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.
drive
Alan Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was eighteen feet from the bow to the stern light
Second hand from a dealer in Atlanta
I rode up with daddy when he went there to get her
Put on a shine, put on a motor
Built out of love and made for the water
Ran her for years, 'til the transom got rotten
A piece of my childhood it'll never be forgotten
It was just an old plywood boat
With a '75 Johnson with electric choke
A young boy, two hands on the wheel
I can't replace the way it make me feel
And I would turn her sharp
And I'd make it whine
He'd say, "You can't beat the way an old wood boat rides"
Just a little lake 'cross the Alabama line
But I was king of the ocean
When daddy let me drive
Just an old half ton, short bed Ford
My uncle bought new in '64
And daddy got it right 'cause the engine was smoking
Couple of burned valves and he had it going
He'd let me drive her, we'd haul off a load
Down a dirt strip where we'd dump trash off of Thigpen Road
I'd sit up in the seat and stretch my feet out to the pedals
Smiling like a hero that just received his medal
It was just an old hand me down Ford
With three speed on the column and a dent in the door
A young boy, two hands on the wheel
I can't replace the way it made me feel
And I would press that clutch
And I'd keep it right
He'd say, "A little slower son, you're doing just fine"
Just a dirt road with trash on each side
But I was Mario Andretti
When daddy let me drive
I'm grown up now, three daughters of my own
I let 'em drive my old Jeep 'cross the pasture at our home
Maybe one day they'll reach back in their file
And pull out that old memory
And think of me and smile, and say
It was just an old worn out Jeep
Rusty old floorboards, hot on my feet
A young girl, two hands on the wheel
I can't replace the way it made me feel
And he'd say, "Turn it left and steer it right
Straighten up girl, now you're doing just fine"
Just a little valley by the river where we'd ride
But I was high on a mountain
When daddy let me drive
When daddy let me drive
Oh, he let me drive
She's just an old plywood boat
With a '75 Johnson with electric choke
The song "Drive" by Alan Jackson is a tribute to the memories he made with his father and the vehicles they drove together. The lyrics offer a nostalgic look back at his childhood, recalling the special moments he spent with his dad, while sharing the different types of vehicles they owned.
The first stanza of the song describes a boat that Jackson and his father owned. It may not have been fancy, but it was significant to him because he remembers the adventures they had on the water. The second and third stanzas talk about a short bed Ford truck that they used for hauling and exploring dirt roads. Jackson recalls feeling like a hero behind the wheel of the truck.
The final verse speaks to the notion of passing on those special memories to the next generation. Jackson now has three daughters and shares his passion for driving with them. Much like his father did with him, he lets them take the wheel, and he hopes that one day, they'll look back on these memories with fondness.
Overall, "Drive" is a song that highlights the importance of the people in our lives and the memories we create together. It's a reminder that even the most mundane things, like driving an old beat-up truck or boat, can hold a special place in our hearts.
Line by Line Meaning
Was painted red, the stripe was white
The boat had a red paint color with a white stripe painted around it.
It was eighteen feet from the bow to the stern light
The length of the boat is 18 feet from the front to the end.
Second hand from a dealer in Atlanta
The boat is purchased from a second-hand dealer in Atlanta.
I rode up with daddy when he went there to get her
The artist rode with his father when he went to get the boat.
Put on a shine, put on a motor
The boat was refurbished with polish and a new motor.
Built out of love and made for the water
The boat was built with care and meant to be used on water.
Ran her for years, 'til the transom got rotten
The boat was used for many years until the transom became rotten and damaged.
A piece of my childhood it'll never be forgotten
The boat represents a meaningful part of the artist's childhood that he will always remember.
Just an old plywood boat
The boat was just a plywood boat.
With a '75 Johnson with electric choke
It had a 1975 Johnson model motor with an electric choke.
A young boy, two hands on the wheel
The singer was a young boy driving the boat with both hands on the wheel.
I can't replace the way it make me feel
The feeling of driving the boat cannot be replaced or replicated.
And I would turn her sharp
The singer would make sharp turns with the boat.
And I'd make it whine
The boat's engine would make a whining sound.
He'd say, "You can't beat the way an old wood boat rides"
The singer's dad appreciated the way wooden boats rode on the water.
Just a little lake 'cross the Alabama line
The boat was driven on a small lake in Alabama.
But I was king of the ocean
The feeling of driving the boat made the artist feel like the ruler of the ocean.
When daddy let me drive
The singer's father allowed him to drive the boat.
Just an old half ton, short bed Ford
The car being referenced is an old half ton, short bed Ford.
My uncle bought new in '64
The car was newly bought by the artist's uncle in 1964.
And daddy got it right 'cause the engine was smoking
The artist's dad made sure to buy it, even though the engine had some issues.
Couple of burned valves and he had it going
The engine had a few burned valves, but the artist's dad was able to fix it.
