Morgan Wallen

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
I remember sittin' at that house, livin' room couch
Thinkin' no way them boys wouldn't win
Between them big three pitchers, Andruw and Chipper
It was gonna be hard to keep up with the Jones's
But as fate would have it, that Atlanta magic
Got put out by them damn Padres
I guess destiny ain't always meant to be
Kinda like you and me that day

[Chorus]
We got close, but close doesn't cut it
Had a good run, to end up with nothin'
But a 3x5 that you hide in a drawer
We swung for the fences and came up short
Yeah, you win some, you lose some, it ain't always home runs
And that's just the way life plays
If we were a team, and love was a game
We'd have been the '98 Braves

[Verse 2]
Had that whole town believin'
Damn, girl, I even had that talk to your dad, man to man
But just like that season
Girl, you and me didn't end with a ring on a hand
[Chorus]
We got close, but close doesn't cut it
Had a good run, to end up with nothin'
But a 3x5 that you hide in a drawer
We swung for the fences, and came up short
Yeah, you win some, you lose some, it ain't always home runs
And that's just the way life plays
If we were a team, and love was a game
We'd have been the '98 Braves
98 Braves
You win some, you lose some, it ain't always home runs
Girl, it could've gone either way
But if we were a team, and love was a game
We'd have been the '98 Braves
If we were a team, and love was a game
We'd have been the '98 Braves
'98 Braves
Oh, yeah, girl, we'd have been the '98 Braves
'98 Braves, we'd have been the '98 Braves

[Outro]
I remember sittin' at that house, livin' room couch
Thinkin' no way them boys wouldn't winEmbed

If you are a baseball fan, then you would know how great the Atlanta Braves were during the 1990s. They were expected to be the next dynasty after winning their fair share of games, but they couldn't clinch as many World Series titles as they hoped for. Morgan Wallen's song ‘98 Braves perfectly captures this idea by comparing one of their unsuccessful playoff exits to a relationship that ended too soon.

About ‘98 Braves

Morgan Wallen's song ‘98 Braves is a fitting tribute to a baseball team that never lived up to their potential. In his song, Wallen points out that the Atlanta Braves won 106 games in the regular season and were expected to win the National League Championship Series, but they lost to the San Diego Padres. Interestingly, the Padres won only 98 games in the regular season, which makes their victory against the Braves even more surprising.

The song starts with a somber tone, coupled with the acoustic guitar, that reminds us of the melancholy feeling of a relationship that ends too soon. Wallen sings, “We were a thing. Nobody thought could end. Oh, we were a 106.” through the deep and raspy tone of his voice, creating a sense of regretful nostalgia. He reminisces about the past, pointing out that everyone had high hopes for their future, much like how everyone expected the Atlanta Braves to become the next dynasty of baseball.

Wallen then notes that the failure was a painful experience, with the lines "It’s tough losing anyone in October. Betrayed by Ms. October, funny how you let her go." Ms. October refers to the nickname given to the player who performs well in October or the postseason playoffs. It's an acknowledgment that even great teams can fail in high-pressure situations.

The song subsequently picks up the pace and a drum rhythm is added to the mix. Wallen chants, “We were the’ 98 Braves. Division Champs, 106 wins in the bank. Yeah, still got cut by Ms. October’s blade." Walls then compares their defeat to a relationship that ended too soon, "It's like a damn breakup song, started right, ended wrong. Oh, we were the ’98 Braves."

The way that Wallen parallels the unfulfilled promise of a relationship to the unfulfilled promises of a baseball team is clever and unique. 

What makes ‘98 Braves such a poignant song is that it reminds us of the power of potential. The Atlanta Braves had all the potential in the world, much like how we often see ourselves or our loved ones with so much potential. The song is a reminder that potential is merely that, and it's up to us to make a difference and push past the limiting beliefs to succeed.

In sum, Morgan Wallen's song ‘98 Braves captures the essence of what it's like to be a fan of a successful team that failed to meet expectations. It's a song about unfulfilled promise and how potential can ultimately lead to disappointment. Yet, despite this, the song is a celebratory reminder of the greatness that once was and the power of potential that still lies ahead.

• Release Date: March 3, 2023
• Artist: Morgan Wallen