Born in … Read Full Bio ↴Aaron Tippin (born July 3, 1958) is a country music singer.
Born in Pensacola, Florida, but raised in upstate South Carolina, Tippin performed in local honky-tonks in the 1970s. He competed on TNN's "You Can Be A Star" talent contest in 1986, landed a song publishing contract and moved to Nashville in 1987. During this time he wrote songs for The Kingsmen, David Ball, The Midsouth Boys, Mark Collie, and Charlie Pride. He would spend his nights working at a mill in Kentucky and spend his days driving 60 miles to Nashville to write songs.
Tippin performed his first Nashville nightclub show in 1990, and it earned him a contract with RCA records. His first single, "You've Got to Stand for Something", cracked the top 10 in 1991 and allowed him to go to the Persian Gulf with Bob Hope, to entertain the troops. Then, in 1992, Aaron's single "There Ain't Nothin' Wrong With the Radio" stayed at No. 1 for three weeks.
In 1995, Tippin married Thea Corontzos, and he, Thea, and his manager, Billy Craven, created Tippin's company, Tip Top Entertainment. Tippin also opened two hunting supply stores called Aaron Tippin Firearms. One is located close to where he lives in Smithville, Tennessee, and the other run by his father in Oak City, North Carolina.
In 1998, Tippin moved to Lyric Street Records and charted a No.1 hit with "Kiss This", co-written with his wife Thea in 2000. In the wake of 9/11, his patriotic anthem, "Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fly", peaked at No. 2. Both songs crossed over onto the Hot 100 charts; in fact, "Stars And Stripes" was his biggest crossover hit.
In 2006, Tippin started up his own record label, Nippit Records; the label's name is "Tippin" spelled backwards.
Other facts
* Survived lightning strikes on (at least) seven different occasions.
* Was granted pilot licence when he was 15
What This Country Needs
Aaron Tippin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd start it over from scratch
Keep what's good, pile up what's bad
And then I'd strike the match
Yeah, we'd go back to the basics
Of how things ought to be
Yeah, there'd be a lot of changes
If it was left up to me
[Chorus]
Cause what this country needs
Is a little more steel guitar
And put a litte fiddle right in the middle
Straight out of a texas bar
And give us a song, we can all sing along
From sea to shining sea
Be proud of it and always love it
That's what this country needs
Now if you want to hear about livin'
Just twist that radio dial
Til you come to a singer singin'
What life is all about
Cause you can't deny that people still cry
They laugh and they smile and they hurt
And that's my humble opinion why'all
You can take it for what it's worth
[Chorus]
Yeah, turn it on up and let it ring out
Across the land of the free
They ought to build a statue of hand Williams, Sr.
In Washington, D.C.
[Chorus]
You just be proud of it and always love it
And that's what this country needs.
In Aaron Tippin's song, "What This Country Needs," Tippin sings about what he would do if he were running the country. He would start over from scratch, keeping what is good and getting rid of what is bad. He would go back to the basics and make a lot of changes to how things are supposed to be. Tippin believes that the country needs more steel guitar and fiddle, straight out of a Texas bar, and a song that everyone can sing along to from sea to shining sea.
The song is a commentary on the state of the country and what Tippin believes would make it better. He thinks that people need to be proud of the country and always love it. The lyrics also mention the importance of music and how it can bring people together. Tippin believes that if the country could focus on the good things and the things that bring people together, it would be a better place.
Line by Line Meaning
If I was runnin' this country
If I were the leader of this nation...
I'd start it over from scratch
...I would begin with a clean slate and reset everything...
Keep what's good, pile up what's bad
...only keeping what is beneficial, and discarding what is not...
And then I'd strike the match
...to move forward with changes...
Yeah, we'd go back to the basics
...to the fundamentals of how things should be...
Of how things ought to be
...the way they are meant to be...
Yeah, there'd be a lot of changes
...many modifications would occur...
If it was left up to me
...if given the power to do so by the people...
Cause what this country needs
...the United States requires...
Is a little more steel guitar
...an increase in the use of the steel guitar instrument in music...
And put a litte fiddle right in the middle
...incorporation of a small, high-pitched string instrument favorited in Texas...
Straight out of a texas bar
...similar to what you would hear in a local, country bar in Texas...
And give us a song, we can all sing along
...creating a tune that we can all participate in singing together...
From sea to shining sea
...from one end of the land to the other...
Be proud of it and always love it
...to be proud of the US and cherish it...
That's what this country needs
...to restore to what we cherish and love...
Now if you want to hear about livin'
...if you want to hear more about life...
Just twist that radio dial
...switch the station on the radio...
Til you come to a singer singin'
...until you hear a singer who is singing...
What life is all about
...the meaning of life...
Cause you can't deny that people still cry
...since people are still experiencing feelings of sadness...
They laugh and they smile and they hurt
...as they also feel happiness and pain as well...
And that's my humble opinion why'all
...and that is just my personal perspective on the matter...
You can take it for what it's worth
...whether my view is valuable or not is up to you...
[Chorus]
...referring to the repeat of the chorus lyrics...
Yeah, turn it on up and let it ring out
...increase the volume and let it play loudly...
Across the land of the free
...throughout the whole nation of the United States...
They ought to build a statue of hand Williams, Sr.
...suggesting to build a monument in honor of Hank Williams Sr., a musician who paved the way for country music artists...
In Washington, D.C.
...in the nation's capital...
You just be proud of it and always love it
...undoubtedly cherish the United States and take pride in it, unconditionally...
And that's what this country needs.
...because the US, above all, requires this sentiment for the betterment of the nation as a whole.
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