CMT has caved pulled Jason Aldean’s music video for his new hit song, “Try That in a Small Town,” from the air. The video, which has received more than 346,000 views on YouTube since its release.
According to NBC: “Country Aircheck’s add chart on Monday showed the single having been added to 125 stations, which normally would augur for a major hit. (The highest number of stations reporting adds for any current hit is 156.) It looks to be a major success, from that start, although not nearly as strong as Dan + Shay’s “Save Me the Trouble,” which got 134 adds right out of the box this week and has a clearer path to No. 1.”
Aldean fired back at the critics on social media. He said: “In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests.
“These references are not only meritless, but dangerous. There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it- and there isn’t a single video clip that isn’t real news footage -and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music- this one goes too far.
“As so many pointed out, I was present at Route 91-where so many lost their lives- and our community recently suffered another heartbreaking tragedy.
“NO ONE, including me, wants to continue to see senseless headlines or families ripped apart.
“Try That In A Small Town, for me, refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief. Because they were our neighbors, and that was above any differences.
“My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from, and I know that a lot of us in this Country don’t agree on how we get back to a sense of normalcy where we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night.
“But the desire for it to, that’s what this song is about.”
The song’s lyrics include:
“Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk
Carjack an old lady at a red light
Pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store…
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 [s–t] 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”
In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests. These references are not only meritless, but dangerous.…
— Jason Aldean (@Jason_Aldean) July 18, 2023
