Blake Shelton has released a single of his song “Let Him in Anyway,” which is included on his new album For Recreational Use Only. The song frames itself as a prayer for a friend who has recently passed. “Hey, God/ I know you know what I’m about to pray, God /I just had to suck it up and say goodbye to my best friend/ And I don’t ever wanna never see him again/ And I know the only way to get in is through you/ And he wasn’t quite the Christian he was supposed to be/ And Lord, it ain’t my place/ But could you let him in anyway?” the song begs. It goes on to describe a friend who “was gonna let [God} in any day / And I’m just asking for a miracle.”
Shelton described the new album as taking “years” in a press release. “It’s been a long time since we had a new album out, and I want to thank the songwriters and musicians who helped bring this record to life. Scott (Hendricks) and I have been working on this music for years, and I’m beyond excited to finally share it with the fans,” he said. Addressing this single in particular, he called it “one of the most powerful songs I’ve ever had the chance to record. “Hardy is a co-writer and a friend, and I’ve never heard a song like this before. When I first listened to it, I knew it was something special. It’s an honor to bring it to life, and I’m incredibly proud of the record we made,” he said.
The song has left several of its admirers in tears, including Shelton’s wife, Gwen Stefani. “He was playing it for Gwen, and Gwen started playing it for herself. They were headed out for some event, and she had all her makeup on,” Frontline Recordings, North America President Jon Loba recalled. “She cried the first time she heard it. Then she played it again and cried and played it again and cried. Blake is like, ‘Sweetie, you gotta get yourself together. We gotta go to this event.’”
The song had an even more intense effect on Chris Oglesby, Sr. VP of Creative at BMG. Oglesby had just given the eulogy at his brother-in-law’s funeral. The man’s wife had some concerns over her husband’s salvation, making the song even more relevant. His first time hearing it, he “starts to bawl his eyes out.” Upon a second hearing, however, Oglesby leapt out of his seat and rushed out of his room. “He was, in fact, having a heart attack. They put two stents in, and they waited two weeks and put two more stents in,” said Loba, noting Oglesby had had some flutters earlier in the week but the song had, “pushed him over the edge.” For Recreational Use Only is set to release May 9.