Tipping My Hat to a “Small Town Southern Man”
My father always says, “Home is where you hang your hat.” Though my hat now hangs in Nashville, I still feel as though my real home is a small town in Illinois. Yes, that same small town that I couldn’t wait to someday leave is now the place that I’ve come to appreciate and miss. I have no regrets of moving to Nashville and luckily even with the over half a million people who also hang their hats here, it somehow still feels inviting. But I have to say, I am thankful for my small town upbringing and way of life. It’s made me who I am.
I suppose the same is for Alan Jackson, who once hung his cowboy hat in the small town of Newnan, Ga. Inspired by his father and small town roots, Jackson wrote his current single about a “Small Town Southern Man,” his family and their beliefs. Like so many of his previous singles — “Little Bitty,” “Where I Come From,” “Drive (For Daddy Gene),” just to name a few — Jackson poetically highlights his Southern upbringing through song.
“Like his daddy, years wore out his body
Made it hard just to walk and stand
You can break the back
But you can’t break the spirit
Of a small town Southern man”
His latest video takes place in an old dance hall in Williamsport, Tenn. Different generations are portrayed throughout the scenes dancing along as Jackson provides the one-of-a-kind entertainment. (Notice how he sheds his mustache early in the video to look more like the 40s era.). Jackson’s true talent keeps him grounded in a constantly changing country music scene. This delightful yet simple video, matched with his rich voice and graceful lyrics, will relate to the millions of small town Southern men and women like you and me. For those of us who have at some point hung our hats in a small town, we tip them to you, Alan.
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JTURNER says:
great song and video. we all come from a small town of some sort jeff
RMcD says:
ALAN JACKSON IS ONE OF THE MOST CONSISTENT, TRUE BLUE & VERY TALENTED SONGWRITER/SINGERS SINCE I FIRST SAW HIM ON “TNN’s NASHVILLE NOW” IN 87 OR 88! NOW THAT WAS A HOOT! THIS YOUNG, VERY COUNTRY YOUNG MAN SANG “WHITE LIGHTNING”;I BELEIVE. I KNOW IT WAS A GEORGE JONES TUNE. HE WAS NERVOUS AS BOY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO SAY ON HIS FIRST DATE; BUT HE NAILED IT! NEXT TIME I SAW HIM WAS ON THE 1990 CMAs WITH THE CLASS OF 90 BEING NOMINATED FOR THE HORIZON AWARD(TRAVIS WON) BUT ALAN HAS NEVER STOPPED BRINGING US THE VERY BEST OF REAL COUNTRY MUSIC. I HOPE HE CONTINUES FOR A VERY LONG TIME. HUMILITY COUPLED WITH HEART AND SOUL HAS MADE ALAN JACKSON A MAN WHO DESERVES THE RESPECT GOD’S GIFT TO HIM HAS EARNED HIM OVER THESE NEAR 20 YEARS OF PURE LIFE LIVED OUT IN THE SONGS HE HAS GIVEN. THANKS, MR. JACKSON. Ricky McDermon Macon,Ga. 1/4/08
sunkie says:
Home Run Alan……This song speaks to all of America on all chords. We all have deep roots whether from a large city or a rural town; it doesn’t matter the place but who we are. The lyrics keep us grounded on the ideals that America was founded upon hard work, trust in one another and a belief. In our toils each and everyday, we must remember that when it is our time to go, there is no reason for crying for we know who is running the show, don’t we? In essix, make each and everyday count for the clock continues to tick and there is no rewind or pause button for us to stop time. Reflection comes at the end of the day when we lay our burdens down. Alan, thanks for helping us all remember to reflect and Whitney for bring us the music and the poetic way that you write which brings it all together.
FRANK BEEMAN says:
JUST WANTED FOLKS TO ALAN JACKSON IS WAS AND WILL BE THE FUTURE OF COUNTRY TO COME HE BRINGS HOME DOWN TO EARTH SONGS THAT MEAN ALOT TO ME IM 48 YEARS OLD I LOST MY FATHER IN 2003 I MISS HIM ALOT KEEP ON SINGING ALAN ILL KEEP ON LISTENING OK THANKS SO MUCH
Just Joe says:
Kudos to AJ for keeping it country in a world of bubble gum pop garbage.
Andrew says:
hey awesome song Alan, it makes me think of when people got togeter and stayed together and really ment what they say on there wedding day. That today is really rare thanks for the song.
JohnNOsa says:
very good
QRGarrettsa says:
very good