Billy Currington‘s sophomore 2005 album, Doin’ Somethin’ Right, generated two No. 1 country hits. The first was the album’s lead single, “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right.” A second single, “Why, Why, Why,” peaked at No. 13, while the third single took the country singer back to No. 1. “Good Directions” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, spending three weeks there.
“Good Directions” was written by Luke Bryan and Rachel Thibodeau. This was before Bryan’s debut album, in which he recorded his own version of the track. The two developed a songwriting partnership in Nashville and penned the track for their label. Bryan is from Georgia, which is why the song is set in the southern state.
The song is written from the perspective of a man in the country, selling turnips from the back of a truck. An attractive woman pulls up looking for directions, and he can tell she’s from Los Angeles by her license plate. He helps with directions, but regrets not asking her name.
I was sitting there, selling turnips on a flatbed truck / Crunching on a pork rind when she pulled up
She had to be thinking, “This is where rednecks come from”
She had Hollywood written on her license plate / She was lost and looking for the Interstate
“Needing Directions, and I Was the Man for the Job”
In the chorus, he helps her with directions and gives her an option to come back to him. First, he send her to Miss Bell, who makes good sweet tea. From there she has two options, a left to the interstate, or a right that leads back to him.
I told her, “Way up yonder past the caution light
There’s a little country store with an old Coke sign
You got to stop in and ask Miss Bell for some of her sweet tea
Then a left will take you to the interstate
But a right will bring you right back here to me”
Throughout the song’s second verse, he details his regret at not asking her name. He throws his hat in frustration and thinks he’s ruined his opportunity with her. Later, in the song’s bridge, he’s shocked to see her returning. “Is this Georgia heat playing tricks on me? / Or am I really seeing what I think I see? / The woman of my dreams coming back to me.”
Miss Bell Helps Out
She went way up yonder past the caution light
Don’t know why, but something felt right
When she stopped in and asked Miss Bell
For some of her sweet tea
Mama gave her a big old glass
And sent her right back here to me
The song’s brilliantly resolves with one more reference to the turnips from the opening line.
“Thank God for good directions / And turnip greens”
Photo by J. Kempin/FilmMagic