned to put it on my list, but as I was writing, it got edged out. I made so many revisions in the minute it took me to make the list. It’s really more so a testament to Zach’s catalogue than a diss on Open to Gate.
Dude I totally understand that! I think its so cool that with Zach's music, we all have different favorites. Hopefully I convinced some of these folks to listen to open the gate a lil more.
When it was first released, I wasn't a huge fan of the song, but after listening to it a few times, I started to connect to it. I know the lyrics are about trying to be better than your father and do more in life, but still falling into the same fate, but I have a "To Hell I Go" tattoo to remind me that I'm supposed to do more and be more in this life.
My favorite part of the song is the last two lines.
The whole song we hear the cowboy following in his father shoes who rode and died from To-Hell-I-Go POV.
We listen to the story and history of the cowboy, his father, and both of their family’s(wife, death, pregnancy, etc). Throughout every chorus of the song we here “with daddy by my side” as the closing line. That is until the last chorus. The final two lines of the outro chorus we see:
“So, open the gates, he's here to prove
He's better than his father was
And where he came from too
***Open the gates he's here to ride To-hell-I-go's calf
The daddy by his side***”
This addition of “calf” and “The daddy” makes me think that the perspective shift. The whole song we know that the cowboys daddy is by his side supporting him and guiding him from beyond the grave.
The last two lines make me think that To-Hell-I-Go’s calf also has his daddy (THIG) supporting him and guiding him from beyond the grave, as well.
I love to think of this because it’s not only a story of a cowboy vs a Bull. It’s a story of two father’s supporting their sons. It’s also the story of THIG and the riders daddy meeting again beyond the grave.
Maybe I’m reading into it too much, but music is subjective and this is how I see the wholesomeness in the story.
I absolutely love this. I've always thought of the song in a simpler way of this. But never managed to put it in words. I love your interpretation of this song.
There's so many different layers to this song. The double meaning to the term Open the gates, the story line of his father, himself then his own son. To hell I go and his calf. Pure genius.
Exactly, I feel like everytime I sit down and analyze this song, I gain a new perspective on this song. Or I can just chill out and listen to a cowboy song. Its one of my favorite country songs
Real late to the party here… this song instantly went in my gym playlist. Un fucking real. I’d put it at or above Rodeo by Garth… I know over produced Garth and pop country but story is on point.
Red Rock but Smokin armadillos is another solid Rodeo song if you haven’t herd it.
Right now it’s my favorite ZB song for sure - for me it’s about breaking generational curses, and how easy it is to fall into those curses and doom your children to them as well.
Your second point hits home for me as well, thinking of how my dad raised me, some of the anger, lack of communication, grudges held over frivolous shit, never uttering the words he was proud of his kids makes me want to be different then the man that is no longer here.
I’ve realized over the years telling someone your proud of them goes a long way in the grand scheme of life.
Hi, I just heard this song tonite, as he opened it with the show tonight here, and also its his first headlining show on the West Coast. I am a new fan. But I am Head over Boot Heels in Love....
The live version is 10000x better than studio
Seeing it live makes me want to jump through a wall
I been jumping through walls trying to get a damn ticket
Gotta stay on your venue I wasn’t selected and got 2 great seats in New Orleans
Keep refreshing Axs. I got pit tickets for Vegas today, but I’ve been refreshing multiple times a day
God I want to see it live
I don't look at either as being better, just a different experience. It's like that with the 3 versions of Starved as well. I disagree about the 90's sound OP was talking about, but to each their own opinion. I do agree that this song is one of his best, and it's the first song playing over my patio speakers every Friday night.
I'm hoping the production captured the energy a little more on this next album.
I hear a tiny bit of Johnny Cash in his voice as he goes into the chorus in the live version. so good.
It’s a great song, and a great show opener. I just don’t connect to the lyrics/storyline as well as I do with other ZB songs
Thats a fair point. Just want to see it get some more love yk
Open the Gate is a stellar song. Great energy and instrumentals. Amazing story that means much more than it should at face value. Yet it didn’t make my top ten. Probably would’ve made my top fifteen. Would for sure have made my top twenty. That’s the beauty of Zach’s catalog. Almost all of his songs are a work of art and are in somebody’s top ten. He puts his all into every song and it shows.
I love open the gate. I love 99% of his music and enjoy the other 1%
Just for my own curiosity, what about it makes it feel like an Alan Jackson or Joe Diffie song?
