Stone was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, and learned guitar at the age of five from his mother, also a country singer. As a teenager, he performed in skating rinks in his hometown and later moved on to playing area bars while working long hours as a mechanic during the day.
It took Stone several years to be “found” by his soon-to-be manager who helped him finally land a record deal with Epic. His self-titled debut was released in 1990 and broke him in a big way with the despairing lead single "I'd Be Better Off (In a Pine Box)," which shot into the country Top Five. Stone landed three more Top Ten hits from the album, including "Fourteen Minutes Old," "These Lips Don't Know How to Say Goodbye," and his first number one, "In a Different Light."
He quickly completed a follow-up album, I Thought It Was You, for release in 1991, which solidified his persona as country music’s suave song stylist and became his second straight million-seller on the strength of three Top Five hits: the title track, "Come In Out of the Pain," and a second number one in "A Jukebox With a Country Song."
Stone’s third album, 1992’s From the Heart, spun off one hit after another: "Warning Labels" and "Made for Lovin' You" went Top Ten, while "Too Busy Being in Love" and "Why Didn't I Think of That" topped the charts.n 2004, Doug Stone started a new chapter in his career and his life. After a brief hiatus from recording, a renewed interest in Doug's music by fans and radio made Doug one of the highlights at the 2004 Country Radio Seminar (CRS). The week of CRS, Doug joined Lofton Creek Records and reunited with a member of his former management team, Martha (Taylor) Borchetta who worked with Doug in the 90s.
Stone’s first album with Lofton Creek Records, In A Different Light, re-releases the original title track and “Why Didn’t I Think of That” from Stone’s library of hits. The album also contains Stone’s version of timeless classics as he artfully blends the traditional spirit of “Only You,” “Tell It Like It is,” “Georgia On My Mind” and “Crazy Love” with that famous Doug Stone style. The eight original songs on this album will both tug on heartstrings and invoke smiles—a task that only Stone can perform with such style and grace. With this new album, Lofton Creek Records is honored to place Doug Stone back in the spotlight.
A Jukebox With A Country Song
Doug Stone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So she went to her mother's and I went for a drive
Down an old familiar highway, just a few miles out of town
To that rundown one-room tavern that used to be my stomping ground
Well I pulled in the driveway, you know it all still looked the same
And I couldn't wait to down a few and hear that jukebox ring
But as I walked in through the doorway
Well he looked me up and he looked me down, said
"May I help you please?", and I said
"What'd you do with those swinging doors?
Where's the sawdust on the floor?
Why's everybody wearing suits and ties?
From where I stand I can't believe my eyes
And who's idea was it to hang these furs?
This brand new bar don't have a single burn
I guess I'm somewhere that I don't belong
I need a jukebox with a country song"
Well I look back to the corner where the jukebox once stood proud
Some clown was playing records, too fast, too long and too loud
And it must have been a big mistake to try to speak my mind
So as they were asking me to leave I cried out one more time
"What'd you do with those swinging doors?
Where's the sawdust on the floor?
Why's everybody wearing suits and ties?
From where I stand I can't believe my eyes
And who's idea was it to hang these furs?
This brand new bar don't have a single burn
I guess I'm somewhere that I don't belong
I need a jukebox with a country song"
I guess I don't belong without a jukebox and a country song
In Doug Stone's song A Jukebox With A Country Song, the singer tells the story of how he and his girlfriend had a big fight after a three-year-long relationship. After the fight, the singer drives down an old highway and ends up at a tavern that he used to frequent. However, upon entering, the singer realizes that the bar has changed significantly- there are no more swinging doors, no sawdust on the floor, and everyone is dressed up in suits and ties instead of cowboy hats and boots. The jukebox has been replaced with a clown playing a record too fast, too long, and too loud, and the singer realizes that he doesn't belong in this new setting without a jukebox playing a country song.
