Blake Shelton pays a subtle tribute to George Strait with the lyrics of “Texas,” his brand new radio single.

The singer says he felt his first new song in two years was a big risk, just because it’s sonically so different from what he’s created before. Lyrically, fans will draw a connection between this song and his first-ever radio single, “Austin.”

Both songs find a man missing a woman who’s escaped to Texas. The 2024 version ends quite a bit differently. There’s no happy reunion.

• Johnny Clawson, Kyle Sturrock, Josh Dorr and Lalo Guzman wrote the lyrics to “Texas.”
• Shelton’s longtime ally Scott Hendricks returns to produce.
• The singer tells Taste of Country that he’s working toward a full album.

The Strait reference comes at each chorus when Shelton sings, “She’s probably in Texas / Amarillo all I know / George Strait said it / That’s where all them ex’s go .” 

It’s a nod to “All My Ex’s Live In Texas,” a No. 1 hit in 1987 and one of the most well-known George Strait songs. One senses the King (as he’s referred to in the second verse of “Texas”) would approve of this traditional country song.

Shelton plans to drop the music video for “Texas” at 1PM CT on Nov. 15.

Here Are the Lyrics To Blake Shelton, “Texas”:

She cut me loose and caught herself a somewhere wind / I haven’t heard a word and haven’t seen her since / She disappeared quicker than this double shot of Jim / Because everybody at the bar started askin’ …

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(How’s your girl) She ain’t my girl / (Where’s she been) I ain’t quite sure / Good question, no telling but I’m bettin’ …

Chorus:
She’s probably in Texas / Amarillo all I know / George Strait said it / That’s where all them ex’s go / If she ain’t with me out here in Tennessee / Than I don’t know where she’s headed / I’m guessin’, I reckon / She’s probably in Texas / She’s probably in Texas.

She might be down in Georgia at her mama’s for the week / Could be Carolina, California, something’s telling me / She’s somewhere in the Lonestar state with all the rest / Yeah that one King song knows best.

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