Chris Stapleton Shares The Surprisingly Comical Story Behind ‘Traveller’

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon YouTube Channel

In the case of some songs, the meaning behind the lyrics is clear from the start. But the meanings of other songs are not as easy to figure out. Fans are left to speculate about the song’s true meaning, that is, unless the songwriter shares their inspiration for it.  

Some of the most well-written songs in country music have been penned by singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton. He’s written many notable hits, including “Never Wanted Nothing More” by Kenny Chesney and “Your Man” by Josh Turner.

Stapleton also wrote or co-wrote 12 of the 14 tracks on his Grammy-winning solo album, Traveller. The title track was written completely by Stapleton, and is now considered to be one of his signature songs. 

During an appearance on The Tonight Show, Stapleton finally shared the meaning behind “Traveller.” But his explanation wasn’t what anyone had expected:

“The song ‘Traveller’ is about seeing life through the eyes of an NBA referee. You know, they see this kind of stuff all day long. This one’s for you guys! Oh, and for the people that work at Foot Locker too.” 

Well, we never thought of that when we listened to “Traveller” before!

If you’re now worried that Stapleton’s entire album is a tribute to professional sports, don’t be. His interview was part of a comical series on The Tonight Show called “Behind the Lyrics.” During this segment, artists come up with ridiculous stories to explain the meanings of their songs.

In actuality, Stapleton wrote “Traveller” after his dad passed away. He explained the story during an interview:

“My wife bought me an old Jeep, and we drove through the desert, and I wrote that song just thinking about life and how we’re all just passing through it. I was driving down the road holding a phone, driving a ’79 Cherokee, singing that into my phone.”

No matter what the meaning behind “Traveller” is, there’s no denying that it’s a great song! Tune in below to catch Stapleton’s comical explanation of its meaning, along with the official audio clip.