What that Jason Aldean record tells us about ourselves

Yes, “Try That In A Small Town” is about as country as REO Speedwagon. But it’s connecting with many people, and here’s why.

I…I…um…wow.

By now, you’ve seen/heard/read about this thing: Jason Aldean’s “Try That In A Small Town,” an admittedly incendiary little ditty full of rural Southern belligerence, set to big, overproduced ‘80s power chords. And forget the lyrical sentiments – the video is full-blown propaganda, about as folksy as Leni Riefenstahl’s Nuremberg rally documentary.

The last few days, my social media feeds have been clogged with a lotta hand-wringing over “Small Town.” Understandable. The video all but screams, “GODDAMN, THESE BLACK LIVES MATTER AND ANTI-COP PROTESTS ARE UNAMERICAN!!” Plus it looks like it should boast an Executive Production credit for the National Rifle Association.

But really, what is more offensive? Aldean’s Trump-ish politics? Or what a crappy record “Try That In A Small Town” is?

I mean, really: It takes FOUR PEOPLE to write a Nashvilled-out take on an ‘80s Journey power ballad, with lyrics that’d make Charlie Daniels say, “Uh, boys? Ain’t that a little extreme?!”

Think about it: It’s like Bon Jovi with steel guitars, and poorly written lyrics that tap dance all around an endorsement of lynching.

It. Just. Isn’t. Good. Perhaps this is why CMT banned it?

There’s been a tradition of these types of songs in country music. Merle Haggard wrote the absolute classic of the genre, “Okie From Muskogee,” but he draped it in so much irony that few heard the huge, hulking tongue planted in its cheek. Citizens of every Muskogee on God’s green Earth just thanked Merle for expressing their feelings about the dramatic changes in the world, all the way to Number One. He issued a far more strident followup, “The Fighting Side Of Me,” devoid of “Okie”’s humor. But even that was a good song, even as it pandered to all who didn’t hear the wink and grin driving “Okie’s” chords.

Charlie Daniels and Hank Williams, Jr., both wrote some jingoistic redneck crap, with that side eventually assuming control of the host bodies. I mean, let’s face it: Bocephus long ago degenerated into country music’s Ted Nugent. He and Daniels both brought Southern rock into the country establishment. But Hank, Jr’s. songs always pissed all over Daniels’ (but still couldn’t hold a candle to those of the father he seemingly namechecks in all his songs). (Then again, Hank Sr. set a standard no one can live up to.)

Nevertheless, it feels like neither of those guys would have written this indulgent garbage.

Then on top of it all, you find out Aldean released a single in 2018 called “Rearview Town,” in which the protagonist can’t WAIT to get out of his small town! So what is it, Jason? Trying that in a small town? Or trying to get out of a small town?

On top of which, dude’s from Macon, GA. He knows absolutely nothing about small town values.

Honestly, its crimes are musical more than ideological. No, it’s not flat-out racist, and its sentiments are unpleasant. But look at the comments on the YouTube page for “Small Town”’s video – a lot of people identify with those lyrics. They get scared when they see people going buckass wild and violent. The message frustrated protesters try to communicate is lost when it’s used as justification for turning over a cop car and setting it alight. My mother had the same reaction to footage of the Watts riots of 1965 on Walter Cronkite’s show at 5pm. She still yelled about “burn, baby, burn” years later. This stuff drives those in small towns to entrench and fortify. It’s images like those in Aldean’s video that disenfranchises them.

That’s the catalyst that helps create a Trump voter. It forces people to seek some sense of security.

It’s easy to get bogged down in what a shitty record “Try That In A Small Town” Is. It’s about as country as Einsturzende Neubauten. It’s a right wing ‘80s power ballad with a drawl. And the band honestly looks more like Ministry than a country band – when fellow Hormone Ron Williams and I watched this, he joked that there were probably a few tattoos and piercings among the musicians. Then again, that fashion’s long been assimilated into the Middle American lexicon. And the song is just plain, flat-out poorly written. It’s proof why country music needs Jesse Dayton more than he needs country music.

But what “Try That In A Small Town” communicates effectively is that the disenfranchised aren’t the protestors. It’s those offended by the protests. I side with the protestors, and I understand no one listens until bricks are thrown and Molotov cocktails are lit. But there’s a Catch 22 here – Middle America starts tuning out when they see justified frustrations expressed through violence. They shut down, and may turn violent themselves in retaliation. Do I have a solution? No, I don’t. I have no idea how to traverse that divide. But I know we need to listen to the people who feel “Try That In A Small Town” speaks for them, as much as they need to listen to the necks cracked by police boots. I just have no idea how to accomplish this. Maybe we can have a dialogue here about it? Do you have any ideas? Please comment. Thank you.

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