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.
This Time
Alan Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's been there since eighty-five, sometimes I think it reads my mind
I guess it's true, you cant keep it from shinnin' through
[Chorus]
There's no denyin', I've been hidin' from this thing that's chasin' me
Yeah, I've been runnin', no good at shunnin' all these scars from yesterday
There comes a time you gotta give it up, spin that wheel and try your luck
I knew it from that very first smile, I could taste it like a hungry child
Not at all like all the rest, you know they say that last is best
Like a rainbow on a cloudy day, just to shout it takes my breath away
[Chorus]
I've been hidin' from this thing that's chasin' me
I've been runnin', no good at shunnin' all these scars from yesterday
There comes a time you gotta give it up, spin that wheel and try your luck
Never know what you will find, it might be love this time
This time, this time, oh, this time, this time
This time.
The lyrics of Alan Jackson's "This Time" talks about a person who has been running and hiding from their past, trying to forget the scars that they have gathered along the way. In the first verse, he visualizes an old hardwood tree that has been there since 1985 and feels like it can read his mind. It could be interpreted as a metaphor for his past, an old and unchanging thing that seems to haunt him. However, he accepts that he can't keep it from shining through.
The chorus emphasizes that the singer has been running away from something, but he can't hide from it anymore. He has to face it and take his chances. He must spin the wheel of fortune and see where it takes him. The line "Never know what you will find, it might be love this time" highlights the possibility that he might find something beautiful - a new beginning, a happy ending, or love.
In the second verse, he talks about meeting someone who is different from everyone else he has met before. He compares it to the taste of food when you are famished, and it is not like the last dish you had, but unique and incredible. This person is the last one, but as they say, the best comes last. The line "Like a rainbow on a cloudy day, just to shout it takes my breath away" means that this person appears as a pleasant surprise and makes him happy, but he is afraid to take a chance.
Overall, the song's message is about facing your past and accepting that you can't run away from it. You have to take risks and see where life takes you. Maybe this time, you will find what you have been looking for.
Line by Line Meaning
There's an old hardwood tree starin' through the glass at me
The sight of the old hardwood tree out the window catches the singer's attention.
It's been there since eighty-five, sometimes I think it reads my mind
The tree has stood there for many years, and the singer feels a strange connection to it.
I guess it's true, you cant keep it from shinnin' through
The singer realizes that his feelings and emotions are impossible to hide.
There's no denyin', I've been hidin' from this thing that's chasin' me
The artist admits to avoiding something that has been troubling him.
Yeah, I've been runnin', no good at shunnin' all these scars from yesterday
Despite his attempts to ignore them, the artist is haunted by his past experiences and the pain they have caused him.
There comes a time you gotta give it up, spin that wheel and try your luck
The singer realizes that he can't keep running from his problems forever and must take a chance at something new.
Never know what you will find, it might be love this time
Taking a risk is uncertain, but there is a possibility that it could bring love and happiness into the singer's life.
I knew it from that very first smile, I could taste it like a hungry child
The artist felt a strong attraction to someone from the moment they met.
Not at all like all the rest, you know they say that last is best
The person the artist is interested in stands out from everyone else they have met and there is a belief that the last love could be the best love.
Like a rainbow on a cloudy day, just to shout it takes my breath away
Being with the person the artist loves is like a bright and beautiful moment in a dreary day, and it fills the artist with joy.
This time, this time, oh, this time, this time
The repeated phrase emphasizes the singer's hope that this time, taking a risk will lead to finding love and happiness.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALAN JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind