Luke Bryan is clearing up the confusion surrounding Riley Green’s connection to his controversial new song “Fish Hunt Golf Drink,” revealing that while Green did not actually help write the track, he played an unexpected role in inspiring it.
The song has generated plenty of discussion since its release in May, largely because of its intentionally simple lyrics. Some listeners mocked the track online, while others even questioned whether artificial intelligence had been involved in creating it. Bryan has repeatedly denied those claims.
As the criticism grew, Riley Green’s name unexpectedly entered the conversation. Fans began wondering whether Green had contributed to the song after Bryan previously mentioned that its idea came from an interaction between the two country singers.
Green eventually addressed the situation himself during an appearance on Theo Von’s podcast. He made it very clear that he did not write the song, was not present during the songwriting session and never suggested that Bryan turn the idea into music.
What actually happened was much simpler. Green had reached out to Bryan because the two had not spent time together in a while and suggested they should get together.
Bryan responded by listing several things they could do when they met — essentially fish, hunt, golf and drink. That casual exchange stuck in Bryan’s mind and eventually became the central idea behind the song.
Bryan has now confirmed Green’s version of the story. He explained that Riley did not sit down and write the track with him, but the conversation between them unintentionally provided the spark that led to it.
The actual songwriting credits belong to Luke Bryan, Chase McGill and Matt Dragstrem. Bryan’s official album announcement also confirms those three as the writers, with Jeff Stevens and Jody Stevens producing the song.
Green has since joked about wanting to distance himself from the track because of the amount of criticism it received. Bryan explained that Green was simply having fun with the situation rather than seriously trying to deny their friendship or connection.
The backlash has clearly surprised Bryan. He has argued that the song was never intended to contain some complicated or profound message. Instead, it was written as a lighthearted celebration of activities he genuinely enjoys.
“Fish Hunt Golf Drink” will appear on Bryan’s upcoming album Signs, which is scheduled for release on September 18. Bryan has said the album was created with the goal of giving listeners music that feels fun and enjoyable.
So the mystery surrounding Riley Green’s involvement finally has a straightforward answer: he did not write “Fish Hunt Golf Drink.” But without that casual conversation between two friends trying to figure out what they should do together, Luke Bryan’s much-debated song might never have existed at all.
