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Everything you need to know about the ‘Hurricane’ hitmaker's heartfelt 2026 single, taken from his sixth studio album, ‘The Way I Am’.
- Song Sleepless in a Hotel Room
- Lyrics“Kinda like an old Johnboat on some largemouth water
Kinda like that breeze that blows through a sweet home holler
I can’t leave your lovin’ alone
... - Artist(s)
- Album
- Released February 13, 2026
- Label Sony Music Entertainment
- Songwriter(s) Dan Alley, Sam Banks, Nick Walsh
- Producer(s)Chip Matthews, Luke Combs, Jonathan Singleton
The Background:
Arriving the day before Valentine's Day on February 13th, 2026, ‘Be By You’ finds Luke Combs returning to the classic, rose-tinted ambience of ‘Beautiful Crazy’, ‘Better Together’ and ‘Forever After All’. It's the latest tantalising sneak peak of the North Carolina native’s sixth studio album, The Way I Am, which arrives on March 20th.
Combs shared a snippet of ‘Be By You’ a few days before its release, creating a buzz among followers. It joins other fan-favourites on the project, such as ‘Sleepless in a Hotel Room’, ‘My Kinda Saturday Night’, ‘Ever Mine’ and ‘Wish Upon a Whiskey’.
It's worth highlighting that, unlike the vast majority of Combs’ releases, ‘Be By You’ was not co-written by the ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ chart-topper - which means it must have really struck a chord with Combs for him to add it to the album's tracklist. The enchanting offering was penned by Dan Alley, Sam Banks and Nick Walsh.
The Sound:
On ‘Be By You’, Combs explores a more laid-back, sun-soaked atmosphere, with the warm, undulating guitar riff combining with the ‘Fast Car’ crooner's gentle, husky vocals. The serene, summery feel of the track hints at the titular ‘Bayou’ wordplay, and helps to create a peaceful tone, as Combs serenades his beloved wife, Nicole.
It's low-key, understated and traditional-leaning, mirroring Combs’ approach with other lovestruck odes such as ’Beautiful Crazy’ and ‘Better Together’. As a result, the country titan lets the spotlight fall on the poetic lyricism and the cascading hook.
The Meaning:
Through a flurry of charming imagery, our protagonist outlines how, regardless of the situation or headspace he finds himself in, all he really wants is to be next to his partner.
The songwriters powerfully convey this through a number of nature's pairs that just go well together - harking back to the similar theme of Combs’ 2019 gem, ‘Better Together’. They use a series of bucolic examples such as a Johnboat being connected with a lake full of largemouth bass, and the wind rustling through a holler.
Like all of those couples, Combs only feels 100% at home when he is with his wife, Nicole. The lake-inspired imagery is intentional, as it again hammers home the subtle wordplay of the titular lyric, where ‘Be By You’ sounds like ‘Be Bayou’. A bayou, of course, is a large body of water, the kind you might steer a Johnboat through.
For the full lyrics so far to Luke Combs’ ‘Be By You’, see below:
“Kinda like an old Johnboat on some largemouth water
Kinda like that breeze that blows through a sweet home holler
I can’t leave your lovin’ alone
Where you are is where I belong
I hope I ain’t comin’ on too strong
-
I hope I ain’t comin’ on too strong
Just wanna hold you close, baby
Kinda looks like you do too
I just wanna make love, wake up next to you
No makeup, baby, nothing beats that view
But I guess what it comes down to
Is I just wanna be by you
-
Love it when your bench-seat blues slide to the middle
I'm stuck to you like glue on your hip, like a pistol
If you want to find me, you ain't gotta look far
There's nothing that can pull us apart
-
I hope I ain’t comin’ on too strong
Just wanna hold you close, baby
Kinda looks like you do too
I just wanna make love, wake up next to you
No makeup, baby, nothing beats that view
But I guess what it comes down to
Is I just wanna be by you
-
If the day ends in why
If the sun or the moon's hangin’ up in the sky
-
I hope I ain’t comin’ on too strong
Just wanna hold you close, baby
Kinda looks like you do too
I just wanna make love, wake up next to you
No makeup, baby, nothing beats that view
But I guess what it comes down to
Is I just wanna be by you”
For more on Luke Combs, see below:
