Blake Shelton excels when following the country music tradition of singing about his Christian walk, as heard on "Savior's Shadow," "God Gave Me You," "Jesus Got a Tight Grip" and, most recently, "Bible Verses."
As its title telegraphs, the closing track on 2021 album Body Language offers a serene, spiritually-uplifting counter-punch to the bravado of "Minimum Wage."
Songwriters (and potential King James-only Baptists) Joe Fox, Andrew Peebles and Brett Sheroky deliver on those expectations with an acoustic guitar-driven confessional about how our relationship with God on a given day can be the difference between the Good Book feeling confrontational or comforting.
"'Bible Verses' is an honest take on that conflict," Shelton shared in a press release. "But, without preaching too much, it's hopeful that everything will all work out in the end."
The song's theme upped the old-school appeal of an album that brought us Gwen Stefani duet "Happy Anywhere" and a title track featuring the Swon Brothers. It also comes across as personal for Shelton following coverage by the Tennessean and other publications of how Stefani inspired him to lean more into his faith.
Body Language was Shelton's 12th album (a tally that doesn't include the 2019 compilation Fully Loaded: God's Country).
More recently, Shelton shared the new track "No Body" plus an official music video themed around '90s country line dancing and his hat act-era mullet.
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This story previously ran on April 23, 2021.
"Minimum Wage" Lyrics
I ain't ever worn a halo
Don't suppose I ever will
As far as saving me goes
It's a battle up a hill
But I keep climbin', tryin', fightin'
Got a King James in the dresser
And I take it out sometimes
But Lord knows, I ain't measured
Up to what's inside
And they say that that's okay
But I keep prayin' for the day
That I can open up that good book
And Heaven don't look
Like it's out of reach
When it feels like those apostles
Are giving me the gospel
And not the third degree
I just want it to read
Like Bible verses
And not the Bible versus me
I woke up in last night's clothes
And it's whiskey on my lips
If God's looking down, I know
He's really looking down on this
But I have faith that I can change
I keep praying for the day
That I can open up that good book
And Heaven don't look
Like it's out of reach
When it feels like those apostles
Are giving me the gospel
And not the third degree
I just want it to read
Like Bible verses
And not the Bible versus me
I'm just tryin' to give myself a little grace
'Til those words and me get on the same page
And I can open up that good book
And Heaven don't look
Like it's out of reach
When it feels like those apostles
Are giving me the gospel
And not the third degree
I just want it to read
Like Bible verses
And not the Bible versus me
