Dirt Road Anthem

"Dirt Road Anthem" is a country rap song written by American singers Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert (who also wrote Aldean's hit "My Kinda Party"), each of whom recorded his own version of the song. Jason Aldean covered the song for his 2010 album My Kinda Party, and released it as the third single from the album in April 2011. The song debuted at #57 on the United States Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the chart week dated February 5, 2011, as an album cut from unsolicited airplay. "Dirt Road Anthem" had reached a peak of #49 before being released as a single in April 2011. The song later became Aldean's sixth #1 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart the week of July 30, 2011. It also debuted at #68 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of April 23, 2011. It has since become his first top 10 hit on that chart, and the highest-charting single of his career. It also debuted at #92 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart for the week of May 28, 2011. In September 2011, the song became the first for a male solo country artist to top the two million mark in digital sales. By March 2014, the song has sold over four million digital downloads, making it then the seventh best-selling country song in the US, and the best-selling song by male country solo artist in digital history. "Dirt Road Anthem" is a mid-tempo country rap song. The song expresses country pride, southern values, and remembering good times from the past. Country rapper Colt Ford originally recorded the song for his 2008 album Ride Through the Country, with Brantley Gilbert singing vocals on the chorus. Gilbert later recorded a revisited version of the song for his 2010 album Halfway To Heaven. Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert released a revisited version of their original recording, featuring a third verse of rapping by Gilbert. According to The Boot, Aldean's publicist teased about the song, suggesting Aldean listened to "a little Snoop Dogg in his time"; regarding the song, Aldean said he did not consider "Dirt Road Anthem" a rap song. He continued by saying, "...if I was to do anything like that, it's not going to be like Kanye West-style or anything."

[Chorus] Yeah I'm chillin' on a dirt road Laid back swervin' like I'm George Jones Smoke rollin' out the window An ice cold beer sittin' in the console Memory lane up in the headlights It's got me reminiscin' on them good times I'm turning off of real life drivin', that's right I'm hittin' easy street on mud tires [Verse 1] Back in the day Pott's farm was the place to go Load the truck up, hit the dirt road Jump the barbwire, spread the word Light the bonfire, then call the girls The king in the can and the Marlboro man Jack 'n' Jim were a few good men Where ya learned how to kiss and cuss and fight too Better watch out for the boys in blue And all this small town he said, she said Ain't it funny how rumors spread Like I know something y'all don't know Man that talk is getting old Ya better mind your business, man, watch your mouth Before I have to knock that loud mouth out I'm tired of talkin', man, y'all ain't listening Them old dirt roads is what y'all missing [Chorus] Yeah I'm chillin' on a dirt road Laid back swervin' like I'm George Jones Smoke rollin' out the window An ice cold beer sittin' in the console Memory lane up in the headlights It's got me reminiscin' on them good times I'm turning off of real life drivin', that's right I'm hittin' easy street on mud tires [Verse 2] I sit back and think about them good ol' days The way we were raised and our southern ways And we like cornbread and biscuits And if it's broke round here we fix it I can take y'all where you need to go Down to my hood, back in them woods We do it different 'round here, that's right But we sure do it good and we do it all night See, if you really wanna know how it feels To get off the road with trucks and four wheels Jump on in, and man, tell your friends We'll raise some hell where the blacktop ends [Chorus] Chillin' on a dirt road Laid back swervin' like I'm George Jones Smoke rollin' out the window An ice cold beer sittin' in the console Memory lane up in the headlights It's got me reminiscin' on them good times I'm turning off of real life drivin', that's right I'm hittin' easy street on mud tires Let's ride Yeah, I'm chillin' on a dirt road Laid back swervin' like I'm George Jones Smoke rollin' out the window An ice cold beer sittin' in the console Memory lane up in the headlights It's got me reminiscin' on them good times I'm turning off of real life drivin', that's right I'm hittin' easy street on mud tires That's right