There is no magic number for “being grownup”. Though, legally, 18 is when we reach adulthood, it can take much longer for our sensibilities and street smarts to actually catch up with our adult status. It doesn’t happen all at once, but as we age we start to accumulate hard won lessons. It can be a sobering moment when you find yourself agreeing with something your parents used to tell you when you were younger. Things have a way of changing shape in adulthood. Even songs start to hit different.
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Country music is a genre that prides itself on consequential storytelling. If you need some life advice, look no further than a classic country track. In fact, we’ve created a short list for you, below. These country songs feature lyrics that might be go over the heads of a younger audience. They only really tug at the heartstrings of older folks that have felt the weight of life a time or two.
“You’re Gonna Miss This” (Trace Adkins)
We’ve likely all experienced a moment when we wished we were more grown up than we were. Kids can’t wait to become teenagers. Teenagers can’t wait to head out on their own. Adulthood is one of the first times you start looking back instead of moving forward. Trace Adkins sings about this experience in “You’re Gonna Miss This”. You’re gonna miss this, you’re gonna want this back / You’re gonna wish these days, hadn’t gone by so fast / These are some good times, so take a good look around / You may not know it now, but you’re gonna miss this, Adkins sings. It’s a familiar idea, but Adkins drives it home in a away few have done before with these country lyrics. You’ll pine for your younger years while listening to this hit.
“Dirt Cheap” (Cody Johnson)
How do you measure a life well-lived? For many country artists, that sum equals a nice plot of land, a lover to call your own, a couple of kids, and maybe a dog to spend the quiet moments with. While some might roll their eyes at the triteness of that, many think that’s a pretty rich existence. Cody Johnson sings about those kind of riches in the lyrics to his country hit, “Dirt Cheap”.
In this story, Johnson follows a farmer who is being enticed to sell his land. To him, there is no price high enough for him to consider moving away. Why? Because he can see the measure of his life from his front porch. ‘Cause I got a little girl that used to swing right there / I still see her pink bow in her brown hair / She’s in the big city, but she still calls home / What’s she gonna do if she comes back, and we’re gone, Johnson sings. This song makes you reckon with your ideals and the things you hold dear. You need some years on you to be able to truly complete that equation.
“My Front Porch Looking In” – Lonestar
In a similar vein, Lonestar’s “My Front Porch Looking In” is about enjoying the simple moments of life. When you’re young, you rarely daydream about those moments. It’s all heart racing thrills and extraordinary circumstances. When you can finally call yourself an adult, you began to cherish these moments for their ordinary perfection. There’s a carrot top who can barely walk / With a sippy cup of milk / A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong / ‘Cause she likes to dress herself / And the most beautiful girl holding both of them, the lyrics read. Though it’s a simple song, it’s universally true. Those that are lucky enough to have people they hold dear will have a hard time keeping a dry eye while listening to this hit.
(Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)
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