Before It All Fell Apart: The Meaning of Keith Urban’s “The Fighter” With Carrie Underwood

There’s a lot to consider when looking closer at the meaning of Keith Urban‘s “The Fighter” with Carrie Underwood.

When Keith Urban released his ninth album, Ripcord, in 2016, critics argued over defining country music. Although nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Album, it’s a smooth, electro-pop effort where the ’80s synthesizers outweigh the banjos. The lead single, “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16,” which sounds like a title produced by a Country Song Generator, is closer to Jason Mraz’s acoustic pop than Blake Shelton’s “God’s Country.”

It may not resemble country music, but Ripcord’s lyric sheet holds country sentiments. The rural themes are how Urban threads the balance between country and modern pop music. Urban is a talented fellow, because when he wants to sound parochial, he does. When his music reaches beyond the fence, you’re reminded that a New Zealand-born Australian country artist cannot unsee the rest of the world. 

The production on Ripcord sounds more like Mark Ronson than Dann Huff, but Urban dashes in rootsy elements—filtered through a gloss machine.

Carrie Underwood makes a guest appearance on “The Fighter.” As well-known as Keith Urban is, Underwood shines on this track. Her extraordinary voice is a welcome break from the Auto-Tuned delivery. She has few lines in “The Fighter,” but her brief moments add humanity to a song that sounds more programmed than performed. 

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1980s Disco

Keith Urban co-wrote and produced “The Fighter” with (the late and great) busbee. They were working on another song in London when Urban thought of a new chorus. He played the chords for busbee, who quickly built a track for Urban to sing over. 

He wanted a duet, though, something outside of a traditional boy/girl exchange. “The Fighter” is about the early point of a relationship when things are still new enough to fall apart. Urban wrote a call-and-response vocal where the girl expresses doubt and responds that he’s the bulwark against her fears. 

I know he hurt you
Made you scared of love, too scared to love
He didn’t deserve you
’Cause you’re precious heart is a precious heart
He didn’t know what he had, and I thank God
And it’s gonna take just a little time
But you’re gonna see that I was born to love you

Urban sent the track to Carrie Underwood, but she had limited time to record her vocals to meet his deadline. Underwood had a day off in St. Louis, so busbee flew there, booked a studio, and recorded her vocal part while Urban checked in on the session via Facetime. 

What if I fall? (I won’t let you fall)
What if I cry? (I’ll never make you cry)
And if I get scared? (I’ll hold you tighter)
When they’re tryna get to you, baby, I’ll be the fighter
What if I fall? (I won’t let you fall)
What if I cry? (I promise I’ll never make you cry)
And if I get scared? (I’ll hold you tighter)

Underwood’s performance brings a little ’70s warmth to the neon disco jam. The song breaks away from the orbiting layers during the bridge, allowing space for Underwood’s romantic skepticism. Modern music is a constant struggle to balance flesh and machine, as Daniel Lanois once put it. And here, Underwood provides earthiness to the pop robot.  

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To Die For: The Meaning of Keith Urban’s “The Fighter”

Nicole Kidman, Urban’s wife, added inspiration. “The Fighter” references things they said to each other in the early days of their very public relationship. Dating an Academy Award-winning actress brought scrutiny and attention to the couple. Kidman’s private life, especially her having previously been married to Tom Cruise, was like catnip to the tabloids. 

In this reality, Urban acting as a fighter and protector went beyond a song metaphor. Yes, they are famous, but they are people, too, and keeping the vultures at bay added layers of uncertainty to the new relationship. 

Urban Cowboy

Keith Urban’s music might be too careful for some, but he always sounds like himself, even when hopping through genres and decades. His older fans may long for his early sound, like the way Radiohead fans lament the day Thom Yorke bought a drum machine. 

But Urban is a little too restless to make identical albums repeatedly. Plenty of artists are available for making raw retro recordings if that’s what you’re into. Urban sounds like a man with a lot of music in his head, and not everything needs the Waylon and Willie sepia filter. Waylon and Willie are great. But so is Keith Urban. 

And if you’re scared of how country music is changing, remember how Urban answered Underwood’s fear: I’ll hold you tighter. 

Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for CMT

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