“I Remember Everything” by Zach Bryan (ft. Kacey Musgraves)

“I Remember Everything” is one of a handful of collaborations found on Zach Bryan’s eponymous LP, which is his fourth-studio album overall. In this case he teams up with fellow country singer Kacey Musgraves, thus marking the first time the two of them have collaborated.

The Lyrics of “I Remember Everything”

Lyrically this is an interesting track because after getting through the first verse, it would be easy to hastily conclude that it is a love song. In this passage, we find Zach recalling what initially reads like various, obscure events from his romance with Kacey, which may have been a seasonal sort of thing, considering the allusions to summer found throughout the track. 

In closing, the vocalist verifies that he ‘remembers everything’ about their romance, thus giving the impression that the experience has in fact proved meaningful to him.

The chorus that follows also climaxes with Zach noting how he ‘remembers every moment’ with Kacey.  But this time around, he also points out that he ‘wishes he didn’t’. Put otherwise, these memories between them may be lasting alright. But their relationship has devolved to a point whereas now, being attached has cast Bryan into a state of discomfort.

“A cold shoulder at closing time
You were bеggin’ me to stay ’til the sun rose
Strangе words come on out
Of a grown man’s mouth when his mind’s broke
Pictures and passin’ time
You only smile like that when you’re drinkin’
I wish I didn’t, but I do
Remember every moment on the nights with you”

The second verse, as held down by Musgraves, then goes on to verify that “I Remember Everything” is indeed a breakup song. 

As with Zach, Kacey also has intricate memories of their time together, a phenomenon which likewise has proven distressful to her. But unlike the other vocalist, she doesn’t come off as being upset because the relationship failed per se. Rather, through hard experience she has obviously learned that Bryan is someone she shouldn’t be dealing with like that. 

More specifically, based on her version of the chorus that follows, Musgraves continues to imply that the other party involved has a drinking problem. So it’s as if both of them are upset that the romance didn’t work. But Zach comes off more as if he has lost the woman he loves, while Kacey’s perspective sorta reads as if she’s regretful she ever got involved with him to begin with.

So the narrative sorta concludes in a circular way, i.e. as it began, with Zach deciding to resort to alcohol in the name of ‘easing his mind’. That is to say that boozing, the same habit which seemingly caused him to lose his Kacey to begin with, is also the relief he’s resorting to in the name of mitigating the associated heartbreak.

Release Date

Warner Records and Belting Bronco Records (the latter of which was seemingly founded by Zach Bryan) released this track on 25 August 2023. And Zach first teased it a couple of months prior, in mid-June.

Credits

Musgraves and Bryan actually wrote “I Remember Everything” themselves, with the latter also producing the track.