RECORDS Nashville/Arista NashvilleIn Matt Stell‘s top-five hit, “Everywhere but On,” the Arkansas native has a hard time putting an old lover in the past. 

Elsewhere on his new EP, Better Than That, the “Prayed for You” hitmaker tackles other relationship issues. On “I Love You Too,” it’s a friend who suspects a romantic partner isn’t quite up to par.

The idea came from Matt’s co-writer, Seth Alley.

“It was based on a conversation that Seth had had with his now-wife,” Matt explains, “but a conversation that I’ve honestly been on both sides of.”

“And when I heard that,” he adds, “and when we both heard it, you know, it just, that moment seems like a pretty universal thing, especially, you know, in some relationships that I’ve been in.”

In the song, a third party suspects a friend’s partner often fails to deliver the affection they deserve, and “only says ‘I love you, too.'”

“We really kind of tackled it from — not the love interest in the song — but sort of the friend in the song, the girl,” Matt continues. “Because sometimes you can see what’s going on a little easier from the outside looking in, and so that’s what that song’s about. And I just love it. I knew we did what we meant to do with that one.”

You can check out a new “Story Behind the Song” clip about “I Love You Too” that debuts exclusively via ABC Audio today.

By Stephen Hubbard
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