The song has been described as a southern rock anthem. Dawson stated that he and his fellows wrote the song on a Thursday, and that "Blake heard it, and by Monday he had recorded it." Shelton first heard the song while working on his farm in Oklahoma, and was blown away by the song. He related "I had to stop and just listen to this song, because the song was talking to me about a place that I was in at that moment, which was a place in the middle of nowhere that meant something to me that probably nobody else could ever understand, what that is and what it is inside of me and what my connection is to the land." He recalled thinking "'I've gotta record this song,' and I think I even decided before I even recorded it, 'This has got to be the song that I put out next.'"
Shelton has stated that "'God's Country' is a song that has a strong and deep meaningful lyric, but at the same time it leaves it up to the listeners’ interpretation."
He went on to state that "But no matter where you are from or where you're standing it is my belief that you're standing in God's Country. It's really about a state of mind. Wherever you're from and how you feel about that place. For me, it's about being from Oklahoma – where I was born, raised and still live today."
"God's Country" was the best-selling country songs on its first full week of sales, with 32,000 sold. Shelton performed the song at the 2019 ACM Awards the following week on April 7, which helped to keep sales up at 31,000 that week. It reached #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart dated May 25, 2019, his 14th on the chart and his first since 2013. The song was certified Gold by the RIAA on June 27, 2019, and Platinum on July 31, 2019. It has sold 423,000 copies in the United States as of September 2019.
The music video was directed by Sophie Muller, and shot over the course of four days in and around Tishomingo, Oklahoma. It depicts Shelton singing and working on a modern farm, interspersed with historical footage of the Dust Bowl, storms, beautiful nature shots, and traditional rural and farm imagery, concluding with a burning tractor. The video is intended to convey the intensity of farm life, while juxtaposing the "good, beautiful things of God's country, and also the wrath of God."
God's Country
Blake Shelton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a gold dirt road to a whole lot of nothin'
Got a deed to the land, but it ain't my ground
This is God's country
We pray for rain, and thank Him when it's fallen
'Cause it brings a grain and a little bit of money
We put it back in the plate
I guess that's why they call it God's country
I saw the light in the sunrise
Sittin' back in a 40 on the muddy riverside
Gettin' baptized in holy water and 'shine
With the dogs runnin'
Saved by the sound of the been found
Dixie whistled in the wind, that'll get you Heaven bound
The Devil went down to Georgia but he didn't stick around
This is God's country
We turned the dirt and worked until the week's done
We take a break and break bread on Sunday
And then do it all again
'Cause we're proud to be from God's country (yeah, yeah)
I saw the light in the sunrise
Sittin' back in a 40 on the muddy riverside
Gettin' baptized in holy water and 'shine
With the dogs runnin'
Saved by the sound of the been found
Dixie whistled in the wind, that'll get you Heaven bound
The Devil went down to Georgia but he didn't stick around
This is God's country (yeah)
(This is God's country)
(This is God's country)
God's country
I don't care what my headstone reads
Or what kind of pinewood box I end up in
When it's my time, lay me six feet deep
In God's country (yeah, yeah)
I saw the light in the sunrise
Sittin' back in a 40 on the muddy riverside
Gettin' baptized in holy water and 'shine
With the dogs runnin'
Saved by the sound of the been found
Dixie whistled in the wind, that'll get you Heaven bound
The devil went down to Georgia but he didn't stick around
This is God's country (God's country)
Yeah, I saw the light in the sunrise
Sittin' back in a 40 on the muddy riverside
Gettin' baptized in holy water and 'shine
With the dogs runnin'
Saved by the sound of the been found
Dixie whistled in the wind, that'll get you Heaven bound
The Devil went down to Georgia but he didn't stick around
This is God's country
The song "God's Country" by Blake Shelton is a tribute to rural America, its people, and its belief in God. The opening lyrics show the contrast between the small church town and the vast open land. The singer acknowledges that he has a deed to the land but understands that it is not really his; it belongs to a higher power. This is why the song refers to it as God's country. The people who are living in this area seek solace and wealth from nature and believe that it is God's will when things go well.
The next lyrics tell us how the singer was saved, both in a physical and spiritual sense. He witnessed the beauty of sunrise, surrounded by dogs, indulging in the holy water, and "shine." He found sanctity in nature and the spiritual aspect of his life. He firmly believes in the idea that this land is God's country, and it is divine grace that sustains him.
The chorus reiterates his feelings about the land and the community's steadfast belief in God. Shelton's voice sings about how they spend their week in hard work and relaxation, giving thanks to God by sharing bread on Sunday. The powerful vocals show how proud he is of the work and the faith he has in God's country.
