On this day (August 29) in 1994, Alan Jackson released “Livin’ on Love” as the second single from Who I Am. Later in the year, the song topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and retained the top spot for three weeks.
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Jackson began his domination of the country charts and airwaves in 1990 with the release of “Here in the Real World,” the second single and title track from his debut album. It peaked at No. 3 and kicked off a decade-long string of hit songs. By the time he released “Livin’ on Love” as the second single from his fourth studio album, he had scored 8 No. 1 singles, spending a total of 17 weeks atop the Hot Country Songs chart. This became his ninth No. 1 in late October.
Alan Jackson Penned a Relatable Hit
Like many of his most successful songs, Alan Jackson wrote “Livin’ on Love.” It is easy to assume that he wrote the song from experience. Before he became one of the best-selling country artists in history, Jackson was a hard-working guy with a wife, a dream, a day job, and not much else.
Jackson and his wife, Denise, tied the knot six years before they relocated from their hometown of Newnan, Georgia, to Nashville, Tennessee, so he could chase his neon rainbow. She got a job as a flight attendant, and he worked in the TNN mailroom. After a few lucky breaks and a lot of work, Jackson inked a deal with Arista Records in 1989. He was the first artist signed to the new label.
“Livin’ on Love” tells the story of a couple who start as “Two kids without a thing,” who have everything they need when they have one another. Neither of them is particularly concerned with trends or material things. Instead, they build a comfortable life together on a firm foundation of love. By the end of the song, they’re not financially wealthy. However, they still have each other.
Featured Image by Lester Cohen/Getty Images
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