Sinner - Jelly Roll - Son Of A

The lyrics are deeply autobiographical, detailing Jelly Roll's life as a "traveling musician" constantly battling personal demons.

Watch the story behind 'Son of a Sinner' and its impact on Jelly Roll's career: Jelly Roll "Son Of A Sinner” | CMT Hit Story YouTube• Oct 21, 2022

"Son of a Sinner" is a genre-blending country-rock ballad by Jelly Roll that serves as a raw confession of his struggles with addiction, identity, and the search for redemption. Released in 2021 as part of the album Ballads of the Broken , it became his first No. 1 hit on country radio, marking a historic transition from his roots in hip-hop and rock to mainstream country stardom. Jelly Roll - Son Of A Sinner

Jelly Roll was writing with longtime collaborator David Ray Stevens when singer-songwriter ERNEST dropped by. ERNEST provided a guitar set to a "weighty" drop-D tuning and came up with the core chorus concept.

The bridge mentions "talking to God," reflecting a complex relationship with Christianity where Jelly Roll anticipates judgment but ultimately hopes for salvation. Chart Performance & Awards 1 hit on country radio, marking a historic

It candidly references drug use, with lines about "chasing white lines" and "pills pretending to be friends," alongside the recurring cycle of lying to oneself about being "done for the last time".

Jelly Roll became the first act this decade to top the Rock charts while simultaneously having a Top 30 song on Country radio with debut singles. He also held the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Emerging Artists chart for 25 consecutive weeks. Awards: The song swept the 2023 CMT Music Awards , winning: Male Video of the Year Breakthrough Male Video of the Year CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year Jelly Roll "Son Of A Sinner” | CMT Hit Story The bridge mentions "talking to God," reflecting a

The song explores the "duality of life"—being caught between right and wrong. The line "one drink away from the devil / one call away from home" epitomizes this struggle between self-destruction and seeking safety.