Jackson was born to Joseph Eugene Jackson and Ruth Musick in Newnan, Georgia, and has four older siblings. As a youth, Jackson listened primarily to gospel music. Otherwise he was not a major music fan. However, a friend of his introduced him to the music of Gene Watson, John Anderson and Hank Williams Jr. Jackson attended the local Elm Street Elementary and Newnan High School, starting a band after high school. After a time, he and his wife of six years, Denise Jackson, moved from Newnan to Nashville where Jackson hoped to pursue music full-time.
Jackson sang in church as a child. He, his father, mother, and four sisters lived in a small home. At one point, his bed was in the hallway for lack of room. His mother lives in the home to this day. His first job, at 12, was in a shoe store. He wrote his first song in 1983.
In Tennessee, Jackson got a job in The Nashville Network's mailroom. Denise got him connected to Glen Campbell, who helped him jumpstart his career. Jackson eventually signed with Arista.
His first album, 1989's Here in the Real World, was a major hit, as was his second (1991) album, Don't Rock the Jukebox. His 1992 album, A Lot About Livin' (And a Little 'Bout Love) was a success, spawning five major singles. Also in 1992, Randy Travis charted three singles co-written by Jackson: "Forever Together", "Better Class of Losers", and "I'd Surrender All". Conversely, Travis co-wrote Jackson's single "She's Got the Rhythm (And I Got the Blues)".
In 1994 Jackson left his management company, Ten Ten Management, which had overseen his career up to that point, and switched to Gary Overton.
It was around this time that Jackson began also gaining fame for his song-writing skills. Other country music artists who have charted with songs co-written by Jackson, including Clay Walker ("If I Could Make a Living"), Chely Wright ("Till I Was Loved By You")[5] and Faith Hill ("I Can't Do That Anymore").
His first album, 1990's Here in the Real World, was a major hit, as was his second (1991) album, Don't Rock the Jukebox. His 1992 release, A Lot About Livin' (And a Little 'Bout Love) was a smash success, spawning five major singles with "Chattahoochee" being the most enduring and successful. After a few more hit albums, Jackson again rocketed to fame with "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," a song about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which became a hit single and briefly propelled him into the mainstream spotlight; the song was even the subject of parody on the popular animated series South Park, in the episode A Ladder To Heaven.
The Long Way To Go Songfacts states that on January 20, 2011 Alan Jackson and his record label, Sony, parted ways after over 20 years. Three months later a new joint venture between Capitol's EMI Records Nashville and ACR (Alan's Country Records) was announced. His debut single from the new deal was Long Way To Go, which was shipped to Country radio on June 13, 2011.
Although Jackson has been characterized as a "hat act", his influences go deep into the roots of country music and his songs have been recorded by some of the greats like Charley Pride, who recorded "Here In The Real World". He has sung with George Jones on the award-winning "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair". His sense of humor comes through in "Gone Country" with the satirical description of the wannabes who cynically jumped on the country music bandwagon in the 1990s: "Everybody's gone country/Yeah we've gone country/The whole world's gone country."
He has been credited for popularizing a Neotraditional Country sound.
Mercury Blues
Alan Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell you what I'd do
I'd go downtown and buy a mercury or two
Crazy 'bout a mercury
Lord I'm crazy bout a mercury
I'm gonna buy me a mercury
And cruise it up and down the road
I stole her from a friend
He got lucky, stole her back again
She heard he had a mercury
Lord she's crazy 'bout a mercury
I'm gonna buy me a mercury
And cruise it up and down the road
Well hey now mama
You look so fine
Ridin' round in your mercury 49
Crazy 'bout a mercury
Lord I'm crazy 'bout a mercury
I'm gonna buy me a mercury
And cruise it up and down the road
Well my baby went out
She didn't stay long
Bought herself a mercury, come a cruisin' home
She's crazy 'bout a mercury
Yeah she's crazy 'bout a mercury
I'm gonna buy me a mercury
And cruise it up and down the road
Oh, cruise now
Well if I had money
I tell you what I'd do
I'd go downtown and buy me a mercury or two
Crazy 'bout a mercury
Lord I'm crazy 'bout a mercury
I'm gonna buy me a mercury
And cruise it up and down the road
I'm gonna buy me a mercury
And cruise it up and down the road
Yeah, I'm gonna buy me a mercury
And cruise it up and down the road
Oh, let's go!
Alan Jackson's Mercury Blues is a classic rock and roll track that celebrates the love of the Mercury car. The song begins with the singer expressing his desire to have money to buy not just one, but two Mercurys. He dreams of cruising up and down the road with his car(s) and feels crazy about them. The lyrics describe how even the girl he loves is crazy about the Mercury. She chooses a friend who owns a Mercury and leaves him for him, only to come back when she finally buys a Mercury herself.
Line by Line Meaning
Well if I had money
If I had the financial resources,
Tell you what I'd do
This is what I would do with that money,
I'd go downtown and buy a mercury or two
I would travel to the city and purchase one or more Mercury cars,
Crazy 'bout a mercury
I have a strong affinity for Mercury automobiles,
Lord I'm crazy bout a mercury
I am extremely fond of Mercury vehicles,
I'm gonna buy me a mercury
I intend to acquire a Mercury car,
And cruise it up and down the road
And enjoy driving it for leisure and pleasure,
Well the girl I love
The woman I am in love with,
I stole her from a friend
I took her as my partner from one of my acquaintances,
He got lucky, stole her back again
He was fortunate enough to win her back from me,
She heard he had a mercury
She was aware that he owned a Mercury vehicle,
Lord she's crazy 'bout a mercury
She is completely infatuated with Mercury cars,
Well hey now mama
Hey there, attractive lady,
You look so fine
You appear quite stunning,
Ridin' round in your mercury 49
Driving around in your 1949 Mercury car,
Well my baby went out
My lover left the house,
She didn't stay long
She was not away for very long,
Bought herself a mercury, come a cruisin' home
She obtained a Mercury vehicle and returned in it,
Yeah she's crazy 'bout a mercury
She is also enthusiastic about Mercury automobiles,
Oh, cruise now
Let's enjoy driving leisurely at this moment,
And cruise it up and down the road
And have a wonderful time driving the Mercury car up and down the highway,
Yeah, I'm gonna buy me a mercury
Yes, I am determined to purchase a Mercury vehicle,
Oh, let's go!
This is our moment, let's hit the road and begin cruising in our Mercury car!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: K.C. Douglas, Robert L. Geddins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Gmt800_illinoisan
Why isn't music like this anymore
@timekeeper46
One of the best songs by the best country singer of all time.
@stupendous1068
Happy 60th birthday Alan Jackson!!!
@acupofwater8020
I refuse to belive hes 62
@stupendous1068
@@acupofwater8020 He was born in 1958. Making him 62 in 2020.
@briandee8570
My dad bought a grand Marquis in 94 cuz of this song. Lotta great memories in that car and this song. RIP Big Bill
@desmondhoebee17
Is was born in 94
@RJDCR
koool
@GFY_29
My pap had a 97 cougar xr7
@janetleaders4469
Love Alan Jackson and the music from back in our day. It was the BEST.