Calling out the rioters and looters.
A couple of months ago, Jason Aldean dropped his latest single, “Try That In a Small Town.”
The song was a direct shot at big city lawlessness, calling out the reputation of big cities for crime and general disrespect:
“Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk
Carjack an old lady at a red light
Pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store
Ya think it’s cool, well, act a fool if ya like
Cuss out a cop, spit in his face
Stomp on the flag and light it up
Yeah, ya think you’re tough
Well, try that in a small town
See how far ya make it down the road
‘Round here, we take care of our own
You cross that line, it won’t take long
For you to find out, I recommend you don’t
Try that in a small town”
And he also called out big-city politicians who are calling for more gun control:
“Got a gun that my granddad gave meThey say one day they’re gonna round upWell, that sh*t might fly in the city, good luck”
Well today, Aldean is back with a video to help underscore the song’s message.
The new music video, directed by Shaun Silva, features Aldean standing in front of the Maury County courthouse in Tennessee, along with scenes of the rioting and looting around the world that the song speaks out against.
In a post on the new video, Aldean said that it feels like the country has lost the respect that’s found in many small towns:
“When u grow up in a small town, it’s that unspoken rule of “we all have each other’s backs and we look out for each other.” It feels like somewhere along the way, that sense of community and respect has gotten lost.
Deep down we are all ready to get back to that. I hope my new music video helps y’all know that u are not alone in feeling that way. Go check it out!”
The bold political commentary is nothing new for Aldean, who’s been one of the more outspoken artist when it comes to political or social issues, often taking positions that draw criticism from others like Maren Morris in his own industry.
Not that he really seems to care – because as the new video shows, he’s not backing down.
