Chase Rice has shared his new song Bench Seat, inspired by the true story of how a dog saved his friend’s life.
When his long-time friend approached him about writing a song about ‘a guy and his dog driving around together’ he though “That cliché was exactly the type of thing I was trying to avoid on this album.” But on starting to craft the track, he realised that it was far from cliché.
“My buddy was in a really dark place – to the point where he was ready to end his own life. It took a lot for him to take me back to that moment, but when he told me what stopped him it stopped me in my tracks: his dog came and laid his head on his lap, and that connection saved him,” Rice explains. “I wrote this song by myself with the point of view from the dog’s perspective – which might not be obvious right away – and what that moment might have meant for the two of them if not for that intervention.”
The accompanying video builds on the backstory of the song with a seven minute short film, directed by Kaiser Cunningham, spotlighting the mental health struggles which affect people, encouraging views to feel comfortable talking about the topic and seeking assistance through resources such as wannatalkaboutit.com.
“For the first time in my career, I could envision the whole video as I was writing the song,” notes Rice. “I wanted to shine a light on the topic of mental health because this is something that makes way too many people feel alone and especially when addiction becomes part of the picture, one bad moment can have horrible consequences. I personally know how hard it can be to ask for help when you need it, but I hope this helps start a few more conversations and lets people know they really aren’t alone.
“When my friend was in that moment, it was impossible to see anything but the heaviness. He was able to get the help he needed, though, and now he’s living a beautiful life and starting a family. That’s what this video is really about – showing you the potential for a happy end to the story if you are able to find a way to get help through the dark times.”
The release comes during the build up to Chase Rice’s new album I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell which is out on 10 February.
