Chase Rice Shares A Heartbreaking Love Story, Loosely Inspired By His Grandparents, On New Single “Circa 1943”

Chase Rice is laying down an incredibly heartbreaking love story.

If you only know Chase Rice for his bro-country music, it’s time to wipe that impression of the North Carolina native clean and visit some of his latest projects. In 2023, Rice released his first record since 2017, and it was undoubtedly one of the best in his career. I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell redefined his sound, putting him on the map as a poetic songwriter and master craftsman of sound, and launching him far out of the bro-country sound he had previously been associated with.

During a conversation with Whiskey Riff, Rice even alluded to a moment in particular that could very well have been his “ah-ha moment” for making the stylistic switch:

“I was talking to somebody about that out in Utah, and she said it, and I said, ‘Damn, I’m using that.’ It’s such a well-thought-out thought. She said, ‘It sounds like you don’t want to be well-known, you want to be known-well.’ And I was like, ‘Sh*t, that was well said.’ That would be it.”

On that same conversation with Quinn and Shelby for the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast, he opened up about who he’s been writing with and some of the songs he’s looking forward to on his next project, Eldora. Rice opened up about many songs he stoked about, including his already released tune “Two Tone Trippin,” which features Wyatt McCubbin, and it’s a twangy heater.

But another song that Rice spoke about with passion is a tune titled “Circa 1943,” which he shared with the world today.

“Another one, one of my favorites, is called ‘Circa 1943.’ It talks about this couple, Harold and Berniece, who are my grandparents. We fictionalized their story; their story wasn’t what happened in the song. But made it in WWII, when he gets shot up and yeah, falls in love. She’s the nurse, takes care of him, brings him back to life. It all leads to him basically saying, ‘We don’t want to say goodbye. When this thing is over, by the way, if you ever make it to Superior, Montana, my brother’s band sure bangs around most Tuesday nights.’ It’s the story of ‘when this thing’s over, come see where I’m from in Montana.’

My buddy had a cover show in Superior, Montana, that’s how I created this story. But yeah, it all leads to what happens in the end when she finally goes to Superior, Montana. I’ll let you hear the song first before I give that away. But man, it’s just a cool story that… some story songs are hard to follow, but this one’s not. It’s like, ‘What happens? What happens in the end? What happens to this couple?’ That’s one of my favorite songs I’ve probably ever done.”

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Rice was not wrong with the statement that this story is not hard to follow. From the opening strums of the acoustic guitar, listeners are drawn in from the first verse, which details how Harold and Berniece met and their longing to stay together, as Rice explains in the clip above. In the second verse, Rice details how they had a few days sneaking around the German base, making the most of their time together, not knowing if or when they’d see each other again.

“Harold wrote Berniece letters every day for weeks
”Til he could get back there to her when the fight died down
When that day finally came, they snuck around that German base
They only had 4 days, but boy did they make ’em count

Just 4 days wasn’t near enough for the love they fell in
She longed to hear just the way he talked and to hear him say again”

After they parted ways, their future looks much different from what they had hoped for, leaving fans wishing their love story had a fairytale ending. As Rice said, we don’t spoil all the details for you, but he doesn’t leave anything to the imagination regarding their fate.

Rice’s lyrics, penned alongside Oscar Charles and Wyatt McCubbin, create a cinematic masterpiece in your mind as you listen to the story unfold. I can see the grainy sepia-filled film vividly as I listen to the song. Although this is not the factual story of his grandparents, it’s tender to think that Rice was taken aback by the power of his grandparents’ love, inspiring this heartbreaking love song.

Chase Rice is on a hot streak, and “Circa 1943” has me fired up to hear what is in store for Eldora. Turn it up.

Eldora will be available everywhere on September 19th and features some talented songwriters such as Foy Vance, Cleto Cordero, Wyatt McCubbin and more:

Eldora Tracklist:

1. Cowboy Goodbye (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Foy Vance)
2. Tall Grass feat. Kashus Culpepper and Elvie Shane (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Foy Vance)
3. Namin’ Horses (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
4. ELDORA (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
5. Two Tone Trippin’ feat. Wyatt McCubbin (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
6. Mr. Coors (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
7. Circa 1943 (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
8. Country & Western feat. Madeline Edwards (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
9. Cottonmouth (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
10. Good Side of Gettin’ Older (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
11. One Drink Long (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Wyatt McCubbin)
12. Sunsettin’ (Chase Rice, Oscar Charles, Cleto Cordero)

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The post Chase Rice Shares A Heartbreaking Love Story, Loosely Inspired By His Grandparents, On New Single “Circa 1943” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.