Country

Album: Behind This Guitar (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Mo Pitney's debut single finds him addressing the many meanings of the word "country," concluding that it has more to do with values than with location, as it can happen anywhere. The singer-songwriter penned the song with veteran Nashville songwriters Bill Anderson (Connie Smith's "Once A Day") and Bobby Tomberlin (Diamond Rio's "One More Day") for Diamond Rio after spending hours talking with the pair about their experiences.

    In our interview with Pitney, he said, "It's a song about the word and what we think it means. It might not be totally accurate, but it's what we think it means."
  • Once the trio got down to writing a song about country music and the country lifestyle they all shared, they realized that they were all from different generations, with Bill Anderson the old guard, Pitney the new guy, and Bobby Tomberlin in between. Despite their age differences, they admire the same artists, which include Ray Price, Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. The song was written about a year before Haggard passed away at age 79.
  • There are some pitfalls that come with writing a song about the meaning of "country," which Pitney tried to avoid by watching out for clichés and keeping the focus way from himself, so instead of bragging about his country bona fides, he sings about what the word means.
  • Wes Edwards directed the video, which uses the white backdrop common in film shoots as part of the story, showing how "country" is about the person, not the scenery.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."

Matt Sorum

Matt SorumSongwriter Interviews

When he joined Guns N' Roses in 1990, Matt helped them craft an orchestral sound; his mezzo fortes and pianissimos are all over "November Rain."

Motley Crue

Motley CrueFact or Fiction

Was Dr. Feelgood a dentist? Did the "Crüecifixion" really happen?

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.

Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-Outs

Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-OutsSong Writing

The 10 biggest "retirement tours" that didn't take.

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went Mainstream

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went MainstreamSong Writing

These overtly religious songs crossed over to the pop charts, despite resistance from fans, and in many cases, churches.