Lenny Cooper was born in Jacksonville N.C. and first came to the attention of many fans while performing on Average Joes co-founder Colt Ford's Declaration of Independence tour. Although he didn't have a band or DJ on stage, he quickly connected with fans, who easily relate to such tunes as "Country Folks Anthem," a track on Mud Dynasty which features AJE labelmate Charlie Farley, and "Adrenaline," performed with Brian King of the duo the Lacs, also signed to the label. And although country-rap (or hick-hop, or whatever you choose to label this type of music) is gaining solid ground (in spite of all the mud) with countless fans through live events, recorded music and a regular presence on YouTube, it's nothing new to Cooper, who says that even though classic country music was a presence in his house while growing up, he first gravitated to rap songs at around 9 years old. He started writing at 11 and was recording by age 15. At just 17, Cooper recorded what would not only become an anthem for him but for the entire movement, "Mud Digger." The song has now spawned four compilations by that same title for Average Joes, and there's even been a holiday-themed collection called "Muddy Christmas." At the same time, more mainstream country artists are experimenting with the country-rap combination, including such superstars as Blake Shelton and duo Florida Georgia Line.
"I think it's cool," says Lenny. "Stuff like that I enjoy seeing because that's helping us for the future, giving us the door to open up and step in and make it easier for us. It's hard to get radio play because people don't know where to stick it. Is it country, is it rap, is it rock? What is it? We're not trying to change country music. The way I see it, this is just adding a little spice to country. When rednecks listen to rap, they're like, 'I don't understand what he's talkin' about.' But when they listen to our stuff they know exactly what we're talking about. They've lived that, they've done that."
Lenny's love for all things mud-related stretches back to his school days in Newberry, S.C., where he and his friends would sit in their trucks in the parking lot of the local Wal-Mart and figure out where they were going to go mud digging. It wasn't long before his buddies made a special request of the talented teenager.
"My friends knew I liked to write music; it was kind of my hobby then, so they asked me if I would write a song about going muddin'," he recalls. "I went home that night and wrote it and recorded it and went back the next day and gave them about five CDs that I burned. They all loved it. I ended up sticking it on YouTube and tagged Colt Ford on the video. In four to six months, it went over two million views."
Thanks to that tag, it wasn't long before the clip caught Colt's attention. With his own albums beginning to burn up the country charts, Ford was on tour, which included a stop in Cooper's hometown. The pair met and talked at the show, where Colt suggested re-recording the tracks for Average Joes. Now on his third album for the label, Lenny says a solid work ethic has kept him focused, which is seemingly no small feat for someone continually surrounded by mud.
"Growing up, I made some wrong choices," he acknowledges. "I quit school at ninth grade. But when I quit, I wasn't going to be one of those people who was just going to be lazy. A week later I started working with a landscape company, then started working as with a construction company."
Just two years ago, having already signed with the label, Lenny quit the construction job to devote himself to his music career. "It was overwhelming at times to get off work, come home, write music and plan work in the studio. I was out doing shows to make enough money to where I could make a comfortable living and put my full 110 percent into my music."
That same kind of devotion seems to apply to the folks who hit the mud bogs with their various vehicles. "People spend their hard-earned money to build up a machine to come out there and just tear it up," Lenny notes. "Just to have fun and to show people what they're about. It's a way they can express their feelings about what they build, whether it's a truck, four-wheeler, mud buggy, golf cart or whatever. I've seen tanks before at mud bogs. You've got to pay to play. You can't just go out muddin' not thinking you're going to tear up something up, because you are. It's not cheap either! Sometimes you're talking thousands of dollars.
And just as they have with their mud-bogging machines, people have become devoted to the music that accompanies mud-bogging events.
"You give it to one person and they get addicted to it," Lenny says proudly. "People will pictures through Facebook of what they're doing, what they've built. Everyone is just like family."
One great big, happy -- muddy -- family.
Old Back Road
Lenny Cooper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down an old back road, back road
There's no other place I'd rather go to relax, I keep my seat back low.
