International Harvester (song)
Encyclopedia
"International Harvester" is the title of a country music
song written by Jeffrey Steele
, Shane Minor
, and Danny Myrick (formerly a member of the band Western Flyer
). The song was recorded by American singer Craig Morgan on his album Little Bit of Life
, which was released in 2006 on Broken Bow Records
. Released in late 2007, "International Harvester" was that album's third and final single, as well as his final release for Broken Bow.
and banjo
. The lyric, written in first person, describes a farmer who is driving an International Harvester
-branded combine
on a highway. Because of the vehicle's slow speed, he is causing a slowdown in traffic on the road and angering drivers, thus leading to the farmer's defense of his own actions.
during the Wichita River Festival. It was directed by Dallas Henry. They had scouted various cities and chose Wichita, specifically the main intersection of Broadway and 1st Street, with a focus on the Orpheum Theatre. To produce this video, they hired 10 people locally and 25 actors from a local talent agency to assist production.
was a natural fit for the lyrical content, despite expressing uncertainty that listeners would be able to identify with the song's farmer character (as opposed to identifying with those stuck in traffic behind him). Kevin John Coyne, reviewing the song for Country Universe, gave it a B rating. He says Morgan "sings it with enthusiasm and the hook is solid."
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...
song written by Jeffrey Steele
Jeffrey Steele
Jeffrey LeVasseur is an American country music singer and songwriter, more commonly known by the name Jeffrey Steele...
, Shane Minor
Shane Minor
Shane Allen Minor is an American country music artist. Signed to Mercury Nashville Records in 1999, Minor released his self-titled album that year, and it produced three hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts...
, and Danny Myrick (formerly a member of the band Western Flyer
Western Flyer
-Track listing:#"Western Flyer" – 3:53#"She Should've Been Mine" – 3:41#"His Memory" – 3:20#"Cherokee Highway" – 4:45...
). The song was recorded by American singer Craig Morgan on his album Little Bit of Life
Little Bit of Life
-Album:-Singles:...
, which was released in 2006 on Broken Bow Records
Broken Bow Records
Broken Bow Records is an American independent record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in July of 1999 by Benny Brown, the label specializes in country music The label's general manager is Jon Loba....
. Released in late 2007, "International Harvester" was that album's third and final single, as well as his final release for Broken Bow.
Content
The song is a moderate up-tempo backed largely by fiddleFiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
and banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
. The lyric, written in first person, describes a farmer who is driving an International Harvester
International Harvester
International Harvester Company was a United States agricultural machinery, construction equipment, vehicle, commercial truck, and household and commercial products manufacturer. In 1902, J.P...
-branded combine
Combine harvester
The combine harvester, or simply combine, is a machine that harvests grain crops. The name derives from the fact that it combines three separate operations, reaping, threshing, and winnowing, into a single process. Among the crops harvested with a combine are wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn ,...
on a highway. Because of the vehicle's slow speed, he is causing a slowdown in traffic on the road and angering drivers, thus leading to the farmer's defense of his own actions.
Music Video
On May 17, 2008 the music video for "International Harvester" was filmed in Wichita, KansasWichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
during the Wichita River Festival. It was directed by Dallas Henry. They had scouted various cities and chose Wichita, specifically the main intersection of Broadway and 1st Street, with a focus on the Orpheum Theatre. To produce this video, they hired 10 people locally and 25 actors from a local talent agency to assist production.
Reception
The song received a "thumbs up" review from The 9513 reviewer Matt C., who called it a "successful 'slice of life' song" because the writers "confine[d] themselves to a manageble theme and paint[ed] a charming picture". He also said that Morgan's Southern twangSouthern American English
Southern American English is a group of dialects of the English language spoken throughout the Southern region of the United States, from Southern and Eastern Maryland, West Virginia and Kentucky to the Gulf Coast, and from the Atlantic coast to most of Texas and Oklahoma.The Southern dialects make...
was a natural fit for the lyrical content, despite expressing uncertainty that listeners would be able to identify with the song's farmer character (as opposed to identifying with those stuck in traffic behind him). Kevin John Coyne, reviewing the song for Country Universe, gave it a B rating. He says Morgan "sings it with enthusiasm and the hook is solid."
"Trick My Tractor"
In association with this song, Morgan ran a contest on his website entitled "Trick My Tractor". This contest, which ran from December 2007 to January 2008, asked for fans to submit pictures of their "tricked out" tractors, lawn mowers, or similar lawn maintenance equipment to his website.Charts
| Chart (2007-2008) | Peak position |
|---|