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.
Softly And Tenderly
Alan Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Calling for you and for me
See on the portals He's waiting and watching
Watching for you and for me
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling
O for the wonderful love He has promised
Promised for you and for me
Though we have sinned He has mercy and pardon
Pardon for you and for me
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling, "O sinner come home"
Come home, come home (come home)
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling, "O sinner come home"
The song Softly and Tenderly by Alan Jackson is a gospel hymn that reflects on the love of Jesus and his invitation to those who are lost or burdened to come home to him. The song acknowledges that everyone has sinned, but Jesus offers mercy and pardon to all who believe in him. The opening verse sets the scene of Jesus calling out softly and tenderly for us to come to him. The lyrics describe him waiting and watching for us at the portals, urging us to come home to him.
The chorus repeats the invitation with an added urgency, calling out to those who are weary and burdened to come home to Jesus. The second verse reminds us of the wonderful love that Jesus has promised for us despite our sins. It is a reminder that even though we may feel like we are unworthy of his love, he is always waiting for us with open arms. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the call to come home to Jesus, emphasizing the importance of answering his call.
Overall, the song is an uplifting and hopeful reminder that no matter how lost or burdened we may feel, Jesus is always there waiting for us to come home to him.
Line by Line Meaning
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Jesus is calling for us with a gentle and kind voice
Calling for you and for me
He is calling for everyone, regardless of who you are
See on the portals He's waiting and watching
He is waiting for us to come to Him and watching for a chance to help us
Watching for you and for me
He is actively looking out for us, hoping that we will come to Him
Come home, come home
He wants us to return to Him and be with Him
Ye who are weary come home
Those who are tired, burdened, or struggling are especially invited to come back to Him
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling
Jesus is calling out to us with genuine care and concern
Calling, "O sinner come home"
He is specifically calling out to people who have sinned and are lost, urging them to turn back to Him
O for the wonderful love He has promised
He has promised us an amazing love that only He can provide
Promised for you and for me
This love is available to every single person
Though we have sinned He has mercy and pardon
Even though we have all sinned, Jesus offers us mercy and forgiveness
Pardon for you and for me
This forgiveness is available to every single person
Come home, come home (come home)
The repetition emphasizes the urgency and importance of returning to Him
Ye who are weary come home
Those who are tired, burdened, or struggling are especially invited to come back to Him
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling
Jesus is calling out to us with genuine care and concern
Calling, "O sinner come home"
He is specifically calling out to people who have sinned and are lost, urging them to turn back to Him
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Bluewater Music Corp., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Will L. Thompson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
AjCarburadores Eduardo e Alan
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me.
See, on the portals, He's waiting and watching;
Watching for you and for me.
Chorus:
Come home, come home,
Ye who are weary come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling;
Calling, "O sinner, come home!"
O for the wonderful love He has promised,
Promised for you and for me.
Though we have sinned He has mercy and pardon;
Pardon for you and for me.
Ian Wickramaratne
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me
See all the portholes
He's waiting and watching
Watching for you and for me
Come home, come home
You who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling all sinners, come home.
All for the wonderful love he has promised
Promised for you and for me
Through all our suffering
He has mercy and pardon
Pardon for you and for me
Come home, come home
You who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling all sinners, come home.
Roger
It's hard for me to hold it together when I hear these hymns. Forget romantic songs there's nothing that has hit my soul like classic hymns sang beautifully.
Joseph B
Enzo 1965 amen Iโm 33 and nothing hits you more than the good ole gospel hymns. Just hits you in the heart ๐
Jack Boghosian
Amen, Roger
Kevin Barton
United States Of America - 24/7 ! Till death do us part !
Kevin Barton
United States Of America -
Sometimes it hits me in
The @โaaa!โ ๐๐ ๐งฐ๐.
So I can recover from a
Mean spirited comment . From someone that should โknow !โ Better.!
Bruce7
Enzo 1965 That's because they were written through the Holy Spirit, earnestly from the depths of the soul
Rhonda Boncutter
This is the song I went forward in church! Hardest walk I ever took! Baptised and have never regretted what I did! Love God and his blessings!
steve billiter
Praise the Lord! keep studying your Bible--He speaks to us through His Word.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Vickie Finney
Rhonda Boncutter I walked forward on April 25, 2004 and gave my life to Jesus with the song " open the eyes of my heart Lord" playing. I to have never regretted it. Oh how I love Jesus. Be blessed
Vickie Finney
steve billiter great advice. I've been saved since 2004, and wow was I blown away when that Bible started speaking to me. My grandmother always taught me how the Bible would speak to me. Now I can't stop reading it, and talking with God. Be blessed