Kid Rock released several studio albums from 1988 that mostly went unnoticed before his 1998 record 'Devil Without a Cause', released with Atlantic Records, sold 11 million albums behind the hits, "Bawitdaba","Cowboy," and "Only God Knows Why". In 2000, he released The History of Rock which was a compilation of remixed and remastered versions of songs from his previous albums as well as the hit single, "American Bad Ass". In 2001, he released the follow up, Cocky. After a slow start, his country-flavored hit "Picture" with Sheryl Crow resurrected the album and it went gold as a single and pushed the album's sales to more than 5 million. It was followed by 2003's self-titled release, which failed to chart a major hit. In 2006 he released Live Trucker , a live album. In 2007 Kid Rock released Rock N Roll Jesus, which produced a hit in "All Summer Long." It was his first worldwide smash hit, charting #1 in eight countries across Europe and Australia. Rock N Roll Jesus would go on to sell 5 million albums worldwide including being certified triple platinum in the US.
He has sold 22 million albums to date in the United States, which currently ranks him as the 99th best selling music artist of all time in the U.S.
Country Boy Can Survive
Kid Rock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Mississippi river, she's goin dry
The interest is up, and the stock market's down
You only get mugged if you go down town
I live back in the woods you see,
My woman, my kids, and my dogs, and me
I got a shoutgun, and a rifle, and a 4 wheel drive
And a Country boy can survive
See, I can plow a field all day long
I can catch catfish, from dusk till dawn
We make our own whisky, and our own smoke too
Ain't too many things these ole boys can't do, no
We grow good ole tomatoes, make homemade wine
A Country boy can survive
And a Country boy can survive
'Cause you can't starve us out, can't make me run
Hey there boy, I got a big shotgun
We say grace, and we say Mam
If you ain't into that, we don't give a God damn
I had a good friend in N.Y. city
He never called me Kid Rock, he called me hillbilly
My grandpa taught me how to live off this land
His taught him to be a businessman
He used to send me pictures of the broadway night
I'd send him some of that homemade wine
But he was killed by a man with a switchblade knife
For 43 dollars, my friend lost his life
I want to spit some beachnut in the dudes eyes
Shoot him with my mother fuckin 45
A country boy can survive
'Cause you can't starve us out, can't make us run
Hey there boy, I got a big shotgun
We say grace, and we say Mam
If you ain't into that, we don't give a God damn
Were from North California, and South Alabam
And little towns all around this land
Well I can skin a buck, and run a trout line
A Country boy can survive
Well a Country boy can survive
Survive
The song "Country Boy Can Survive" by Kid Rock is a tribute to traditional Southern American lifestyle and values. The song is about being self-sufficient and resilient in the face of hard times. The first verse is a commentary on the state of the country, with the preacher man referencing the end of times and the Mississippi River drying up. This is followed by a mention of economic woes, with interest up and the stock market down. The lyric "you only get mugged if you go down town" refers to the idea of staying in one's own community and avoiding urban areas to reduce the risk of violent crime.
The chorus emphasizes the message of the song, stating that a country boy can survive. The second verse speaks to the lifestyle of the singer, living in the woods with his family and possessing the skills necessary to survive off the land. The singer lists off skills he possesses, including plowing fields, catching fish, making whiskey, and growing tomatoes. The message here is that the singer doesn't need the outside world to survive; he can provide for himself and his family.
The last verse is a personal story from the singer, about a friend he lost to violence in New York City. This verse introduces an element of danger into the song, but the message remains the same: a country boy can survive, even in the face of violence and hardship. The final repetition of the chorus emphasizes this point once more.
Overall, "Country Boy Can Survive" is a nostalgic tribute to a way of life that is rooted in self-sufficiency and independence. It celebrates traditional Southern values and shows that even in the face of modern-day problems, there is still strength to be found in the simple life.
