The scandal is heating up on the Trace Adkins-led drama Monarch on Fox, and on Tuesday night's episode, the thrilling drama was accompanied by a slow-burning song by Adkins called "Waiting Around to Die."
The tune is a cover of Townes Van Zandt's original, which was released in 1968, and it tells the forlorn story of a man wandering through life with no direction. The song's main character shares details of his life, such as moving to Tennessee with his mother to escape from his abusive dad and growing up to go to prison. Although none of those things are happening to Adkins' character Albie Roman in Monarch, the song showcases a feeling of desperation that could be related to Adkins' character in the show.
The production of Adkins' version of the song also pairs perfectly with the dark storyline that was revealed in Tuesday night's episode, in which the identity of the person Adkins buried early in the season is finally revealed. Where Van Zandt's version showcases the hopelessness of the story through simple acoustic guitar instrumentation, Adkins' rendition slows the song way down and adds more instruments, such as suspenseful percussion and twangy electric guitar elements. These additions only add to the drama of the tune. The song's production is congruent with the sound of many of the show's other tunes, including the main theme, "The Card You Gamble," performed by Caitlyn Smith, and "American Cowgirl," by Anna Friel.
This recent release from Adkins is another example of the quality of music presented on the show. Adkins has recorded many other tracks for the drama, including versions of Hank Williams Jr.'s "A Country Boy Can Survive," Waylon Jennings' "Good Hearted Woman," Ed Sheeran's "Photograph" and more. Many of the other cast members, including Beth Ditto and Friel, have also recorded songs for the show.
Monarch airs on Tuesdays at 9PM ET on Fox.
READ MORE: The 10 Best Trace Adkins Songs, Ranked
