Although his name still gets recognized and his songwriting style remains mainstream, "Dust on the Bottle" singer David Lee Murphy is the type of artist whose decent career preceded the similar-sounding works of much bigger stars.
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Murphy's lone No. 1 hit as a performer, "Dust on the Bottle," came out in 1994 on his debut album for MCA Nashville, Out With a Bang. That same year, another chaser of the party crowd entered the public eye, with Capricorn Records issuing the first Kenny Chesney long-player, In My Wildest Dreams. Despite Murphy's instant success, he'd eventually take a backseat to the surging fame of Chesney, a like-minded friend and collaborator in the years to come.
Of course, a talent like Chesney might've risen to the top without a radio hero paving the way, and it's not like Murphy became obscure after the instant success of "Dust on the Bottle." Still, it's plain to see that Murphy, an artist with a hit that would've suited any album from Chesney or Tim McGraw's careers, was clearly ahead of his time.
An Acoustic Barroom Favorite
When I was an undergrad (2004-2008), every acoustic singer-songwriter in my college town knew this song. Whether they also sang Chesney's hits or welcomed the mainstream arrival of Jack Johnson, these dudes with an ear for current music couldn't get enough of a 10-plus-year-old country hit. And it's not like any of them came across as excavators of deep cuts, seeking less-obvious Dean Dillon compositions to wow the coffee shop scene. By all means, they loved the song simply because it fits in with other barroom sing-alongs from the 'aughts.
Read More: 'I Hope You Dance': The Story Behind Lee Ann Womack's Inspiring Message
The Ideal Songwriter For New Stars
Although Murphy's solo career became stop-and-go by the end of the century, his songwriting became vital to Nashville as new Chesney peers stepped to the forefront. In addition to writing Chesney's "Living In Fast Forward," "Pirate Flag" and other hits, Murphy had a hand in songs for Jason Aldean ("The Only Way I Know," "Big Green Tractor") and Blake Shelton ("The More I Drink"). Murphy's songwriting, as captured way back in 1994, definitely suited these pop-accessible megastar's repertoires.
Murphy released an album (co-produced by Chesney) as recently as 2017, making him quite the active one-hit-wonder. It makes sense, though, considering his one hit pretty much-predicted country music's future.
This post was originally published in 2018.
"Dust on the Bottle" Lyrics
Creole Williams lived down a dirt road
Made homemade wine like nobody I know
Dropped by one Friday night and said "Can you help me, Creole
Got a little girl waitin' on me and I wanna treat her right"
"I got what you need son; it's sittin' down in the cellar"
He reached through the cobwebs
As he turned on the light and said
"There might be a little dust on the bottleBut don't let it fool ya about what's inside
There might be a little dust on the bottle
It's one of those things that gets sweeter with time"
She was sittin' in the porch swing as I pulled up the driveway
My ol' heart was racing as she climbed inside
She slid over real close and drove down to the lake road
Watched the Sun fade in that big red sky
I reached under the front seat and said "Now here's something special
It's just been waiting for a night like tonight"
There might be a little dust on the bottle
But don't let it fool ya about what's inside
There might be a little dust on the bottle
It's one of those things that gets sweeter with time
You're still with me, and we've made some memories
After all these years there's one thing I've found
Some say good love, well, it's like a fine wine
It keeps getting better as the days go by
There might be a little dust on the bottle
But don't let it fool ya about what's inside
There might be a little dust on the bottle
It's one of those things that gets sweeter with time
There might be a little dust on the bottle
But don't let it fool ya about what's inside
There might be a little dust on the bottle
It's one of those things that gets sweeter with time
Don't let it fool ya
