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.
She's Got the Rhythm
Alan Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As a started sinking lower
The minute that she waltzed right through that door
Not long ago I held her
Like a fool I went and left her
Now she's with somebody else out on that floor
And she's got the rhythm and I got the blues
With her every little move she's telling me I'm over you
She's got the rhythm and I got the blues
Well that music's gettin' louder
As my heart keeps beatin' faster
As she spells out regret in perfect time
Well I thought I wanted freedom
But that ball and chain I needed
'Cause when you choose, sometimes you lose the prize
And she's got the rhythm and I got the blues
And she's showing me how much I had to lose
With her every little move she's telling me I'm over you
She's got the rhythm and I got the blues
With her every little move she's telling me I'm over you
She's got the rhythm and I got the blues
Alan Jackson's song "She's Got The Rhythm" is about a man who realizes he made a mistake by leaving his former lover. The song starts with the man sitting in a bar, feeling dejected after leaving his former lover. He is sinking into sadness when he sees her walking through the door with someone else. As they dance on the dance floor, he realizes how much he lost by leaving her. He watches her closely as she moves to the rhythm of the music, and he can't help but feel the pangs of regret for the past. She has moved on and found happiness elsewhere, while he is left with the blues.
The music in the song becomes louder as the man's heart begins to beat faster. He realizes that he had been foolish to chase freedom when love was more important. The man feels like he has lost the prize, and she has found someone that cherishes her. The woman's every little move tells the man that he is over her, and she has moved on. She has the rhythm that he once had, but now he's left with the blues.
In summary, "She's Got The Rhythm" is a song about regret and the consequences of an action. The singer realizes that he was wrong to leave his former lover and now he's left with the blues while she has found happiness and rhythm with someone else.
Line by Line Meaning
This old bar stools feeling higher
Sitting at this bar stool feels like I'm elevated, but not in a good way
As a started sinking lower
As I realized my misery, I sank emotionally
The minute that she waltzed right through that door
As soon as she came in, everything changed for me
Not long ago I held her
I used to be with her
Like a fool I went and left her
I foolishly ended our relationship
Now she's with somebody else out on that floor
She's dancing with someone else now
And she's got the rhythm and I got the blues
She's enjoying herself and I'm feeling terrible
And she's showing me how much I had to lose
I'm realizing the full extent of my mistake
With her every little move she's telling me I'm over you
Her dancing is showing me that I need to move on
Well that music's gettin' louder
The music is becoming more intense
As my heart keeps beatin' faster
My heart is racing as I watch her dance
As she spells out regret in perfect time
Her dancing is making me regret my choices
Well I thought I wanted freedom
I thought I wanted to be free from our relationship
But that ball and chain I needed
Now I realize that I needed our relationship
‘Cause when you choose, sometimes you lose the prize
Sometimes you don't appreciate what you have until it's gone
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GARY STEFAN HARRISON, DENNIS W. MORGAN, RANDY JACKSON, DAVID CONRAD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dave Garber
Am I the only one who thinks that the melancholy “Yee haw” at the end of the first chorus is pure songwriting genius?! I just love how it’s perfectly placed and is such an oxymoron. Absolute genius!
Starlet O'Hara
Agreed! I always get a chuckle out of that part, lol. I love the whole song, but to me that's the icing on the cake.🍰
seth borunda
Agreed
Alice Estridge
Love the 90s country it's way better then today's country
Marina M.
I'm not knocking the sounds of any decade, but for me, 90s country was the best. I'd been a rock fan (classic rock, 80s rock, what have you) my whole life, but when my son was born in '91, country music hit a special, softer note in my heart. Couldn't have found a better time to start listening. 🎶❤
Lora Armstong
@Marina M. ❤thanks for sharing your beautiful comment on Alan Jackson google chat page on Alan Jackson Beautiful music video thanks
Frank Hapke
🤠👍🙏
Alan Eugene Jackson
Thanks for the continuous love and support Alice ❤❤❤
Alan Eugene Jackson
For how long have you been a fan of mine????
jscountrygirl_326
One of the ultimate classic Alan Jackson hits from my childhood! I had this song recorded from the radio on to a tape that was already at least ten years old at the time in early 1993, and amazingly, it still plays well and sounds great today! Always loved that funny "Yee Haw" he does, plus the sound of the steel guitar at 1:12. And finally, I love those high notes he hits in the finale. As I said, a true classic!