We take you behind the scenes and explore the making of one of our favorite tunes with The Song Remembers When…
Song: “I Was On A Boat That Day”
Songwriters: Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Whit Sellers, Geoff Sprung, Brad Tursi, Shane McAnally, and Josh Osborne
Album: Time, Tequila & Therapy
Old Dominion wrote “I Was On A Boat That Day” with songwriters Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. The group’s Matt Ramsey said they had started writing the song back in 2014 when they wrote their first single, “Break Up With Him,” but it never really worked out. It actually became a title they joked about over the years, and it sat on the shelf for seven or eight years.
The guys honestly didn’t think they would ever write it, but, in 2021, the title came up again when they were working on their latest album. This time, it felt right. The idea presented itself in a way that it never had before, centering on a guy in the middle of a breakup who was thinking, “You know what? Screw it! I don’t really care. I’m on a boat. I can’t have a bad day!” So, it was just a way to write a fun song with no real emotional attachment beyond trading lines that made each other smile.
“I Was On A Boat That Day” became the lead single from Old Dominion’s Time, Tequila & Therapy album. The song would go on to become a Top 10 hit in November 2021.