In the realm of country music, where authenticity and storytelling have long been celebrated, superstar Jason Aldean seems to have a different notion of what the genre should represent. His latest song, “Try That in a Small Town,” is a departure from the traditional “three chords and the truth,” offering instead two chords and a dose of aggression, or perhaps even a shotgun blast.
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“Try That in a Small Town” stands out as one of the most cynical songs ever penned about the supposed moral superiority of living in a place with few neighbors. This is saying a lot, considering the multitude of attempts made each year to craft the ultimate “Great American Small Town Anthem.” Most such songs at least make an effort to celebrate local pride rather than promote prejudice. But for Aldean, it’s all about portraying tiny towns as under the imminent threat of lawless urban invaders who must be repelled by any means necessary – essentially, vigilantism.
One can almost imagine Aldean speaking up at a town council meeting, warning of the impending doom brought by outsiders who first visit charming vintage stores and then return with protests and chaos. “Ban antique shops now, before it’s too late,” he might proclaim.
As if the song’s simpleminded lyrics weren’t problematic enough, Aldean has gone a step further by releasing a music video for this rising hit. However, rather than targeting any hypothetical invaders, the video seems to target the very essence of country music.
The video’s setting, outside the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, has raised eyebrows among those familiar with its history. In 1927, a white lynch mob brutally dragged Henry Choate, a young Black man, through the streets behind a car before hanging him from a second-story courthouse window. We might give Aldean and video director Shaun Silva the benefit of the doubt, assuming they were unaware of this dark history when choosing the same location for projecting footage of protesters being quelled alongside an American flag. However, the implications are hard to ignore.
Setting aside the inadvertent uncomfortable connotations, what is the song and video explicitly trying to convey? Let’s begin with the song itself. It adopts a modern-day “making a list” songwriting style but takes an eerie turn. Instead of listing the charming aspects of small towns (water towers, corner stores, courtesy, lack of stoplights, “ma’am”), it creates a nightmarish catalog of dystopian city tropes borrowed from Hank Williams Jr.’s “A Country Boy Can Survive” and apocalyptic imagery.
Lyrics like “Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk / Carjack an old lady at a red light / Pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store / You think it’s cool…” attempt to tap into the gritty side of urban life but end up feeling disconnected from reality. The song eventually morphs into a Second Amendment anthem steeped in paranoia, insinuating that someone, ominously referred to as “they,” is coming to seize all the shotguns in the Deep South. Is it Biden? Maren Morris? Nicolae Carpathia?
However, the most disturbing element is when the song suggests that the gravest threat small towns face is someone “stomping on the flag and lighting it up.” It’s perplexing to see flag-burning join the list of nostalgic country song tropes. This feels like a relic from 1994, and it’s evident that Aldean’s straw man argument is out of touch.
The song also includes lines like “Cuss out a cop, spit in his face…” as if these actions are exclusive to big cities. Aldean, who has never lived in a small town himself, may be excused for his ignorance, but anyone familiar with bars knows that altercations with law enforcement aren’t limited to urban areas.
The music video, however, makes Aldean’s intentions even clearer. It paints protesters as the primary villains in a narrative of chaos and violence. Given the history of many country artists denouncing the Black Lives Matter protests during the pandemic, it’s easy to see this as the video’s underlying message. Whether intentional or not, it strongly implies that demonstrations are synonymous with criminal acts.
The most unsettling aspect of the video is how it equates protesting with violent crime, suggesting that leading a march or confronting a police officer is on par with rioting or carjacking. Phrases like “See how far ya make it down the road” only fuel an atmosphere of hostility, raising questions about the consequences of such rhetoric. Remember that similar language has been directed, not too long ago, specifically at people of color.
Some conservative defenders of Aldean may argue that critics are overreacting, attributing this to his past stances against vaccines, transgender youth, and Democrats. But when examining the music itself, it’s clear that Aldean is promoting divisiveness rather than addressing relevant social issues in an open and respectful manner.
Comparisons to artists like Maren Morris, with whom Aldean has had public disputes on transgender issues, are invalid. Morris has approached topical subjects with an open heart in songs like “Better Than We Left It” and “Common,” emphasizing finding common values with politically opposed neighbors rather than highlighting differences.
Jason Aldean’s pivot towards divisive content may be driven by a desire for more recognition and awards, given the country establishment’s lukewarm response compared to his commercial success. However, the country music community now faces a choice. Will they endorse this divisive approach, or will they send a message that this isn’t the path they want to take?
Perhaps Aldean can eventually rediscover the spirit of compassion, especially considering the tragic events at the Route 91 festival. For now, he risks being remembered for fostering division rather than unity in country music, a genre known for its storytelling and common ground.
In the world of country music, where harmony and storytelling should prevail, Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” stands as a stark departure from the genre’s roots, embracing divisiveness over unity.
Source: https://dominioncinemas.net
Category: OPINION