“Small Town Southern Man:” Story of Life in a Small Town by Alan Jackson

The Story of the Song

Alan Jackson really knows how to write songs that people can easily understand. Sometimes his music is inspired from his life, while other of his songs were based on what he sees. His single “Small Town Southern Man” which he released in 2007 tells the story of a guy who lives simply in a small town. The song began with Alan telling who the man was in the song.

Born the middle son

Of a farmer

And a small town

Southern man

The best part of “Small Town Southern Man” is that the storyline has a beginning and an ending. It starts with a boy being born from a family, followed by how he started his own family, how he met God, and his death.

Finally death

Came callin’

For this small town

Southern man

“Small Town Southern Man” Chart Performance

This song penned by Jackson reached the top of the US Billboard Country chart. Furthermore, the song secured a spot on the Hot 100 chart at number forty-two. This was Jackson’s first number one since 2004.

Alan Jackson’s Album

The single was released from Jackson’s fifteenth studio album Good Time. His album reached the top of the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums chart. Furthermore, he has five songs from his album that he released as a single. “Good Time” and “Country Boy” reached number one on the country chart in 2008. “Sissy’s Song” placed at number nine, while “I Still Like Bologna” secured the thirty-second spot on the Billboard Hot Country chart.

The album was platinum-certified by RIAA in 2010.

Inspiration Behind the Song

The inspiration of the song may be based on Jackson’s life because a part of the song says,

First there came

Four pretty daughters…

Later came another

A boy, he wasn’t planned…

In Jackson’s family, he was the only boy and the youngest of all five siblings. However, the song was not entirely based on him. Instead, Jackson said to Country Weekly that the song was based on people who grew up in the south because they all have a similar way of living.