The Real Meaning Behind 'Champagne Night' By Lady A

Chart-topping country trio Lady Antebellum — who rechristened themselves "Lady A” in the wake of the Black Lives Matter Movement (per USA Today) — has a whole portfolio of soft love songs. From sad ballads like 2007's "Love Don't Live Here" to the smash hit "Need You Now," the band has plenty to offer listeners who are looking to indulge in a lyrical story of love lost (and sometimes found again). But for every thematically heavy, slow-tempo song, there is also an upbeat alternative. "Champagne Night" is one such song.

According to Billboard, the lighthearted tune was born on the set of Season 2 of Songland. On the show (which aired in April 2020), Lady A met with aspiring songwriters and was most impressed by newbie Madeline Merlo, who wrote the early iteration of "Champagne Night" with the help of her mentor, Shane McAnally. And thus, a hit was born.

"As a young songwriter in this business, I felt so validated and honored by this experience," Merlo told Billboard, adding that it was "incredibly cool to be able to pitch a song to a band that I admire so much." So, now that we know the feel-good song's origins, let's take a closer look at the meaning behind the lyrics!

"Champagne Night" came about during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, so it seems only fitting that the tune is a celebration of life. As Lady A sings in the chorus, "Don't need doubles and bubbles to get in all kinds of trouble out in the country / Don't need a crystal chandelier to have a real good time / We're drinkin' beer on a champagne night." At its core, the song carries a poignant message of togetherness, of living large, of making memories, and of ditching fancy glasses for hometown bars and beers in plastic cups. Maybe it can even be described as an ode to pre-pandemic life!

To hear lead singer Hillary Scott tell it, "Champagne Night" is a tune that we all need right now. "We started the process of the song over the winter in a very different time and headspace," the songbird explained to Sounds Like Nashville. "But now, with everything going on, it's almost like that little dose of exactly what I need right now — a light and fun little reminder to enjoy the simpler moments." Scott's words were reinforced by the success of similarly fun songs, such as Luke Bryan's "One Margarita," which "topped Billboard's Country Airplay Chart in July 2020," according to Billboard.

After all, sometimes it's good to kick back, relax, and have a little fun.