Zach Top Paints A Vivid Picture Of Heartbreak In Gut-Wrenching Ode To Life On The Road, ‘South Of Sanity’

Zach Top is taking listeners back in time while hitting them right in the feels with his new song, “South Of Sanity.”

Written by Top with Carson Chamberlain and Mark Nesler, the gut-wrenching track tells the story of a man caught between the spotlight, his love life and trying to hold it together on stage while he’s falling apart inside. Top explores the emotional toll of performing, especially when forced to hide pain behind a stage-ready smile. 

He continues his mission to preserve traditional country music by embracing a classic sound, one where every steel guitar lick and guitar riff burns slowly, giving the lyrics space to fully be heard. It’s the kind of track that transports listeners to country music’s golden era, echoing the talent of legends like Keith Whitley, who didn’t just sing heartbreak songs, they made listeners feel every note as if it was their own personal story.

At the beginning of the song, the Sunnyside, WA places himself at a rodeo in Montana while his other half is 2000 miles away. He digs in to the reality of trying to maintain a relationship while having to constantly be on the road and away from home for his career. The couple expresses their sadness for being apart and finds themselves wishing they could be together in that moment.

As he reaches the chorus, Top vividly captures the moment the woman on the other end of the phone has reached her breaking point and is ready to call it quits on their love story. With that pain now flooding his body, the singer has no choice but to put on a fake smile and step onto the stage in front of screaming fans.  

He sings, “I’m somewhere outside of Missoula /They just called my name from the stage/ When we hung up she was talking leavin’ /Now how I’m supposed to sing and play/ She’s left me somewhere south of sanity/ Still just north of insane.”

Once the show ends, Top’s character returns to his true emotional state and recounts his efforts to try and win her back.

“Show is over/ I tried twice to call her back/ But no answer anytime/ My thoughts are racing like a fast car round a track/ And I cant get her off my mind,” Top continues.

The heartache follows him through show after show, giving him no time to properly heal from the breakup. This story is rich in emotions and will resonate with anyone who knows the challenges of a long distance relationship.

“South Of Sanity” comes on the heels the release of Top’s summertime anthem, “Good Times & Tan Lines,” and marks the second track to be unveiled from his highly anticipated sophomore album, Ain’t In It For My Health, out August 29. Alongside today’s release, he also unveiled the the project’s 15-song track list.

Ain’t In It For My Health Track List:

1. Guitar
2. Good Times & Tan Lines
3. When You See Me
4. Splitsville
5. Between The Ditches
6. Flip–Flop
7. Livin’ A Lie
8. Tightrope
9. I Know A Place
10. She Makes
11. South Of Sanity
12. Like I Want You
13. Country Boy Blues
14. Lovin’ The Wrong Things
15. Honky Tonk Till It Hurts

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This album follows last year’s debut album, Cold Beer & Country Music, and comes after the news of Top scoring his first No. 1 song at country radio with “I Never Lie.”

Zach Top continues his Cold Beer & Country Music headlining tour through this fall with newly confirmed stops at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center, Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center, Charleston’s Credit One Stadium, Vancouver’s Rogers Arena and Charlottesville’s John Paul Jones Arena among many others.

The fall tour features support from Jake Worthington and Andy Buckner.