Darius Rucker knows that first loves can hit you like a ton of bricks, and he’s no exception to this. In a chat with People magazine, he spilled the beans on the inspiration behind his catchy new song, “Sara,” which will appear on his upcoming album, Carolyn’s Boy— and he had none other than Ed Sheeran as his co-writer!
Rucker and Sheeran actually go way back, first crossing paths in 2013 when Sheeran was opening up for Taylor Swift during her Red Tour.
“We met then, and I just wanted to write with him. I always wanted to write with him, and finally got to do it,” Rucker told People. “I remember writing the first song and he asked me who my first love was, and I said it was my fifth-grade girlfriend. We just started talking about it, and in between every song he’d ask me something, and we’d talk about it, and then when I thought we were done he was like, ‘I’ve got one more idea, man.’”
The outcome was the creation of “Sara,” a song that takes listeners on a nostalgic journey back to their first love, reminding them that those memories stay etched in the heart, even after many years have passed.
“Writing that song was so fun because Ed is such an amazing songwriter, but to write a song that’s literally about your fifth-grade girlfriend who you haven’t seen in 40 years, it was an experience,” he says. “It was something that I never thought about writing, and when we did, I was so happy we did because I loved the song, and the song was true.”
Although it has been over 40 years since he has seen his fifth-grade crush, Rucker admits that he would “love to see her again,” for old times sake.
Back in August, Rucker announced that he will be releasing his first solo album in six years, Carolyn’s Boy, on October 6.
However, this album isn’t just another musical endeavor for the gifted artist; it carries a lot of sentimental value. Rucker revealed that Carolyn’s Boy will stand as a heartfelt homage to his late mother, Carolyn.
Carolyn’s Boy will include a compilation of 14 tracks, with 11 of them co-written by Rucker himself. The album features collaborations with acclaimed Nashville songwriters such as Josh Osborne, Ross Copperman, Ben Hayslip, HARDY, Ed Sheeran, among several others.
