If you thought the internet was bad, just remember: nobody’s going to tease you harder than your close friends.
A prime example of this is Riley Green’s recent sit-down with sports commentator, podcast host, and recently turned recording artist Pat McAfee. The two former football players (McAfee being a pro and Green playing for Jax State) joined forces for Spotify’s Countdown To interview series, celebrating the country music star’s upcoming album, That’s Just Me.
Set to release next Friday, September 18, Green’s been on quite the press tour throughout the summer, amping up the anticipation for the 19-track project. Way before the album’s announcement was on anyone’s radar, though, one song in particular caught everyone’s attention and became a viral headline.
If you haven’t already caught on, I’m talking about Green’s half-drunken late-night social media snippet of the album’s eleventh track, “P.O.S.” The acoustic song performance just so happened to drop at a very convenient time, with Green teasing the track the same day of Megan Moroney’s Cloud 9 album release.
This, of course, stirred quite a few rumors for the Alabama native thanks to one song in particular of Moroney’s: “Who Hurt You?” The Georgia native has since been pretty outspoken about the song’s mustache-yielding inspiration.
While Green did set the record straight this past May that the whole internet debacle was purely coincidence, fans still aren’t fully convinced by the claim. Hence why the full version of Green’s alleged song response to Moroney is one many are overly ambitious to hear and pick apart— including good ole ball-buster McAfee.
Twice during their interview, the “Dookie” singer attempted to stir the pot by bringing up the viral track in conversation. First, McAfee joked at the start of their sit-down that “P.O.S.” could have also been a potential album name.
He then hints at the elephant in the room, stating, “Obviously people are going to want to hear you talk about that song.” Giving his best media-trained response, Green jumps straight into the songwriting rather than the drama: “It’s a very self-deprecating song. Me and Randy Montana, a guy I write with quite a bit, I love when we’re writing.”
He notes the cool dichotomy of the story of the lyrics, sharing that it plays into things that some people “would look down on” but as a back home Alabama boy “was proud of.” In case you need a refresher, some of those things include huntin’ season, drinkin’ cold beer, truck drivin’, overall wearin’, and Waffle House eatin’.
He does, however, admit the song “got a lot of traction too.” To which McAfee continued to tease, “I think when you released it on social had pretty good timing.” Green agreed, denying any connection to the Moroney claims, stating, “Yeah, I mean I don’t think I’m smart enough to pull something like that off.”
The rest of the interview continued as normal, but McAfee couldn’t leave without at least attempting to get some sliver of drama out of the “I Wish Grandpas Never Died” singer. Reflecting on all the sides of the project, McAfee states, “I think there are some deep moments in there. There’s obviously some answering to stuff that you put in there, which I think we will all just automatically assume that this was written for or about or whatever.”
Green agreed that there’s bound to be assumptions made (which you all know what happens when we make assumptions). McAfee chimed back in, recalling that fateful February 20th Moroney release day, “Yeah, just the day and how you dropped POS, I think that immediately we all kind of just assume things so I like that song.”
Green sarcastically interjected, “Like a Thursday? Yeah.” McAfee added in a cheesy attempt at a Southern accent, “Just felt like you recorded it and said, ‘you know what, might not even like my music and coming all the way out here?… I’m going to let the world hear this right now.'” Noting, “I think I like that one because of the attitude behind it.”
McAfee was sure to set the record straight: “Not that I’m assuming it’s about anybody or an answer or anything, but I like that.” Sounds like somebody’s heard a thing or two about a scorned relationship between two famous singers, if you ask me.
But hey, as Green said, the song is purely just “coincidence,” and there’s no telling if Moroney actually hated Green’s dog or if the two even dated in the first place. I’m sure fans will have a lot to say otherwise after dissecting his anticipated fourth studio album next week.