Line by Line Meaning
Right outside of this one church town
In the area surrounding this small church town
There's a gold dirt road to a whole lot of nothin'
There's a road to a remote and empty place
Got a deed to the land, but it ain't my ground
I own the land, but recognize that it's not mine to truly possess
This is God's country
This is a land that belongs to God
We pray for rain, and thank Him when it's fallen
We ask for rain and show gratitude when it comes
'Cause it brings a grain and a little bit of money
Rain is valuable because it brings crops and financial stability
We put it back in the plate
We offer a portion of our financial gain to the church
I guess that's why they call it God's country
The land is called God's country because its people recognize God's ownership and providence
Sittin' back in a 40 on the muddy riverside
Relaxing on the riverbank with a 40 ounce beer
Gettin' baptized in holy water and 'shine
Partaking in baptism with moonshine and water
With the dogs runnin'
Having dogs around while enjoying the outdoors
Saved by the sound of the been found
Feeling saved and comforted by the sound of southern instruments, such as the banjo
Dixie whistled in the wind, that'll get you Heaven bound
A southern symbol reminds us of heaven and the value of our heritage
The Devil went down to Georgia but he didn't stick around
The Devil failed to find a foothold in this land due to its inhabitants' devotion to God
We turned the dirt and worked until the week's done
We work hard every week to maintain this land and our livelihoods
We take a break and break bread on Sunday
We pause from work to eat and fellowship with one another on Sundays
And then do it all again
We return to work the following week
'Cause we're proud to be from God's country (yeah, yeah)
We're proud to be from a land that recognizes and honors God
I don't care what my headstone reads
I'm not concerned about what is written on my grave marker
Or what kind of pinewood box I end up in
Nor am I concerned about the quality or type of coffin I'll be buried in
When it's my time, lay me six feet deep
When I die, bury me six feet under the ground
In God's country (yeah, yeah)
Bury me in a land that belongs to God
This is God's country (God's country)
This land is God's country, a place of divine ownership and providence
Yeah, I saw the light in the sunrise
I observed the beauty of the sunrise
Sittin' back in a 40 on the muddy riverside
Enjoying a 40 ounce beer while sitting by the muddy river
Gettin' baptized in holy water and 'shine
Participating in a baptism with a combination of holy water and moonshine
With the dogs runnin'
With dogs running around the area
Saved by the sound of the been found
The sound of southern instruments like the banjo have comforted and saved us
Dixie whistled in the wind, that'll get you Heaven bound
Heeding to southern symbols can lead to us being reminded of heaven and the importance of our heritage
The Devil went down to Georgia but he didn't stick around
The Devil was not able to gain a foothold on this land due to its people's devotion to God
This is God's country
This land belongs to God
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, ENDURANCE MUSIC GROUP, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Devin Dawson Durrett, Jordan Mark Schmidt, Michael Wilson Hardy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@danielmijares2558
God’s Country
Song by Blake Shelton
Right outside of this one church town
There's a gold dirt road to a whole lot of nothin'
Got a deed to the land, but it ain't my ground
This is God's country
We pray for rain, and thank Him when it's fallen
'Cause it brings a grain and a little bit of money
We put it back in the plate
I guess that's why they call it God's country
I saw the light in the sunrise
Sittin' back in a 40 on the muddy riverside
Gettin' baptized in holy water and 'shine
With the dogs runnin'
Saved by the sound of the been found
Dixie whistled in the wind, that'll get you Heaven bound
The Devil went down to Georgia but he didn't stick around
This is God's country
We turned the dirt and worked until the week's done
We take a break and break bread on Sunday
And then do it all again
'Cause we're proud to be from God's country (yeah, yeah)
I saw the light in the sunrise
Sittin' back in a 40 on the muddy riverside
Gettin' baptized in holy water and 'shine
With the dogs runnin'
Saved by the sound of the been found
Dixie whistled in the wind, that'll get you Heaven bound
The Devil went down to Georgia but he didn't stick around
This is God's country (yeah)
God's country
I don't care what my headstone reads
Or what kind of pinewood box I end up in
When it's my time, lay me six feet deep
In God's country (yeah, yeah)
I saw the light in the sunrise
Sittin' back in a 40 on the muddy riverside
Gettin' baptized in holy water and 'shine
With the dogs runnin'
Saved by the sound of the been found
Dixie whistled in the wind, that'll get you Heaven bound
The devil went down to Georgia but he didn't stick around
This is God's country (God's country)
Yeah, I saw the light in the sunrise
Sittin' back in a 40 on the muddy riverside
Gettin' baptized in holy water and 'shine
With the dogs runnin'
Saved by the sound of the been found
Dixie whistled in the wind, that'll get you Heaven bound
The Devil went down to Georgia but he didn't stick around
This is God's country
@karltietjen3876
Leaving this comment so that whenever someone likes it I'll comeback and listen to this masterpiece
@BatOneTwo
You "need" to come listen again, Karl... it is TIME! We NEED this song right now!!
Blessings to you, Fran
@BatOneTwo
@Blake Shelton🎶 Don't be making Gwen mad, Blakey! 😉
@Kayden2valid
Alright play it
@zachshephard8928
your welcome chief
@michaelkraemer8965
Come back. Listen again
@Holistic.Aariela
GOD’S COUNTRY. God’s soil. God’s People.
@JosiahRaymond
I guess you're fan of him right?@Holistic
@JosiahRaymond
Hello dear, how are you doing??
@YeshuaElijah
Every country, it's God's world. Express gratitude for all people. We're all one. 🙏