Just the entire vibe for me. I currently listen to alot of zach's style of country but when I'm not in that mood, its all 90s country. The very vibrant guitar in open the gate reminds me of Alan Jackson songs such as Chattahoochee. While the lyrics and feeling we get from these songs are very different. That guitar in open the gate still reminds me of one of my favorite songs growing up. Nothing specific, just like a childhood thing that sorta relates
I love this song and fully planned to put it on my list, but as I was writing, it got edged out. I made so many revisions in the minute it took me to make the list. It’s really more so a testament to Zach’s catalogue than a diss on Open to Gate.
Dude I totally understand that! I think its so cool that with Zach's music, we all have different favorites. Hopefully I convinced some of these folks to listen to open the gate a lil more.
It’s my favorite ZB song and it’s not even close. He opened with it when I saw him in Cheyenne and it was fucking amazing.
I want to see it live, I keep hearing great things about open the gate live
Idk if he can ever start a show without it at this point
I love the way it plays off beaches of Cheyenne as well! One of my favs for sure
When it was first released, I wasn't a huge fan of the song, but after listening to it a few times, I started to connect to it. I know the lyrics are about trying to be better than your father and do more in life, but still falling into the same fate, but I have a "To Hell I Go" tattoo to remind me that I'm supposed to do more and be more in this life.
We did rodeos when I was really young, so this song connects hard
I lost my dad a few years ago, am Scottish so no rodeo or horses involved but it still has a connection for me. Love it
My favorite part of the song is the last two lines. The whole song we hear the cowboy following in his father shoes who rode and died from To-Hell-I-Go POV. We listen to the story and history of the cowboy, his father, and both of their family’s(wife, death, pregnancy, etc). Throughout every chorus of the song we here “with daddy by my side” as the closing line. That is until the last chorus. The final two lines of the outro chorus we see: “So, open the gates, he's here to prove He's better than his father was And where he came from too ***Open the gates he's here to ride To-hell-I-go's calf The daddy by his side***” This addition of “calf” and “The daddy” makes me think that the perspective shift. The whole song we know that the cowboys daddy is by his side supporting him and guiding him from beyond the grave. The last two lines make me think that To-Hell-I-Go’s calf also has his daddy (THIG) supporting him and guiding him from beyond the grave, as well. I love to think of this because it’s not only a story of a cowboy vs a Bull. It’s a story of two father’s supporting their sons. It’s also the story of THIG and the riders daddy meeting again beyond the grave. Maybe I’m reading into it too much, but music is subjective and this is how I see the wholesomeness in the story.
I absolutely love this. I've always thought of the song in a simpler way of this. But never managed to put it in words. I love your interpretation of this song.
Wait there's people who don't think Open the gate is one of his greatest!? Craziness. Seen it live 3 times and it's one of his best live performances
Exactly, its so good. I've never seen it live but I love the red rocks version and the normal album version w all my heart
There's so many different layers to this song. The double meaning to the term Open the gates, the story line of his father, himself then his own son. To hell I go and his calf. Pure genius.
Exactly, I feel like everytime I sit down and analyze this song, I gain a new perspective on this song. Or I can just chill out and listen to a cowboy song. Its one of my favorite country songs
y’all know this is about Layne Frost right?
Who?
a bull rider. his dad rode to hell i go and died and he did the same thing. the song is his story.
Negative. Taking Care of Business killed LF. Not every song about a bullrider is about LF.
Real late to the party here… this song instantly went in my gym playlist. Un fucking real. I’d put it at or above Rodeo by Garth… I know over produced Garth and pop country but story is on point. Red Rock but Smokin armadillos is another solid Rodeo song if you haven’t herd it.
Right now it’s my favorite ZB song for sure - for me it’s about breaking generational curses, and how easy it is to fall into those curses and doom your children to them as well.
By who? Certainly not by me
It's one of my favorites. A lyric in this song is part of the inspiration for a silly Zach Bryan tattoo I'm working on designing!
Your second point hits home for me as well, thinking of how my dad raised me, some of the anger, lack of communication, grudges held over frivolous shit, never uttering the words he was proud of his kids makes me want to be different then the man that is no longer here. I’ve realized over the years telling someone your proud of them goes a long way in the grand scheme of life.
Hi, I just heard this song tonite, as he opened it with the show tonight here, and also its his first headlining show on the West Coast. I am a new fan. But I am Head over Boot Heels in Love....