George Strait released “The Weight of the Badge” in 2019 as a tribute to police officers everywhere.
“The Weight of the Badge” tells the story of a police officer and all the fears he must overcome and dangers he must face in the line of duty. During the song, George Strait sings, “He’s seen it all in his fifteen years. Watching our backs, facing our fears. Lord knows it ain’t no easy task. Keeping us safe under the weight of the badge.”
The song debuted at #56 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. This made George Strait the first artist to accumulate 100 entries on the tally. In a recent post, George Strait shared an acoustic version of the song. Along with a video of his performance he wrote, “Enjoy this acoustic rendition of “The Weight of the Badge” from the We’re Texas Live Stream.”
As he mentioned in the post, Strait performed the song as part of Matthew McConaughey’s “We’re Texas” virtual benefit concert. The concert raised over $200,000 for Texas residents affected by the winter storms.
What’s the Story Behind George Strait’s Song?
George Strait wrote “The Weight of the Badge” with his son Bubba and songwriter Dean Dillon. Strait said he was inspired to write the song after meeting a police officer during the ceremony honoring Strait with the Texan of the Year Award. During an interview in 2019, Strait said that, during the ceremony, one of the security officers was talking to his grandson Harvey. The officer let Strait’s grandson play with his badge and pin it on his shirt.
“And I just got to thinking about that because it really wasn’t that heavy until you put it on it and then it means, it really gets heavy,” said Strait. “So, that was one of those things I thought was a really important message especially these days and times.”
Strait Also Performed His Iconic Hit ‘Troubadour’
During the same “We’re Texas” performance, George Strait also performed an acoustic version of his song, “Troubadour.” Strait first released the hit in 2008 and 13 years later the song is still as moving as ever. “Troubadour” is about a man recognizing that he’s growing older but knowing that the core of who he is will always remain the same. During the song he sings, “Sometimes I feel like Jesse James. Still trying to make a name. Knowing nothings gonna change what I am. I was a young troubadour when I rode in on a song. And I’ll be an old troubadour when I’m gone.”