He'd let me drive her, we'd haul off a load
The singer's dad would let him drive the car while they transported cargo.
Down a dirt strip where we'd dump trash off of Thigpen Road
They would drive down a dirt strip on Thigpen Road to dump off trash.
I'd sit up in the seat and stretch my feet out to the pedals
As a child, the singer would sit in the driver's seat and stretch his feet to reach the pedals.
Smiling like a hero that just received his medal
The feeling of driving the car made the singer feel like he had accomplished a great feat.
Just an old hand me down Ford
The car was an old Ford that was handed down to the singer.
With three speed on the column and a dent in the door
The car had three speeds on the column and a dent in the door.
I can't replace the way it made me feel
The feeling of driving the car cannot be replaced or replicated.
And I would press that clutch
The singer would press the clutch while driving the car.
And I'd keep it right
The singer kept the speed and direction of the car properly.
He'd say, "A little slower son, you're doing just fine"
The artist's dad advised him to slow down a bit and assured him that he was doing well.
Just a dirt road with trash on each side
The car would be driven on a dirt road with trash on each side.
But I was Mario Andretti
The feeling of driving the car made the artist feel like a renowned race car driver.
When daddy let me drive
The singer's father allowed him to drive the car.
I'm grown up now, three daughters of my own
The artist has three daughters of his own and has grown up.
I let 'em drive my old Jeep 'cross the pasture at our home
The singer allowed his daughters to drive the old Jeep across their home pasture.
Maybe one day they'll reach back in their file
The singer hopes that one day his daughters will look back into their memory.
And pull out that old memory
The singer hopes that his daughters will recall the fond memory of driving the old Jeep.
And think of me and smile, and say
The artist wishes for his daughters to remember him fondly whenever they think of that memory.
It was just an old worn out Jeep
The Jeep being referred to was just an old, worn-out Jeep.
Rusty old floorboards, hot on my feet
The Jeep had rusted floorboards which used to get hot on the singer's feet.
A young girl, two hands on the wheel
The singer's daughter was the young girl driving the Jeep with both hands on the wheel.
Straighten up girl, now you're doing just fine
The artist advises his daughter to correct her steering, and tells her that she is doing great.
Just a little valley by the river where we'd ride
The Jeep was driven in a small valley near the river.
But I was high on a mountain
The feeling of driving the Jeep made the artist feel as if he were on top of a mountain.
When daddy let me drive
The singer's father allowed him to drive the Jeep.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alan Jackson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stephz5429
Listen, y’all…. First of all, when the f*** is YouTube going to follow suit and create a “heart/love” reaction to comments??? And videos in general I guess. 🙄🥹
BUT….
I’m not from the south; in fact I’m born and raised smack-dab in the Midwest: La Crosse, WI. The specific locations mentioned in this song, I’ve never been to but I replace them with the ones that the sentiment of this song sings about. Along the Mississippi! Ever heard of The World’s Largest 6 Pack of Beer? That’s my town. My ancestors started it. (Look up Zeisler 1800’s if you want to know more!) but the sentiment of this song is beautiful, all around; through and through; and the way I see it, regardless of the relationship you have with your Daddio, if this song reminds you of him, that’s some true love right there. Although it stings, I rejoice in my ability to cherish the memories when I choose to acknowledge their pain & beauty.
There’s just something about being 30 and remembering the “good old days” when life was different and you were 10 but your dad would let you drive the Johnson or the Ford and you were just wild and free.
I thank you and apologize to anyone who has read this far; sometimes I have a couple too many drinks, put my headphones in, and dive balls first down memory lane and leave comments like this on videos like these bc the chances of anyone seeing them are SO SLIM that i don’t worry about a charged conversation. Also, If you ARE reading this, and you’re feeling some type of way, I see you & I feel you. 🙏♥️
Alright that will be all. Thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart if you actually read that. And if you are and you wanna talk, I’m here.
I hope you know it’s nothing but true, sincere love my friends 🙏♥️♥️ ♥️
@cadehall32
Who’s here in 2024?
@DemonXyro
Me
@SamanthaCollins-mc6hk
Me
@kellypruitt2362
I own this on iTunes and still come back to watch the video. It reminds me of my dad, RIP❤❤❤
@alphapower4568
Im here since 1983💃💃💝💐😁🇺🇲🇳🇬🇱🇷
@JessicaBarth-ff5ws
It's mine and my dad's song I love him
@vazqan6
If there was a button for a good old childhood...
@DirtDigglerOfficial
My dad never took time to give me these memories. Thank God for my grandaddy giving them to me though. I'm 27 now with a 3 month old, and I cant wait to give him these memories as he grows.
@Rockin_Ross
Lost my dad a year ago this December. He taught me to drive and this song hits home for me. Thanks Alan.❤️
@AA-vr8ez
Hope all is well Ross