Twelve pack beside me and it's ice cold.
Pop the top and let the alcohol flow.
Gotta speak this beat to a country song, let out my stress until it's all gone.
Just somethin bout chillin out where the corn grows.
I like to clear my mind down an old back road
She was done, had enough, and all of the above.
It's a shame cause for her I had so much love.
I'm drivin around my mind twisted like a Twizzler, tryin to figure out what wrong that I did to her.
Then I get to thinkin, "
Oh well, it's her loss." That for once I can say that it ain't my fault.
It's time to pop a top and throw one back and start livin for today, say to hell with the past.
And be a winner, if you're not first, you're last.
And for all you haters out there kiss my ass.
I got a dream, and that's to be on top.
It's gonna be a tough battle just to take my spot.
The king is here, but for now I gotta go.
I'll be clearin my mind down an old back road
There's no other place I'd rather go to relax, I keep my seat back low.
Twelve pack beside me and it's ice cold.
Pop the top and let the alcohol flow.
Gotta speak this beat to a country song, let out my stress until it's all gone.
Just somethin bout chillin out where the corn grows.
I like to clear my mind down an old back road
It's hard when you sittin all by yourself, you live paycheck to paycheck without no help.
You try to keep food on the table.
You do anything you can just to stay stable
You pray for a better day, wish all the bad away, keep your head up when everything's feelin grey, think goody good even though it ain't there.
And your dad is sayin, "
Well, it'll get better next year."
Sometimes you just need a helping hand when things are crammed up like a traffic jam.
Thank God, for family and friends that help turn your life around from a dead end.
I've been there, done that numerous times.
I just grab the keys then I go take a little ride.
And there's a place where you need to let your worries go.
I call it clearin my mind down an old back road
There's no other place I'd rather go to relax, I keep my seat back low.
Twelve pack beside me and it's ice cold.
Pop the top and let the alcohol flow.
Gotta speak this beat to a country song, let out my stress until it's all gone.
I'm chillin out where the corn grows, clear my mind down an old back road
There's no other place I'd rather go to relax, I keep my seat back low.
Twelve pack beside me and it's ice cold.
Pop the top and let the alcohol flow.
Gotta speak this beat to a country song, let out my stress until it's all gone.
Just somethin bout chillin out where the corn grows.
I like to clear my mind down an old back road
Down an old back road.
Down an old back road, back road.
Down an old back road.
Down an old back road, back road
The lyrics of Lenny Cooper’s “Old Back Road” revolve around the idea of finding solace and comfort in the simplicity of life. The song is about escaping the complexities of modern-day problems by driving down an old country road with nothing but a twelve-pack of beers and some good old country music on the radio. The singer seeks to escape the burden of responsibility and heartache by finding a moment of tranquility in the stillness of nature.
The song also touches on themes of loss and perseverance. The singer has just lost his girlfriend and is trying to come to terms with it while driving down the old back road. He takes solace in the fact that he has done nothing wrong, and it was just her decision to leave. He reminisces about his past struggles and how he overcame them with the help of his family and friends. He concludes the song by reassuring himself that no matter how hard life gets, there will always be moments of peace and simplicity that he can find by driving down that old back road.
Line by Line Meaning
Down an old back road.
Traveling on a secluded road away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
There's no other place I'd rather go to relax, I keep my seat back low.
The peace and tranquility of being on the back road is therapeutic, and the truck seat is reclined for maximum comfort.
Twelve pack beside me and it's ice cold.
The singer has a cold twelve-pack of beer next to him for instant gratification.
Pop the top and let the alcohol flow.
The artist opens a beer and lets the alcohol relax him completely.
Gotta speak this beat to a country song, let out my stress until it's all gone.
The artist feels the need to express himself through music, and uses country music to relieve his stress.
Just somethin bout chillin out where the corn grows.
The peacefulness and beauty of the countryside, with the cornfields around, makes him feel calm and relaxed.
I like to clear my mind down an old back road.