Line by Line Meaning
The preacher man say's it's the end of time
The preacher is warning us that the end of the world is near
The Mississippi river, she's goin dry
The great Mississippi is drying up
The interest is up, and the stock market's down
Interest rates are high, and stock values are low
You only get mugged if you go down town
The only way you're likely to get mugged is if you go to the big city
I live back in the woods you see,
I live deep in the woods, far from civilization
My woman, my kids, and my dogs, and me
In my world, it's just me, my woman, my kids, and my dogs
I got a shoutgun, and a rifle, and a 4 wheel drive
I have a shotgun, a rifle, and a 4 wheel drive vehicle
A Country boy can survive
A country boy can thrive in the wilderness
See, I can plow a field all day long
I have the physical endurance to plow a field all day long
I can catch catfish, from dusk till dawn
I have the skill and patience to catch catfish all through the night
We make our own whisky, and our own smoke too
We're resourceful enough to make our own whiskey and tobacco products
Ain't too many things these ole boys can't do, no
There's not much we can't accomplish
We grow good ole tomatoes, make homemade wine
We have a green thumb, and we know how to make wine
And a Country boy can survive
A country boy can handle whatever comes his way
'Cause you can't starve us out, can't make me run
We won't be defeated by starvation, and we won't run from a fight
Hey there boy, I got a big shotgun
Don't mess with me, I have a powerful weapon and I know how to use it
We say grace, and we say Mam
We're humble and we show respect to our elders
If you ain't into that, we don't give a God damn
If you don't like our ways, we don't care
I had a good friend in N.Y. city
I used to have a friend who lived in New York City
He never called me Kid Rock, he called me hillbilly
My friend knew me as a hillbilly, not my celebrity persona
My grandpa taught me how to live off this land
My grandfather showed me how to live self-sufficiently in the wilderness
His taught him to be a businessman
My grandfather also taught my friend how to run a successful business
He used to send me pictures of the broadway night
My friend shared images of the big city and its culture with me
I'd send him some of that homemade wine
In return, I'd share with him some of our homemade wine
But he was killed by a man with a switchblade knife
Sadly, my friend was murdered by someone with a knife
For 43 dollars, my friend lost his life
My friend was killed over only 43 dollars
I want to spit some beachnut in the dudes eyes
I'm angry and want to retaliate against the person who killed my friend
Shoot him with my mother fuckin 45
I want to shoot the perpetrator with my .45 caliber handgun
'Cause you can't starve us out, can't make us run
We won't back down, no matter what
Were from North California, and South Alabam
We come from both Northern California and Southern Alabama
And little towns all around this land
We're from small, rural communities all over the country
Well I can skin a buck, and run a trout line
I have the hunting and fishing skills to provide for myself
A Country boy can survive
A country boy is self-reliant and can survive in any situation
Well a Country boy can survive
And that's just what we do
Lyrics Ā© OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@wagstag89
I'm a big Hank Jr. fan but there's no doubt Kid Rock has real talent unlike a lot of modern "artists". He's got a killer voice and made the song his own instead of just trying to sound like the original. Much respect for being a cool, down to earth guy with a good taste in music
@williamgregg8062
Heās one of the most talented of the past 30 years.
@WayneDoran2011
Kid Rock is amazing can sing any style music. Awesome rendition
@richardfox25
This is one if my favourite Hank Jr. song, Kid rock does an excellent version, way to go Kid Rock šš¼
@stophypocrisynow
For the record, Kid is from the midwest, like me & we are "country" among other things. He was the son of wealthy parents but he was the black sheep because he didn't fit in. Everything else can be attributed to him being a rolling stone, which is what makes him so unique! Why does everyone need to fit in a box or stereotype? I love his originality! If we were all confident enough to "be ourselves" we would all be so interesting.
@andrewmiller8210
YOU CAN FIND THIS SONG ON ... KID ROCK FIRE IT UP cassette...I have it...love kid rock...will always listen to RICHARD JAMES RICHIE A.K.A. KID FUCKIN ROCK..
@russellmcbryde9365
YES MA'AM
@bruteman45
He's from Romeo Michigan
@sharonacausby6127
I've Always Loved Me Some Great Kid Rock & The Way He ALWAYS Puts His OWN Mesh Into It. & So Can This Country Girl. SURVIVE.
@imfromthecountry23
might not be his best, but seriously? its kid rock! seen him in concert twice and he is amazing. love him!