Tim McGraw recently scored his 50th No. 1 hit with 'Meanwhile Back at Mama's' -- he obviously knew a winner when he heard it. In a recent chat with Taste of Country Nights host Sam Alex, the star reveals that the tune instantly drew him in.

Having been at it for more than two decades, McGraw has already had one heck of a career. You may think that after all this time, retirement would be on the horizon for the singer, but he assures us it's not even on his mind.

"It’s been a great ride, you know, I’ve had a lot of fun -- and the good thing about this is I’ve been doing this over 20 years now. I guess going on 25," McGraw tells Alex. "I really feel like I’m not even halfway, you know? I feel like I’ve got a lot more to do and a lot more music to make. I feel like I’m in the prime of my career."

McGraw knew when he heard 'Meanwhile Back at Mama's' that he had to record it. He admits that his spotlight may fade, but his songs have the potential to last a lifetime -- and this may be one of those legacy-leavers.

"The song’s gotta be the most important thing. Singers come and go, careers come and go, but the songs last forever," the country legend says. "You really have to focus on the songs, and when I heard this song instantly I loved it."

Adds McGraw, "I mean within the four measures, I knew I was going to record this song. The second time I heard it, I played it for Faith [Hill] and she instantly loved it too, and I asked her if she’d sing it with me, and she said she would.”

Clearly, the choice to record was simple. McGraw liked everything about the song and felt a lot of people could relate to the feeling of nostalgia it brings on.

“The cadence of the songs, the cadence of the lyrics … I knew I had a good idea where it was going to head when I heard it," says the star. "I knew it was gonna be real nostalgic and it was gonna be like a warm blanket and I knew I wanted to record it."

Sam Alex is the host of Taste of Country Nights radio, a syndicated night show which airs on more than 60 Townsquare Media Group stations nationwide.

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