Where I Come From by Montgomery Gentry

Album: Rebels on the Run (2011)

Charted: 71

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

This is the first single from the Country music duo Montgomery Gentry's seventh album Rebels On The Run. The song was written by Nashville songwriters Rodney Clawson and Dallas Davidson and was released on July 25, 2011.
Gentry explained the song's meaning to Billboard magazine: "It's just a song that's about our fans. Regardless of where you end up in life, you always remember your hometown. There are special things you remember in life, and your childhood days and high school years. I think anyone who hears this song will be able to listen to and reflect on their earlier years in life, and the place they grew up, and appreciate the lyrics of the song."
Eddie Montgomery went through a tumultuous 2010, which included a battle with prostate cancer and divorce from wife Tracy. The battles he fought are reflected in this song's video, which was shot from the viewpoint of a deployed soldier. "I don't know if we would have made the same album if we hadn't been through everything we've been through in the last year," noted Gentry. "We've always tried to record songs about things we've lived or seen, but the depth of all of those experiences really comes out in this album."
Eddie Montgomery explained the thinking behind the video to The Boot: "Potsie, the director, brought that idea to us. He knew we were big fans of the military and always supported our [service] men and women. He was able to bring that passion into this song and relay it into a soldier who was reminiscing about back where he came from during his time overseas. He was thinking outside the box, something fresh and different."
Eddie Montgomery told The Boot the duo jokingly refer to the song as "'My Town' with an attitude." He added: "I love the song. It doesn't matter where you go in this world, you always take a little piece of your home with you."
Gentry told The Boot the song reminds him of the pair's debut single "Hillbilly Shoes" "in that the message was 'don't judge me before you walk a mile in my hillbilly shoes.' This says, 'Don't you dare talk about my town until you've been around the block with me. Let me show you what's going on here.'"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

Let's Stay TogetherAl Green

Al Green's commitment classic "Let's Stay Together" launched Tina Turner's comeback when she covered the song in 1983.

Break FreeAriana Grande

Ariana Grande's collaboration with Zedd, "Break Free" came about after the Russian-German producer overheard Grande performing at a label showcase while he was backstage, and he mentioned to his team that he wanted to work with her.

BeautifulChristina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera did her "Beautiful" vocal in one take; the opening line, "Don't look at me," is something she said to her friend in the studio who was there to offer support.

Summer BreezeSeals & Crofts

On the surface, "Summer Breeze" by Seals & Crofts is just a song about a guy coming home from work, but the duo claimed it had a deeper meaning about finding direction in one's personal life.

Lifestyles Of The Rich And FamousGood Charlotte

The first Good Charlotte hit, "Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous," is a send-up of celebrity culture, but the group's leaders, Joel and Benji Madden, both married celebrities: Nicole Richie and Cameron Diaz, respectively.

Hey Ya!OutKast

Thanks to the line "shake it like a Polaroid picture," Outkast's "Hey Ya!" made Polaroid cameras cool again. Many other artists have since mentioned Polaroid in their lyrics, including Eminem, Imagine Dragons, Keith Urban, Gorillaz and Tim McGraw.