Living in the south comes with its conventions. Conventions that live in the heart of every southerner, no matter where they hang their hat. Country artists have done a good job of dictating those conventions for us. Below, find four country classics about southern living that strike just the right chord.
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“Mayberry” (Rascal Flatts)
Though the men of Rascal Flatts hail from the Midwest, their brand of country feels as authentic as any southerner’s. They have countless country songs that ring true to southern living, but “Mayberry” is their ode to the slow life that is the paradigm of southern living.
I miss Mayberry / Sittin’ on the porch, drinkin’ ice-cold cherry coke, the lyrics to this mid-tempo hit read. The band borrows the fictional town of Andy Griffith as a manifestation of the “good ole’ days.” The trio dreams of living in a town where front-porch sitting and visiting with neighbors are commonplace. This is not an unfamiliar dream for those stuck in the hustle and bustle, like a world-famous country band.
“Where I Come From” (Alan Jackson)
The south is a particular place. Just as in every U.S. niche, Southerners are very proud of where they came from. Alan Jackson once spoke about his pride in the country classic “Where I Come From.”
In the lyrics, he tells the story of a traveler far from home. Everywhere he goes—Detroit, Tulsa, Ventura—he can’t help but compare it to the life he knew growing up. Well, I paid the tab and the lady asked me, “How’d you like my biscuit?” / “I’ll be honest with you ma’am, it ain’t like mama fixed it,” he sings.
“Carolina” (Eric Church)
Eric Church is not shy about praising his North Carolina roots. He gushes about it at length in “Carolina.”
While on the road, Church can’t help but let his mind wander back to the banks of the Elk River or the mountains he grew up around. These vignettes will be familiar to many who come from similar backgrounds. Oh, Carolina, ya keep callin’ me home, he sings in this country song, letting his mind live the southern life while he cannot.
“If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)” (Alabama)
Texas is known for many things, but two-stepping is undoubtedly one of them. Many country singers who come from that state have made it a point to write songs that befit a honky tonk. Country singers from other parts of the country are quickly oriented to the demands of that market when they play there. Alabama wrote a whole song about it.
“If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)” tells a first-person story of the band getting notes from a crowd in Texas. He said, “We love what you’re doin’, boys don’t get us wrong / There’s just somethin’ missin’ in your song,” the lyrics read. The band rectifies their mistake and falls in line with the Texas way of life.
(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Big Machine Label Group)
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