Jason Aldean - Try that in a small town

PF5

PF5

Deputy
your thoughts...

Jason Aldean - Try That In A Small Town (Official Music Video)

CMT pulls Jason Aldean video: What to know about 'Try That In A Small Town' controversy usatoday

Lyrics

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
Around 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
Got a gun that my granddad gave me
They say one day they're gonna round up
Well, that shit might fly in the city, good luck
Try that in a small town
See how far ya make it down the road
Around 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
Full of good ol' boys, raised up right
If you're looking for a fight
Try that in a small town
Try that in a small town
Try that in a small town
See how far ya make it down the road
Around 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
Try that in a small town
Ooh-ooh
Try that in a small town
 
I’ve watched the video as well.

I don’t think the song is racist, or promotes violence, or is pro-lynching.

It is false bravado, fake macho, pandering, largely unlistenable pop country pablum.
 
CowboyJD said:
I’ve watched the video as well.

I don’t think the song is racist, or promotes violence, or is pro-lynching.

It is false bravado, fake macho, pandering, largely unlistenable pop country pablum.
Click to expand...
I haven't watched the video or even listened to the song but it seems that it is a country song that has been told 1,000 times over.
 
Verbal said:
I haven't watched the video or even listened to the song but it seems that it is a country song that has been told 1,000 times over.
Click to expand...
Exactly....just another jingoistic, "love it or leave it", craptastic pop country song that will probably sell millions of copies helped with the false controversy and manufactured outrage.

I wish these types of things were treated and called out for being so banal rather than being treated like it's some kind of threat to civilized society.
 
Verbal said:
I haven't watched the video or even listened to the song but it seems that it is a country song that has been told 1,000 times over.
Click to expand...
CowboyJD said:
Exactly....just another jingoistic, "love it or leave it", craptastic pop country song that will probably sell millions of copies helped with the false controversy and manufactured outrage.

I wish these types of things were treated and called out for being so banal rather than being treated like it's some kind of threat to civilized society.
Click to expand...
 
According to an OU professor, it is white nationalism and that”it’s is dog-whistle politics at play”.
When Dr. Karlos K. Hill first watched Jason Aldean’s video for “Try That in a Small Town,” he saw the current conservative American political moment flash before his eyes. “It’s the narrative of Make America Great Again, of white nationalism,” Hill, a professor of African and African American Studies at the University of Oklahoma, tells Rolling Stone.”
www.yahoo.com

Here’s What’s Wrong With Jason Aldean’s Vision of America

"It’s this narrative of white nationalism,” says a scholar of racial violence. “But it’s packaged in this really nice, seemingly benign package of country music”
www.yahoo.com www.yahoo.com

“As Tennessee lawmakers, we have an obligation to condemn Jason Aldean’s heinous song calling for racist violence,” state Rep. Justin Jones, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter.”


Music and politics often intermix. The video is overt, but music videos often are when combined with politics and culture. Like a lot of things, I thing all the negative press about this song/video is just making it more popular. I never heard of it until reading about two days ago on msnbc.com
 
Last edited:
JTOSU said:
According to an OU professor, it is white nationalism and that”it’s is dog-whistle politics at play”.
When Dr. Karlos K. Hill first watched Jason Aldean’s video for “Try That in a Small Town,” he saw the current conservative American political moment flash before his eyes. “It’s the narrative of Make America Great Again, of white nationalism,” Hill, a professor of African and African American Studies at the University of Oklahoma, tells Rolling Stone.”
www.yahoo.com

Here’s What’s Wrong With Jason Aldean’s Vision of America

"It’s this narrative of white nationalism,” says a scholar of racial violence. “But it’s packaged in this really nice, seemingly benign package of country music”
www.yahoo.com www.yahoo.com

“As Tennessee lawmakers, we have an obligation to condemn Jason Aldean’s heinous song calling for racist violence,” state Rep. Justin Jones, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter.”


Music and politics often intermix. The video is overt, but music videos often are when combined with politics and culture. Like a lot of things, I thing all the negative press about this song/video is just making it more popular. I never heard of it until reading about two days ago on msnbc.com
Click to expand...
That lost all legitimacy when they cited a goon professor.
 
People are up in arms because the video was shot at the site of a lynching, which would be the dog whistle part.
 
Big Huck said:
People are up in arms because the video was shot at the site of a lynching, which would be the dog whistle part.
Click to expand...
In its statement, TackleBox cited several music videos and movies that have been filmed at the courthouse, including most recently the 2022 Lifetime Original television movie "Steppin’ into the Holiday" starring Mario Lopez and Jana Kramer. TackleBox also noted that the location was featured in a Runaway June music video for their 2019 song "We Were Rich," the 2022 Paramount holiday film "A Nashville Country Christmas" with Tanya Tucker, and Miley Cyrus' 2009 film "Hannah Montana: The Movie."