The song speaks to the sentimentality and attachment to symbols of the past that people often have. The singer in the song is struggling with the fact that his beloved hangout spot, which held so many memories for him, has changed and no longer feels like it belongs to him. He feels out of place and lost without the familiar surroundings and music that helped shape his identity.
Line by Line Meaning
After three good years together, we had our first big fight
After being in a relationship for three years, we had our first major argument.
So she went to her mother?s, and I went for a drive
After the argument, my partner went to her mother's house, while I went for a drive to clear my head.
Down an old familiar highway, just a few miles out of town
I drove on a familiar road just a short distance outside of town.
To that run-down one-room tavern, that used to be my stomping ground
I stopped at a rundown, small bar that I used to frequent in the past.
Well, I pulled in the driveway you know it all still looked the same
As I arrived, I noticed that the bar's exterior looked the same as it did years ago.
And I couldn't wait to down a few and hear that jukebox ring
I was eager to have a few drinks and listen to the songs played on the jukebox.
Now as I walked in through the doorway, there stood some kind of marti dee
As I entered the bar, I noticed a new employee who appeared to be the manager.
Now he looked me up, and he looked me down, said, "May I help you please?"
The manager gave me a disapproving look, and asked if I needed assistance.
What'd you do with the swinging doors? Where's the sawdust on the floor?
I noticed that the bar had removed its wooden swinging doors, and there was no sawdust on the floor as there used to be.
Why's everybody wearing suits and ties from western, I can't believe my eyes
I was shocked to see that everyone in the bar was dressed in suits and ties instead of the typical western attire.
And whose idea was it to hang these spurs, this brand new bar don't have a sink or fur
I noticed that the bar had hung decorative spurs, but there was no sink or fur in sight in this newly renovated establishment.
I guess I'm somewhere that I don't belong I need a jukebox with a country song
Realizing that this bar was no longer the cozy, familiar place I used to enjoy, I expressed my need for a place that still played country music on a jukebox.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charles Eugene Nelson, Gene Nelson, Ronnie Samoset
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jimbotc2000
THE TOP 75 BILLBOARD ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE
HOT COUNTRY SINGLES & TRACKS
1992
Number 14
A JUKEBOX WITH A COUNTRY SONG
Doug Stone
Words & music by
Gene Nelson, Ronnie Samoset
Produced by
Doug Johnson
Epic Records
34-74089
From the Album
I THOUGHT IT WAS YOU
First Chart Date:
Saturday, November 16, 1991
55-46-32-26-18-15-15-11-8-6-3-1-1-5-11-15-19-24-28-29
Last Chart Date:
Saturday, March 28, 1992
Total weeks on the chart:
20
Peak Position on the chart:
1 [2 weeks]
@scottfisher2278
Traditional Country will always be the best music in the world! The Oppusum was near prophetic with his song: "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes?" The list is too long, but Doug Stone is on that list of great Traditional '90s Country that we took for granted then, but desperately want back!
@ericthiel4053
Man I took this song and the whole decade for granted......if you had told us country was going to change the way it did, no-one would have ever believed it.....
@matthewsamilo238
2024, who's still listening?
@SouthernScratcherGirl
🙋🏻♀️
@lizziemartin6113
I can’t believe how good country music was at one time and I took it for granted. I didn’t love it like I do now. 90s country was the best.
@bettyechols6405
70s and 80s are right in there also!
@chrishenderson7510
totally agree...those were the days...
@donaldjtrumpet2774
For fuck sake 50s and 60s outlaw honky Toni shit is also very very good like lefty frizzle Johnny cash George Jones hank 1 Sanford Clark Marty Robbins
@oprahsgreasyanus4252
90s is when country went to crap. This song sucks
@JuanLara-tj8em
What was so incredible about the time period of just absolutely country gold. It has shapped me into the man iam today. The songs tell a story and I've connected with so while since I was a youngin. Thank you Doug for implanting them country roots a little bit deeper. Country won't ever be the same