Abilene Native Zane Williams’ New Single, ‘Sure Felt Like Goodbye’ is His Best Yet

Abilene native Zane Williams may be best known at this point for his appearances on the television show 'Troubadour Texas'. But with the singing and songwriting talent he possesses, it can only be a matter of time before Zane is known for a whole lot more. His new single, 'Sure Felt Like Goodbye' is another huge step toward the spotlight.

'Goodbye' opens with a textbook, mid-tempo country music feel, then slows down for the first verse. That's when Zane shows off his songwriting, which is among the best in the Texas music scene:

Well I guess if I'm honest
It has been a little while
Since she gave me one of her care-free smiles
Not the one that you see in the pictures
But the one she saved for me
That said here in this moment 'you're all I hoped you'd be'

Sounds like a country song to me. I'm not knocking Zane's older stuff at all, but I can't get over how catchy this song is compared to Zane Williams songs of the past. By the time the chorus comes around, the energy ramps back up, leading into a really great hook:

'Til a goodbye kiss that lingered a little too long
'Til the tear in her eye made me say 'baby tell me what's wrong'
'Til she drove away and never looked me in the eye
I'm not sure, but that sure felt like goodbye
Sure felt like goodbye

Verse two of 'Sure Felt Like Goodbye' takes this heart-wrenching story to a more intimate level, and gives us more insight into the female subject in the song:

She didn't come out and say it
But I don't think she'll be back
She left outta here like a woman whose bags were packed
And I shoulda seen this coming
No, I shouldn't be so surprised
She's a child of the highway in the wide open sky
No one man ever held her heart completely
What was I thinking thinking it might be me

This is a great example of a classic country song, and extremely well executed by Williams. He conveys the emotion of the heartbroken man telling the story perfectly, and makes the story easily identifiable to his listeners.

The song is as good as it gets musically; the players are top-notch. Zane's voice brings enough uniqueness to 'Sure Felt Like Goodbye' to set it apart from everything else you hear on the radio, and features great harmonies, too. But Zane is such a talented songwriter, and this song is the best mainstream country-style song he's done yet.

When I first met Zane about 3 years ago, I had him pegged for a folk/Americana singer. His calm, cerebral demeanor, song style, and ability to perform without the benefit of fiddle and steel guitar players suggested I was right. But 'Sure Felt Like Goodbye' is a great country song, with a simple, clever hook that is commonly accepted in the genre. I think Williams will always have that 'storyteller' quality in his music, and this song has that. But it also shows that Zane Williams has the potential for mass appeal.

Take a listen for yourself, then buy it on iTunes. It's a song worth having.