Uncle Kracker songs are some of the best songs of all time!
Uncle Kracker – whose real name is Matthew Shafer – first rose to fame as a vocalist and DJ in Kid Rock’s Twisted Brown Trucker Band.
But in 2001, he started making a name for himself when he stepped out from behind the turntables to release his solo debut album, Double Wide – which eventually reached double-platinum status. Uncle Kracker then spent the next couple of years releasing more albums and charting in almost all genres.
Let’s take a look back at some of his best songs through the years.
1. “Follow Me”
“Follow Me” is Uncle Kracker’s debut single off his 2001 album, Double Wide. Uncle Kracker wrote it with his musical partner Michael Bradford whom he met when they were still in Kid Rock’s touring band.
Kracker said the song has several meanings, and fans speculated that it could be about drugs or a man having an affair with a married woman or “kinda both,” Kracker said. “That song is like a dirty picture painted with a pretty brush.”
It became a big hit worldwide, reaching No. 1 in eight countries, including Australia, Austria, and New Zealand. In the United States, it ranked No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
2. “Drift Away”
Originally recorded in 1972 by actor and swamp rock singer John Henry Kurtz, “Drift Away” became Uncle Kracker’s big hit in 2003. It snagged the top spot on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in the United States, where it spent a record-setting of 28 weeks. It held that record for fifteen years until it was overthrown by Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You.”
Uncle Kracker’s version features soul singer Dobie Gray, who also covered the song in 1973 and made it an international hit.
3. “Smile”
In 2009, Uncle Kracker’s song “Smile” peaked at No. 6 on Billboard US Hot Country Songs, his first solo entry on that chart. The song also made it to various charts. In the United States, it peaked at No. 2 on Billboard Adult Top 40, No. 3 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and even No. 31 on Billboard Hot 100.
Uncle Kracker co-wrote the song and revealed that it’s perhaps “the most positive song” he has ever written. “It’s just the feel-good song of the year. It’s so positive,” Kracker said about the song.
4. “In a Little While”
Co-written by Uncle Kracker and Mike Bradford, “In a Little While” tells the tale of a man making a good life. However, he eventually finds out that everything is a sham, making him frustrated and puzzled.
Some fans believed that the song is aimed at Hollywood, especially that its music video definitely portrays just that. However, unlike other songs aimed at Hollywood, “In a Little While” takes a cheerfully cynical look at that life.
5. “Good to Be Me”
“Good to Be Me” is a laid back and happy song described by Uncle Kracker as “in a nutshell, is my DNA.”
It also features his friend Kid Rock.
6. “When I Close My Eyes”
Uncle Kracker sings about his failed attempts of forgetting a lost love in “When I Close My Eyes.”
“And every time I close my eyes, you’re dancin’ ‘neath the full moonlight. Your faded jeans across the hood. My arms wrapped ’round you tight and good,” he sings.
7. “My Hometown”
This upbeat, easy-cheesy country single gave about a dozen towns and big cities across America a massive shoutout!
“My Hometown” is Uncle Kracker’s ode to all the hometowns around the country. Kracker is a native of Mississippi but was raised in Harrison Township, a charter township of Macomb County in Michigan – and he’s proud of where he came from.
But while spending most of his time on the road, Kracker noticed that all the people are all in a pretty much similar situation everywhere he goes.
“We have different accents, different industries, different weather maybe, but we’re all just trying to live our lives, pay our bills, give our kids a better life, and have some good times,” he said.
8. “Nobody’s Sad on a Saturday Night”
Uncle Kracker finds himself looking on the bright side whatever life throws his way in “Nobody’s Sad on a Saturday Night.” And the ballad was proven to be true when one spontaneous moment was captured in the music video.
“The coolest part was while we were filming there were these two couples that came up,” Kracker recalled while filming at the Texas State Fair. “They were all dressed in cowboy hats and starched Wranglers — creased — and they just came up and started dancing out of the blue. It was awesome.”
9. “Nuthin’ Changes”
In this song, Uncle Kracker made reference to country singer Don Williams. The singer revealed that Williams – also known as “The Gentle Giant” – is one of his all-time favorites. In fact, nearly all of Williams’ songs heavily influenced Kracker’s songs.
10. “It Is What It Is”
“It Is What It Is” – a reminder that each person has his own story in life – serves as the closing track of Kracker’s 2012 album, Midnight Special.
The song is a duet with Sonia Leigh. After touring with Leigh for a few months, Kracker knew he needed to get the fantastic country singer-songwriter to one of his records, and this song was just the perfect one for the two talented singers.
How about you? What’s your favorite among Uncle Kracker’s songs?
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