Few country music icons are as legendary or influential as Alan Jackson. With a career that spans more than 35 years, these are four Jackson songs that every country music fan should know, even though they weren’t all big hits.
“Don’t Rock The Jukebox”
“Don’t Rock The Jukebox” is Jackson’s second No. 1 single. Out in 1991 as the title track of his sophomore album, “Don’t Rock The Jukebox” is a good indicator of the kind of music Jackson would make, firmly planting his flag in the country genre.
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Written by Jackson, Roger Murrah, and Keith Stegall, “Don’t Rock The Jukebox” says, “Don’t rock the jukebox / I wanna hear some Jones / My heart ain’t ready / For the Rolling Stones / I don’t feel like rockin’ / Since my baby’s gone / So don’t rock the jukebox / Play me a country song.”
“Chattahoochee”
It’s no secret that Jackson is a talented songwriter. But few songs make that as abundantly clear as “Chattahoochee”. Full of visual imagery, Jackson wrote “Chattahoochee” with Jim McBride. Released in 1993, it appears on his third studio album, A Lot About Livin’ (And a Little ‘Bout Love).
“Chattahoochee” says, “Down by the river on a Friday night / Pyramid of cans in the pale moonlight / Talkin’ ’bout cars and dreamin’ ’bout women / Never had a plan, just a livin’ for the minute / Yeah, way down yonder on the Chattahoochee / Never knew how much that muddy water meant to me / But I learned how to swim and I learned who I was / A lot about livin’ and a little ’bout love.”
“A House With No Curtains”
“A House With No Curtains” is one of Jackson’s most captivating songs, even though it was not as big a commercial success as some of his other hits. The song, out in 1998 on his Everything I Love project, is written by Jackson and McBride.
A haunting song about a couple realizing their relationship is ending, “A House With No Curtains” says, “It’s like living in a house with no curtains / The whole world can see what’s inside / You can turn out the lights in a house with no curtains / But heartache has nowhere to hide.”
“It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” With Jimmy Buffett
In 2003, Alan Jackson had one of his biggest hits with “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”. Sung with “Margaritaville” singer Jimmy Buffett, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” appears on Jackson’s Greatest Hits Volume II record. The song is one of Jackson’s few that he didn’t write. Instead, Jim “Moose” Brown and Don Rollins are the writers of the party anthem.
“It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” says, “Pour me something tall and strong / Make it a Hurricane before I go insane / It’s only half-past twelve, but I don’t care./ It’s five o’clock somewhere.”
Interestingly, the song wasn’t written for Jackson. Instead, the writers were thinking of newcomer Colt Prather at the time. Prather immediately passed on the song, as did a few other artists, before Jackson put it on hold.
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