Decades before Taylor Swift struck it rich writing thinly veiled break-up songs about her celebrity exes (Jake Gyllenhall’s scarf or John Mayer’s cat allergies or what have you), Dwight Yoakam penned a hit which caused the rumors to fly fast and furious about his famous former paramour.

Yoakam was born in Kentucky but grew up in Ohio. His parents listened to country music and by default, so did he. But young Dwight also picked up on the rock & roll and rockabilly sounds of Elvis and, being a child of the 60s, absorbed the omnipresent British Invasion and AM radio hits of the day. Which is all to say that he developed an eclectic musical palette.

Like many an aspiring country singer, Yoakam headed for Nashville (after a brief try at college) to find his fame and fortune in Music City USA, but the prevailing sound at that time was a very slick and pop-oriented style of country. Dwight’s throwback sound wasn’t in fashion and so — like Buck Owens and Willie Nelson before him — he set out west, moving all the way to Los Angeles, where the budding cowpunk scene was rocking up the old sound with a new pair of boots.

Signed to Reprise Records in 1986, Yoakam reeled off a string of Top 10 country hits before scoring back to back #1s in 1988, finding an audience of older country fans who wanted to hear the sounds they grew up with, and young rock & roll fans just discovering how the two genres could blend.

In 1992, Yoakam and actress Sharon Stone began a highly publicized relationship which fed the tabloids and music magazines for months, even more so after the relationship ended. Speculation ran rampant during the lead-up to Dwight’s 1993 album, This Time — mainly that the record mostly comprised songs about their time together and the subsequent break-up.

Yoakam denied the rumors, pointing out that the two had only dated for about five weeks and the press had blown everything out of proportion, but if any song is likely influenced by Stone, it’s “Fast As You,” with a riff akin to “Pretty Woman” and lyrics about a heartbreaking lover living life in the fast lane.

Released as a single in the fall of 1993, “Fast As You” zoomed up to #2 on the country chart (his third #2 in a row from This Time) and became Yoakam’s only song to reach the Hot 100, peaking at #70. As Taylor can tell you, rumors sell records.

So do things right, start tonight… with Dwight Yoakam.