About the song
“Diggin’ Up Bones” is a classic country ballad performed by Randy Travis, one of the genre’s most beloved artists. Released in August 1986 as the third single from his highly regarded album *Storms of Life*, the song quickly made a mark on the country music scene. It reached number one on both the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and the Canadian country charts, showcasing Randy Travis’s significant influence in country music during that era.
Written by Paul Overstreet, Al Gore, and Nat Stuckey, “Diggin’ Up Bones” stands out for its heartfelt and evocative lyrics. The song is a mid-tempo ballad that delves into themes of lost love and lingering memories. The narrator of the song reflects on a past relationship that has ended, but whose memory continues to haunt him. He describes the act of retrieving old keepsakes and mementos from storage, which are symbolic of his unresolved feelings and nostalgia for the relationship.
The poignant lyrics capture the narrator’s struggle to move forward as he clings to the remnants of a love that is no longer present. Each item he unearths from his past represents a piece of his former life and a reminder of the emotional depth he once shared with his lost love.
Randy Travis’s smooth, emotive delivery adds a layer of authenticity to the song, making it resonate deeply with listeners. His ability to convey the sorrow and longing of the lyrics through his voice has contributed to the song’s lasting appeal. “Diggin’ Up Bones” is not just a reflection on past love but also a testament to Travis’s skill in expressing complex emotions through music.
Overall, “Diggin’ Up Bones” is a poignant and memorable track that continues to capture the essence of heartache and nostalgia in country music.
Video
Lyrics
Last night, I dug your picture out from my old dresser drawer
I set it on the table and I talked to it ’til four
I read some old love letters right up ’til the break of dawn
Yeah, I’ve been sittin’ alone, diggin’ up bones
Then I went through the jewelry and I found our wedding rings
I put mine on my finger and I gave yours a fling
Across this lonely bedroom of our recent broken home
Yeah, tonight, I’m sittin’ alone, diggin’ up bones
I’m diggin’ up bones (diggin’ up bones)
I’m diggin’ up bones (diggin’ up bones)
Exhumin’ things that’s better left alone
I’m resurrectin’ memories of a love that’s dead and gone
Yeah, tonight, I’m sittin’ alone, diggin’ up bones
And I went through the closet and I found some things in there
Like that pretty negligee that I bought you to wear
And I recall how good you looked each time you had it on
Yeah, tonight, I’m sittin’ alone, diggin’ up bones
I’m diggin’ up bones (diggin’ up bones)
I’m diggin’ up bones (diggin’ up bones)
Exhumin’ things that’s better left alone
I’m resurrectin’ memories of a love that’s dead and gone
Yeah, tonight, I’m sittin’ alone, diggin’ up bones
I’m resurrectin’ memories of a love that’s dead and gone
Yeah, tonight, I’m sittin’ alone, diggin’ up bones (diggin’ up bones)
I’m diggin’ up bones (diggin’ up bones)
Exhumin’ things that’s better left alone
I’m resurrectin’ memories of a love that’s dead and gone
Yeah, tonight, I’m sittin’ alone, diggin’ up bones (diggin’ up bones)
I’m diggin’ up bones (diggin’ up bones)
Exhumin’ things that’s better left alone
I’m resurrectin’ memories of a love that’s dead and gone
Yeah, tonight, I’m sittin’ alone, diggin’ up bones