Bonnie Raitt “Just Like That” won Grammy for Song of the Year

Just Like That Bonnie Raitt

Writer(s): Bonnie Raitt (see lyrics here) Released: April 22, 2022 (album cut) First Charted: -- Peak: 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.98 video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: If the Grammys gave out an award for biggest surprise of the night, the 2023 prize would have landed in Bonnie Raitt’s hands. When she was announced as the winner of the Grammy for Song of the Year, no one looked more shocked than she did. She hesitated to even go on stage, possibly thinking this was some kind of La La Land Oscar fiasco. Indeed, critics figured it would go to one of the big name artists like Adele, Beyoncé, Harry Styles, or Taylor Swift. Raitt herself joked that the other artists must have cancelled each other out. TC Raitt said in her acceptance speech that she wrote the song as a tribute to the late folk singer/songwriter John Prine. She further explained the meaning behind the song, saying, “I was so inspired for this song by the incredible story of the love and the grace and the generosity of someone that donates their beloved’s organs to help another person live and the story was so simple and so beautiful for these times.” Indeed, the catalyst was a real story of a man who received a heart donation and tracked down the donor’s mother and let her listen to her son’s heart beating inside his chest. TC Raitt initially sings from the woman’s perspective as she mourns the loss of her son. Later she assumes the man’s voices, singing “I’ve spent years just trying to find you / So I could finally let you know / It was your son’s heart that saed me / And a life you gave us both.” She returns to the Mom’s perspective, singing “I lay my head upon his chest and I was with my boy again.” It wasn’t Raitt’s first Grammy. At the 1990 ceremony, she evoked equal sentiments of shock when Nick of Time won the Grammy for Album of the Year. She won four Grammys that year and has now accumulated 13 total. In addition to the win for Song of the Year at the 2023 Grammys, she also took home trophies for Best Americana Performance (“Made Up Mind”) and Best American Roots Song (“Just Like That”). Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Bonnie Raitt AS AmericanSongwriter.com (2/6/2023). “Bonnie Raitt Wins Song of the Year for ‘Just Like That’ at Grammy Awards” by Alli Patton TC Taste of Country (2/6/2023). “Grammys 2023 BTS: Bonnie Raitt Explains Just Like That Shocker” (YouTube video) WK Wikipedia First posted 2/6/2023.