Behind the Meaning of Rascal Flatts’ Clever Commentary On Country Cliches, “Backwards”

Country music can be a real downer. The genre has plenty of variety, but country music operates best in somber tones. We can’t count the number of country songs that see an artist talk about losing their love, their dog, their house, their boat, their mind, their car….The list goes on and on. Something about the simplicity of country music makes it perfect for mulling over life’s short-comings. Perhaps this stems from the genre’s origin–a spoken word, history-telling tradition. Whatever the cause, this genre has a strong sense of melancholy.

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Rascal Flatts once cleverly pointed out this fact in “Backwards”. We’ve all heard of the phenomenon of playing rock n’ roll backwards to reveal a hidden message from “the devil” or some other nefarious force. But, what do you get if you play country music backward? Well, you might just get a second shot at all the things you’ve lost. Uncover the meaning behind this Rascal Flatts classic, below.

[RELATED: “It Could Very Well Have Gone the Other Way”: Rascal Flatts Talks Healing, Touring, and How Kelly Clarkson Made Them Cry]

Behind the Meaning of Rascal Flatts’ “Backwards”

The story of Rascal Flatt‘s “Backwards” begins with a scene setting verse. I was sitting on a bar stool / In a barbecue joint in Tennessee / When this old boy walked in / And he sat right down next to me, Gary LeVox sings, playing into the classic country schtick of melodramatic storytelling.

The man in question has been through rough times–as evidenced by the tear stains on his shirt. As is the case in many country songs, this older, wiser man offers the band some time-earned advice:

That’s What You Get When You Play a Country Song Backwards….

Plenty of country songs are about losses in life. From breakups to dying dogs to old houses, country artists have never been shy of a tear-jerker. This Rascal Flatts song turns that idea on its head. If you play a country song backward, does it reverse every bump in the road?

You get your house back / You get your dog back / You get your best friend Jack back / You get your truck back / You get your hair back / You get your first and second wives back, they sing in the motor-mouth chorus.

Elsewhere on their list of things to take back are heart attacks, pride, a washing machine, a first real love, and more. This song pokes fun at every possible convention of country music. Few songs have summed up this genre’s cliches better than this 2006 hit. Revisit “Backwards”, below.

(Photo by SGranitz/WireImage)