I'm not saying there aren't dog whistles throughout it. I just think the dog whistles are the same ones we have seen in a whole bunch of country songs.

I agree with this guy.

www.rollingstone.com

Here's What's Wrong With Jason Aldean's Vision of America

A scholar on race dissects Jason Aldean's 'Try That in a Small Town' video, pointing out its 'narrative of white nationalism.'
www.rollingstone.com www.rollingstone.com

WHEN DR. KARLOS K. Hill first watched Jason Aldean’s video for “Try That in a Small Town,” he saw the current conservative American political moment flash before his eyes. “It’s the narrative of Make America Great Again, of white nationalism,” Hill, a professor of African and African American Studies at the University of Oklahoma, tells Rolling Stone. “But it’s packaged in this really nice, seemingly benign package of country music.”

Aldean released the video for “Try That in a Small Town” last week and, up until then, the single had received little attention or fanfare: It’s been streamed less than five million times on Spotify in the few months since its release. But the reaction to the video was something else.

For Dr. Hill, who has written books on the history of lynching, the killing of Emmett Till, and the Tulsa race riots, the video was less a piece of incendiary hate speech than it was an extremely typical piece of conservative culture-war messaging in 2023. Rolling Stone spoke with Dr. Hill about the song, its video, and its hidden message.

What was your first reaction to watching the video to “Try That in a Small Town”?
It was dog-whistle politics at play. There are a couple themes: the idea that rural America is the moral center of America. That’s a very present theme, because you see images of urban America on fire, with protests, but then you have the country music singer placed in the rural area where it’s tranquil and calm and peaceful. You have the rural/urban divide theme, the “rural America is the moral compass” theme, and the “urban America is in chaos” theme.

You also have this veiled threat: “Try that in a small town.” The song is part of the current rhetoric of the moment. The “us versus them, Make America Great Again” idea. You have all of that without the artist even having to touch it. But what’s most concerning is the veiled threats of violence that, given the Jan. 6 attacks, we should be really alarmed by, because we know where they can lead.

Aldean claimed in his statement this week that the song is the opposite: that it’s actually about how everyone needs to come together.
All of what I see and feel is just the conservative narrative of Make America Great Again: “Look at the chaos, the ways America is unraveling. You better not try that transgender stuff in a small town. You better not try that abortion rights stuff in a small town.” That’s the cultural polarization in this country. That’s the irresponsible part. If he was trying to create some sort of anthem to bring people together, he really missed.

Many people have called attention to the fact that the video was partly filmed in front of the Columbia, Tennessee, courthouse.
Obviously there are no references to lynching in the song. I think there are veiled threats of violence, but that would be a stretch, to connect it to the history of lynching. There are actual lynching songs, like songs that are actually about lynching Black people. We can’t equivocate. But, at the same time…someone should have known that there was a possibility that someone would say that.

The last portion of the video shows images of white people and families playing sports and hunting.
After the images of urban unrest and violent protesters, you have the imagery of white men shooting guns. So there’s this real deep insinuation of “We have weapons, you better not try to take our guns.” The imagery is what’s doing all the work. That’s what people are seizing upon. There’s this insinuation that these guns are being used recreationally — but if you “try that in a small town,” then that same mentality will be turned on you.

___________________
Basically, getting all up in arms about this song and proclaiming it racist and somehow pro-lynching is turning a song that wasn't getting much play or notice into a rallying cry for the MAGAts when it's really just another crappy pop country song with whistles we've seen hundreds of time before.
 
CowboyJD said:
In its statement, TackleBox cited several music videos and movies that have been filmed at the courthouse, including most recently the 2022 Lifetime Original television movie "Steppin’ into the Holiday" starring Mario Lopez and Jana Kramer. TackleBox also noted that the location was featured in a Runaway June music video for their 2019 song "We Were Rich," the 2022 Paramount holiday film "A Nashville Country Christmas" with Tanya Tucker, and Miley Cyrus' 2009 film "Hannah Montana: The Movie."

I'm not saying there aren't dog whistles throughout it. I just think the dog whistles are the same ones we have seen in a whole bunch of country songs.

I agree with this guy.

www.rollingstone.com

Here's What's Wrong With Jason Aldean's Vision of America

A scholar on race dissects Jason Aldean's 'Try That in a Small Town' video, pointing out its 'narrative of white nationalism.'
www.rollingstone.com www.rollingstone.com

WHEN DR. KARLOS K. Hill first watched Jason Aldean’s video for “Try That in a Small Town,” he saw the current conservative American political moment flash before his eyes. “It’s the narrative of Make America Great Again, of white nationalism,” Hill, a professor of African and African American Studies at the University of Oklahoma, tells Rolling Stone. “But it’s packaged in this really nice, seemingly benign package of country music.”

Aldean released the video for “Try That in a Small Town” last week and, up until then, the single had received little attention or fanfare: It’s been streamed less than five million times on Spotify in the few months since its release. But the reaction to the video was something else.

