Morgan Wallen Drops Surprise Re-Recording Of ‘Spin You Around,’ Sheds Light On The ‘Dark Side Of Music Business’

Morgan Wallen surprised fans Thursday evening when he announced he would be releasing a rerecording of “Spin You Around,” a fan-favorite track from 2015 that helped launch him into stardom. 

“Spin You Around” Was A Fan-Favorite

Now titled, “Spin You Around (1/24),” the song was penned back in 2014 by Wallen with Paul Trust and Sergio Sanchez and first appeared on the country superstar’s Stand Alone EP. When the new song dropped on Friday (Jan. 26), fans were greeted to a fresh version that still leaves traces of nostalgia amid the love-struck story of a man who falls in love with a woman from across the bar and spends the night trying to win her over. 

Sonically, the just-released version produced by Joey Moi takes a more raw, stripped-down approach with tender acoustic guitar strums that highlight Wallen’s East Tennessee-bred vocals. Comparatively, the original track is backed by electric guitar riffs and stand-out drum beats, giving it an edgier, late-night feel.

“’Cause I just wanna spin you ‘round and ‘round this dancefloor / Get you drunk on a love like mine / Might wind up and steal a couple kisses / Get your digits if I can find the right line / Well you don’t do feelings, but baby if you’re wiling / I’ma do my best to change your mind / ‘Cause the way you stole my heart without a sign / Girl it oughta be a crime,” he sings on the chorus. 

Listen

Why Did Morgan Wallen Re-Record “Spin You Around?”

With this surprise release also came a very important message from Morgan Wallen that explains why he chose to re-record “Spin You Around” and also brings light to what he calls “the dark side of the music business.”

The statement posted via social media, began with Wallen saying he wrote this note from a duck hunting trip, and being the avid outdoorsman that he is, fans knew this truly was something to pay attention to.  

He went on to discuss a trip to Florida in 2014 when he was still in the early stages of his career and exploring songwriting for the first time to be able to produce original music. This experience resulted in him recording a record deal with a local investor & an artist management deal that he admits, “I deeply regret.” 

In 2015, Wallen released his Stand Alone EP via Panacea Records. The project spawned “Spin You Around” as well as “Sleep When We’re Dead,” “Stand Alone,” “Man of the South,” and “Yin Yang Girl.”

“Unfortunately, I signed both deals without any legal representation,” he continues. “We made 13 songs. Some were ok, most were terrible as I was just learning how to write in general & figuring it all out. I was not the only collaborator, so many of these songs were not my idea nor to my standards. We deemed 5 worthy-enough to make the Stand Alone EP which includes a fan-favorite, ‘Spin You Around.’”

While he hasn’t been in business with those colleagues for 10 years, he revealed that they, along with his former managers, have decided to go “against my wishes” and release a “10th Anniversary” edition of Stand Alone. The project out today includes the original five tracks plus eight unreleased songs. 

“For months I’ve been exploring every avenue possible to acquire the rights to this old music & keep the quality of my catalog consistent with songs I choose to release & believe in. It’s gross, greedy & an example of how the dark side of the music business can suck the soul out of artists.”

A Powerful Statement

The “Last Night” singer made it clear that this is “NOT” his new music, nor does he feel it aligns with the standards he holds himself and his music to at this point in his career. Most importantly, he took this opportunity to speak up for other young artists so that they don’t end up in the same situation.

“I don’t want to see this happen to anyone else. I cringe when I listen to these songs & I’m concerned my fans may mistakenly believe this is a new release by me.”

So to combat the unfortunate actions he’s currently facing, Wallen decided to re-record “Spin You Around (1/24)” this week in Nashville alongside longtime producer Joey Moi, and instrumentalist Bryan Sutton. Wallen proudly shared that he designed the artwork for this new version himself while in the woods duck hunting. 

Donation To Help Other Artists

Additionally, the critically acclaimed hitmaker pledged to donate $100k from the Morgan Wallen Foundation to the Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals For The Arts (VLPA) program. In doing so, he hopes that the current generation of aspiring musicians and beyond will learn from his story and understand how important it is to never hand over their creative freedoms for an opportunity that they feel will help them go farther in the industry. 

Wallen concluded his message by reiterating that when new music is ready, he will make it known. He then stated that he will begin recording for his next project at the end of February and that he is feeling “inspired creatively & super excited to make more music I’m proud of.”

Read His Full Statement Below

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Morgan Wallen (@morganwallen)

Morgan Wallen is gearing up to launch the extended leg of his One Night At A Time World Tour. The newly added dates will kick off on April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and continue through August.