Country Singer Toby T. Swift Drops New Song 'Cicada Love Call'

Just as trillions of 17-year cicadas are emerging from underground in parts of the Eastern and Southern U.S., emerging country artist Toby T. Swift has released "Cicada Love Call," a novelty song that highlights the similarities between the big-eyed bugs and an ex-wife coming back into his life.

In "Cicada Love Call," Swift's ex-wife shows up on his front porch, "just like a bug," 17 years after leaving him for another man. Now she wants to get back together with him, but he's having none of it.

"You're a cicada, you're a cicada, you've come back to bug me after 17 years," Swift sings. "You're buzzing around, getting in my hair, telling me that you really care for me. Why don't you go find someone else's tree?"

(Listen to "Cicada Love Call" here)

"Like most songs, this one has a grain of truth," Swift said. "I've had more than one ex-girlfriend want to get back together with me. They keep coming back, like cicadas."

There are different varieties of cicadas, but the so-called Brood X (10) cicadas are known for emerging from the ground in parts of the United States in the springtime, every 17 years. From now through June, they are expected to appear in 15 states from New Jersey to Georgia.

Despite their somewhat frightening appearance, the red-eyed insects do not bite or sting; they simply fly around, mate, and then die after the females lay their eggs in trees. After the eggs hatch, the young cicadas burrow into the ground, where they feed on grass and tree roots, only to emerge 17 years later and repeat the cycle. Though harmless, many people find cicadas annoying, especially the high-pitched mating call, which, when multiplied by the millions, can be deafening.

"Even though in the song it sounds like I don't like cicadas, I think they're fun," Swift said. "I grew up in Eastern Pennsylvania and loved playing with the cicadas the last time they came out, in 2004."

"Cicada Love Call" features an uncredited cameo appearance by songwriter Janet Miller as the ex-wife who calls Swift in the middle of the night, after leaving a bar. Though she did not write the song, Swift invited her to perform on the record, after they met at a music industry event in Nashville.

Swift moved to Nashville in 2008, where he collaborates with other songwriters and performs at private events and in front of many of the famed honkytonks on Broadway.

"I even performed once in front of Bridgestone Arena," he said. "My goal is to perform inside there, eventually."

"Cicada Love Call" was produced and engineered in Nashville by John D. Willis, 2002 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Guitarist of the Year, who also performs on the record. The song is being released to Country Radio through Play MPE. It is also available on Spotify, Apple / iTunes, Amazon, YouTube and elsewhere.

Information about Toby T. Swift is available on Facebook.