For Dr. Hill, who has written books on the history of lynching, the killing of Emmett Till, and the Tulsa race riots, the video was less a piece of incendiary hate speech than it was an extremely typical piece of conservative culture-war messaging in 2023. Rolling Stone spoke with Dr. Hill about the song, its video, and its hidden message.

What was your first reaction to watching the video to “Try That in a Small Town”?
It was dog-whistle politics at play. There are a couple themes: the idea that rural America is the moral center of America. That’s a very present theme, because you see images of urban America on fire, with protests, but then you have the country music singer placed in the rural area where it’s tranquil and calm and peaceful. You have the rural/urban divide theme, the “rural America is the moral compass” theme, and the “urban America is in chaos” theme.

You also have this veiled threat: “Try that in a small town.” The song is part of the current rhetoric of the moment. The “us versus them, Make America Great Again” idea. You have all of that without the artist even having to touch it. But what’s most concerning is the veiled threats of violence that, given the Jan. 6 attacks, we should be really alarmed by, because we know where they can lead.

Aldean claimed in his statement this week that the song is the opposite: that it’s actually about how everyone needs to come together.
All of what I see and feel is just the conservative narrative of Make America Great Again: “Look at the chaos, the ways America is unraveling. You better not try that transgender stuff in a small town. You better not try that abortion rights stuff in a small town.” That’s the cultural polarization in this country. That’s the irresponsible part. If he was trying to create some sort of anthem to bring people together, he really missed.

Many people have called attention to the fact that the video was partly filmed in front of the Columbia, Tennessee, courthouse.
Obviously there are no references to lynching in the song. I think there are veiled threats of violence, but that would be a stretch, to connect it to the history of lynching. There are actual lynching songs, like songs that are actually about lynching Black people. We can’t equivocate. But, at the same time…someone should have known that there was a possibility that someone would say that.

The last portion of the video shows images of white people and families playing sports and hunting.
After the images of urban unrest and violent protesters, you have the imagery of white men shooting guns. So there’s this real deep insinuation of “We have weapons, you better not try to take our guns.” The imagery is what’s doing all the work. That’s what people are seizing upon. There’s this insinuation that these guns are being used recreationally — but if you “try that in a small town,” then that same mentality will be turned on you.

___________________
Basically, getting all up in arms about this song and proclaiming it racist and somehow pro-lynching is turning a song that wasn't getting much play or notice into a rallying cry for the MAGAts when it's really just another crappy pop country song with whistles we've seen hundreds of time before.
Click to expand...
Lol, I would not want to be associated with that list of films shot in front of that building.
 
to me when I see the video, I think of BLM protests (was that what they were trying for?!)...when I see the courthouse, I didn't think anything until I heard the background info., soooo was that intentional or just coincidence that they chose that particular courthouse?! I don't know, but wouldn't be shocked if it was known to the makers of video, obviously JMO...when I hear some of the lyrics, I think of vigilante justice and 'just try to take our guns!"...
with all that being said, if it hadn't become a 'political topic' it would have just been another bad country song about redneck bravado...now it will be a rally song for trump, and summer anthem for redneck maga's...
 
TikToker who debunked Jason Aldean's 'Try That in a Small Town' video receives racist, violent hate mail nbcnews

A graphic designer and activist who made TikTok content debunking the claim by Jason Aldean that his controversial music video only uses "real news footage" has been facing a wave of racist and violent hate mail by defenders of his song.

...
Stark shared screenshots with NBC News of hateful messages she's received since posting her videos about Aldean's song, which included racist slurs, fatphobic remarks and death threats.

Stark said she has tagged Aldean on social media, asking him to denounce the hate mail and discourage defenders from engaging in violent, racist rhetoric.
In one message, someone referred to her with two different slurs and threatened to hang Stark in their backyard so people could gather around. She described that particular message as the "worst" of the messages so far.

"They're trying to defend and say that the song isn't racist while using racist rhetoric to tear me down, which literally defeats the purpose of their entire argument," Stark said.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
Virginia Home explodes as Police try to serve a search warrant. (Insane video)
Replies
1
Views
102
Polds4OSU
P
S
Oklahoma Almost Worst State to Live & Work In, Due to Culture War Politics
Replies
14
Views
676
Stillwater Townie
S
P
Speaker Johnson now in crosshairs of House Freedom Caucus and they may try to kick him Like McCarthy
Replies
3
Views
146
Polds4OSU
P
P
Missouri town to hold rally to support Jan. 6 defendants
2 3
Replies
46
Views
2K
CowboyJD
CowboyJD
P
Texas Newspaper that once endorsed him Turns on Greg Abbott: 'Fear mongering, spewing lies and half-truths and twisting logic'
Replies
2
Views
98
OSU79
OSU79
Back
Top