THE REAL, UNEXPECTED MEANING BEHIND TIM McGRAW’S “GOOD TASTE IN WOMEN” — AND WHY IT HIT SO HARD IN 2020
When Tim McGraw released “Good Taste in Women” in August 2020, the world was anything but simple. Fear filled the news, stages were dark, and silence replaced summer tours. Yet somehow, with one easygoing groove and a grin hidden between the lines, McGraw delivered something deeper than it first appeared — a reminder of who we are when everything else falls apart.
At first listen, the song feels playful, even carefree. Tim sings about cheap beer, bad jokes, quick-stop smokes — the kind of everyday pleasures that don’t cost much but mean everything. He admits he doesn’t have “high-class taste,” except in one place: women. It sounds lighthearted, almost humorous. But beneath that charm is something far more human — and far more emotional.
Released in the middle of the pandemic, “Good Taste in Women” felt like a breath of air when people needed it most. It wasn’t about perfection. It wasn’t about luxury. It was about grounding yourself in the things — and people — that make life feel real. In a time when the world felt fragile, Tim McGraw sang about connection.
Naturally, fans wondered: Is this song about Faith Hill? After all, McGraw has been married to Faith since 1996, and their love story is one of country music’s most enduring. And while the lyrics don’t line up perfectly — blue eyes instead of Faith’s hazel, details that don’t quite match — the spirit of the song absolutely does. Whether directly inspired by Faith or not, “Good Taste in Women” reflects the kind of respect and admiration McGraw has long shown for women who anchor, challenge, and elevate the men beside them.
But the song isn’t limited to one woman. It’s broader than that. It’s a tribute to womanhood itself — to beauty without pretense, to strength wrapped in softness, to the kind of presence that makes a “boy from nowhere” feel like he’s living large. It’s about knowing what matters, even if the rest of your life looks rough around the edges.
That message aligns perfectly with McGraw’s album Here on Earth, a project built around shared emotions — love, reflection, joy, and resilience. Originally meant to soundtrack a carefree summer tour, the album instead became something else: a quiet companion during uncertain days. And “Good Taste in Women” stood out as its warmest, most human moment.
There’s no grand metaphor hiding here. No complicated puzzle to solve. That’s the point. Tim McGraw wasn’t trying to impress — he was trying to connect. And in doing so, he reminded listeners that good taste isn’t about what you own or how polished your life looks.
Sometimes, good taste means knowing who to love — and being grateful you get to stand beside them.
And in 2020, that simple truth felt like everything.
