Gone Country (song)
Encyclopedia
"Gone Country" is the title of a song written by Bob McDill
and recorded by American country music
artist Alan Jackson
. It was released in November 1994 as the third single from his fourth studio album, Who I Am
. As with that album's first two singles ("Summertime Blues
" and "Livin' on Love
"), "Gone Country" reached the top of the Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
) charts, a position that it held for one week.
from Long Island, New York, a folk rock
er, and a "serious composer schooled in voice and composition" who lives in the San Fernando Valley
), all of whom find that their respective careers are failing, and as a result, they decide to begin performing country music instead. Alan Jackson said about the song: "Bob McDill wrote this and he is one of my favorite writers of all time. When I first heard this song I fell in love with it. I wish that I'd written it cause it says a lot of things that I'd like to say. I think it's just a fun song actually, celebrating how country music has become more widespread and accepted by all types of people all over the country."
magazine reviewed the song favorably, saying that it was "the most talked-about country song of the year, and deservedly so." She goes on to say that it is "an ode to all the carpetbaggers flowing into Music City. Musically, it kicks ass."
, Knoxville, Tennessee
; and Las Vegas
. The concert scenes in the video were shot in Evansville Indiana at Roberts Municipal Stadium and in Knoxville. It features the former World Trade Center Towers in a flyover.
Bob McDill
Robert Lee "Bob" McDill is an American country music songwriter. Active from the 1960s until 2000, he has written several songs for country music artists, including more than thirty Number One hits...
and recorded by American country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson is an American country music singer, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. He has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 Greatest Hits albums, 2 Holiday albums, 1 Gospel album and several compilations, all on the Arista...
. It was released in November 1994 as the third single from his fourth studio album, Who I Am
Who I Am (Alan Jackson album)
Who I Am is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Alan Jackson. The album was released on June 28, 1994 via Arista Records...
. As with that album's first two singles ("Summertime Blues
Summertime Blues
"Summertime Blues" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American rockabilly artist Eddie Cochran. It was written in the late 1950s by Cochran and his manager Jerry Capehart. Originally a single B-side, it was released in August 1958 and peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 on...
" and "Livin' on Love
Livin' on Love
"Livin' on Love" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music singer Alan Jackson. It was released in August 1994 as the second single from his 1994 album Who I Am. In late 1994 it became his ninth Number One hit on the Billboard country charts...
"), "Gone Country" reached the top of the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
) charts, a position that it held for one week.
Content
"Gone Country" served as a commentary on the country music scene, illustrating three examples of other singers (a lounge singer in Las VegasLas Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
from Long Island, New York, a folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
er, and a "serious composer schooled in voice and composition" who lives in the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
), all of whom find that their respective careers are failing, and as a result, they decide to begin performing country music instead. Alan Jackson said about the song: "Bob McDill wrote this and he is one of my favorite writers of all time. When I first heard this song I fell in love with it. I wish that I'd written it cause it says a lot of things that I'd like to say. I think it's just a fun song actually, celebrating how country music has become more widespread and accepted by all types of people all over the country."
Critical reception
Deborah Evans Price, of BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine reviewed the song favorably, saying that it was "the most talked-about country song of the year, and deservedly so." She goes on to say that it is "an ode to all the carpetbaggers flowing into Music City. Musically, it kicks ass."
Music video
The video was directed by Michael Oblowitz, and filmed in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
; and Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
. The concert scenes in the video were shot in Evansville Indiana at Roberts Municipal Stadium and in Knoxville. It features the former World Trade Center Towers in a flyover.
Chart positions
| Chart (1994–1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 2 |
External links
- Lyrics at Yahoo! MusicYahoo! MusicYahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...