Top 10 Chris Stapleton Love Songs

Feature Photo: Sterling Munksgard / Shutterstock.com

Our Top 10 Chris Stapleton Love Songs list looks at a country singer-songwriter who has been active for two decades and counting. Reputedly, he went to Nashville, TN to study for an engineering degree at Vanderbilt University. However, he eventually dropped out so he could pursue a music career. As it turned out, that was the right move for Stapleton. For proof, look no further than how his solo debut album went four-times platinum. Furthermore, he has produced a huge body of work on his own and in cooperation with others. This includes a fair number of love songs, some of which are quite memorable in a good way rather than a bad way.

Top 10 Chris Stapleton Love Songs

#10 – Maggie’s Song

“Maggie’s Song” honors Stapleton’s dog. It goes into detail about how his family found Maggie, how she impacted their lives, and how his family said farewell to Maggie for the final time. As a result, it is hard not to find “Maggie’s Song” touching, particularly when Stapleton brings up how she is the reason he came by his belief that dogs have souls.

#9 – You Are My Sunshine

“You Are My Sunshine” is a country classic for good reasons. Dozens and dozens of artists have covered the song. Despite that, Stapleton’s version stands out surprisingly well, thus earning it a place on this list.

#8 – Millionaire

Chances are good interested individuals can guess the message behind “Millionaire.” After all, it isn’t exactly uncommon for artists to sing about love being more precious than riches. The cynics would say there is a reason that financial problems are a leading source of stress for marriages and other long-term relationships. Even so, there is truth to the sentiment because people will do more for love than for money. Regardless, “Millionaire” gets a mention because Stapleton handles a timeworn subject with remarkable skill, thus resulting in a very cozy, very relaxed feel.

#7 – Tennessee Whiskey

This is yet another cover by Stapleton. David Allan Coe was the first artist to record it. Subsequently, George Jones brought it to a whole new level of fame when his cover reached the number two position on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Stapleton’s R&B-influenced version of “Tennessee Whiskey” went six-times platinum, so it seems safe to say that he has also played his part to cement its place in the popular consciousness. How romantic people find the song will depend a great deal on how they feel about being compared to liquor. Some will be less than enthused. In contrast, others will be more receptive, if only because the lyrics make the singer’s tremendous appreciation for alcohol very clear.

#6 – You Should Probably Leave

“You Should Probably Leave” has a surprisingly bouncy sound for a song that is all about lovers who keep returning to one another even though they know their relationship is doomed. It paints a neat picture of a couple who seem like they should just end things from the outside. At the same time, the song also does a good job of capturing just how messy love can make rational decision-making.

#5 – Fire Away

It is normal to dream about a painless, problem-free love. Unfortunately, humans are more complicated than that, meaning we can hurt each other even when we are in love with one another. Still, there are plenty of people who would say that love makes it worthwhile to struggle through those things. Stapleton seems to be one of them because “Fire Away” is all about his willingness to stay the course even though he knows that his relationship will hurt him.

#4 – Without Your Love

There is a fair amount of menace and tension in the sound of “Without Your Love.” That makes sense because it isn’t a song about love in bloom but a song about love’s gloomy aftermath. Like a lot of its counterparts, “Without Your Love” makes good use of weather imagery to express exactly how unhappy the singer is now that his relationship is over.

#3 – More of You

Some love songs go to great lengths to make themselves seem smart and insightful. “More of You” isn’t one of them. Instead, it is a straightforward expression of the singer’s love for his significant other, which provides it with increased power to reach its listener. There is an extra touch of authenticity to “More of You” because it features Stapleton’s wife Morgane Stapleton on backing vocals. It is an obvious example of her contributions to his work, but considering these love songs, it isn’t hard to guess that it isn’t the only example.

#2 – I Want Love

“I Want Love” started as an Elton John song. Unsurprisingly, that means it was written by him in close cooperation with his long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. The song is exactly what it sounds like, though it has an older, more experienced viewpoint character than most of its counterparts. “I Want Love” never hit the top of the music charts. Still, it is quite memorable. Something that makes it that much more impressive Stapleton’s version was able to stand apart. It is the same song, but even so, it offers a different sort of experience from a different sort of singer when compared with the original. The best covers are like that.

#1 – Broken Halos

“Broken Halos” is a very reflective song. It is a complicated mix of rock, gospel, and country. Granted, much of the song’s complexity comes from its subject matter. Essentially, “Broken Halos” is a meditation on why good people are sometimes taken before their time, which is one of those questions that have been with us since time immemorial. The singer doesn’t try to come up with an explanation that presumably wouldn’t fit into the confines of a song’s lyrics anyways. Instead, he opts to accept that this is the way things are. Interested individuals may or may not agree with that depending on their personal views. Still, the singer does seem to find a much-needed measure of peace from this position after everything he has encountered and experienced.