It wasn’t a huge surprise that Kid Rock covered Cody Johnson‘s “‘Til You Can’t” during his headlining set at the Turning Point USA halftime show on Sunday (Feb. 8), but as for how he did it? Nobody saw that coming.
Read More: Kid Rock Did Something Nobody Expected During the Turning Point USA Halftime Show
After opening in typical boisterous Kid Rock fashion with “Bawitdaba,” the stage faded to black. After a lengthy violin and cello solo, it was time for Rock to reintroduce himself: This time, under his real name, Robert Ritchie.
He launched into his rendition of “‘Til You Can’t.” Though it’s a familiar song for country fans, this performance was very different than what fans typically expect from Rock — and it was very different that Johnson’s original.
Watch Kid Rock Sings “‘Til You Can’t” at the Turning Point USA Halftime Show
Press play below to watch the show, starting from when Rock took the stage. His performance of “‘Til You Can’t” starts around the 1:09 minute mark.
Why Did Kid Rock Cover “‘Til You Can’t”?
Aside from the fact that it’s a massively popular country ballad, “‘Til You Can’t” has a connection to Rock — and to the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
Johnson’s original version is a reminder not to take life for granted, and the verses present scenarios that mostly have to do with relationships.
An aging father and a girlfriend patiently waiting on a proposal are two loved ones Johnson calls up as examples for why you should enjoy what you have right now, and not put off telling the people you love that you love them.
Rock first covered the song last November, two months after Kirk was assassinated.
Read More: Kid Rock Adds a New Verse to Cody Johnson’s ”Til You Can’t,’ Inspired By Charlie Kirk
He added a new verse, about finding faith, to that performance. Onstage, he said that Kirk inspired him to add those words, suggesting that Kirk might even have appeared as a spirit to push his pen in that direction.
That new verse once again appeared in Rock’s performance, as did the stylistic changes he first made to “‘Til You Can’t” last fall.
Is Kid Rock Releasing a Cover of Cody Johnson’s “‘Til You Can’t”?
Yes. In fact, Rock’s version of the song came out at midnight, just hours after he performed it at the Turning Point USA show. It’s available to stream and purchase now.
What Are Kid Rock’s New Lyrics to Cody Johnson’s “‘Til You Can’t”?
Rock added a verse about finding faith, singing that anyone can have a relationship with Jesus — as long as they give themselves over to Him while they’re still alive.
Read More: Kid Rock’s Big Turning Point USA Halftime Surprise
“There’s a book that’s sitting in your house somewhere that could use some dusting off / There’s a man that died for all our sings hanging from the cross,” Rock sings in that verse. “You can give your life to Jesus and he’ll give you a second chance / ‘Til you can’t, ’til you can’t.”
What Did Kid Rock Say About Covering “‘Til You Can’t” Before the Turning Point USA Show?
The performance was a surprise, but Rock teased it to Fox & Friends, saying he wanted to emphasize the stand-alone power of a great song.
He also said his cover was of a “pretty current” country song that a country star friend of his had originally released.
“And I actually wrote something new for it,” Rock continues, “that I thought they missed when they were writing this beautiful song.”
What Happened at the Turning Point USA Halftime Show?
- The Turning Point USA Halftime Show aired on Sunday (Feb. 8) in direct competition with the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
- It was created as an alternative to the NFL’s broadcast after Bad Bunny was announced as the Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner.
- The creation of Turning Point’s show came as some fans protested a Super Bowl halftime show from an artist who sings predominantly in Spanish.
Before the show, Erika Kirk told Fox News that Turning Point USA aimed to proved an “alternative” show “that is pro-America, that is just pro-everything.”
Read More: Why Erika Kirk Thinks Charlie Kirk Would Have Loved Turning Point USA’s Halftime Show
She said she didn’t want to “bash” the NFL’s decision to book Bad Bunny, but said she thought there was a “larger audience” that would want to see the performers Turning Point booked.
Lee Brice, Brantley Gilbert and Gabby Barrett played sets before Rock took the stage. Themes of patriotism were woven throughout the show. While an enthusiastic audience was present, this was not a live show.
The show promised to air on several different services, including a livestream on X and another on YouTube. In the hours leading up to the show, though, the X stream was not able to go on as planned. A tweet from Turning Point blamed “licensing restrictions.”
Early reports show that the Turning Point USA’s Halftime Show drew 5 million and 6.1 million concurrent viewers on YouTube, with total views exceeding 18-20 million by Monday morning (Feb. 9), per the New York Times.
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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