The singer seeks solace in the back road to clear his mind of all the burdens and issues.
Today I got some weight up on my shoulders, just left the house, my girl told me it was over.
The artist's girlfriend just broke up with him, and he's feeling the burden of the breakup.
She was done, had enough, and all of the above.
The girlfriend was completely over the relationship and left for multiple reasons.
It's a shame cause for her I had so much love.
The artist was deeply in love with his girlfriend, which makes the breakup more difficult to cope with.
I'm drivin around my mind twisted like a Twizzler, tryin to figure out what wrong that I did to her.
The singer is driving around, anxious and upset, wondering where things went wrong in the relationship.
Then I get to thinkin, Oh well, it's her loss. That for once I can say that it ain't my fault.
The artist decides to let go of the guilt and take comfort in the idea that the girlfriend's loss is his gain; he's not responsible for the relationship's end.
It's time to pop a top and throw one back and start livin for today, say to hell with the past.
The singer decides to move on from the past and be present; he cracks open another beer and lives in the moment.
And be a winner, if you're not first, you're last.
The singer wants to succeed and be the best; he believes that if he's not at the top, he's a loser.
And for all you haters out there kiss my ass.
The singer defiantly tells his critics to back off.
I got a dream, and that's to be on top.
The artist has a goal and ambition to succeed and be at the top of his game.
It's gonna be a tough battle just to take my spot.
The artist knows that getting to the top won't be easy and that competition is stiff.
The king is here, but for now I gotta go.
The singer considers himself to be the best, but knows he has to leave the back road - and his dreams - to face the competition.
It's hard when you sittin all by yourself, you live paycheck to paycheck without no help.
The singer acknowledges how difficult it can be when you're on your own, struggling to make ends meet and not receiving any assistance.
You try to keep food on the table.
The artist is doing everything he can to provide for himself and keep himself fed.
You pray for a better day, wish all the bad away, keep your head up when everything's feelin grey, think goody good even though it ain't there.
The artist tries to maintain a positive attitude and remain optimistic, even when things are tough and hope seems out of reach.
And your dad is sayin, 'Well, it'll get better next year.'
The artist's father tries to reassure him that things will improve with time and to keep his hopes up.
Sometimes you just need a helping hand when things are crammed up like a traffic jam.
The singer acknowledges that sometimes we all need a little help from someone else when things get overwhelming - like a traffic jam - and too much to handle alone.
Thank God, for family and friends that help turn your life around from a dead end.
The artist is grateful for the love and support of his friends and family who help him through hard times and turn his life around.
I've been there, done that numerous times.
The singer has been in difficult situations before and has overcome them.
I just grab the keys then I go take a little ride.
The singer's escape from problems is to drive around for a while.
And there's a place where you need to let your worries go.
The back road is a place where the singer can let go of his worries and problems.
I call it clearin my mind down an old back road
For the artist, the back road serves as a way to clear his mind of all negativity and stress, to calm down and focus on what's important.
Down an old back road.
The artist is reminiscing about the beauty and peace of mind that he experiences while driving down a rural road.
Down an old back road, back road.
The repetition of the title emphasizes the importance of the back road in the singer's life, serving as a place of respite and relaxation for him.
Contributed by Muhammad B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@scooter...8569
Back road therapy 🤘🤠👆💯💯💯💯
@zachlong5392
Lenny bro keep rockin this song is a masterpiece getting me through some rough times
@stevenreid9711
Been in this place before and til this day I still love a good backroad drive to clear my mind
@hpmatters2895
God I miss this style country rap
@aliciam3549
Love it so tight! Keep em hits coming! 🔥🔥🔥💙💙💙💙
@alexxphillabaum5108
Love this I relate so much
@awesomelikeapossum
Very sad underrated song that needs to be listened to more often, but i was those people that listened to this stuff when I was in high school
@aliciafam9610
I love this song!!!
@wassupbro2524
This song tho damn
@DarthLanius
your dumb comment tho damn