Jason Aldean has defended his song ‘Try That In A Small Town’ after the controversial music video was pulled from CMT.
The promo for the track, which was released back in May, continues to be called out for its “violent” lyrics and use of footage from protests, though Aldean insists it’s nothing to do with race.
The video shows the burning American flag and riots.
The lyrics include: “Got a gun that my granddad gave me / They say one day they’re gonna round up / Well, that s*** might fly in the city, good luck / Try that in a small town.”
The country singer says references to Black Lives Matter and race are not only “meritless, but dangerous”, insisting it’s false that he was “not too pleased” with the BLM protests.
In a lengthy Twitter post, he wrote: “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.”
Referencing the Route 91 country music festival tragedy of 2017, he continued: “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.”
Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old man from Mesquite, Nevada, opened fire on the crowd attending the event on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada when Aldean was onstage. From his 32-second-floor suites at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, he fired more than 1,000 bullets, killing 60 people and injuring at least 413.
Explaining his intended message for the song, he concluded: “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. (sic)”
Sheryl Crow is the latest to take aim at her peer, insisting that people in small towns, and Americans all over, are done with “violence”.
The 61-year-old star tweeted: “.@Jason_Aldean I’m from a small town. Even people in small towns are sick of violence.There’s nothing small-town or American about promoting violence. You should know that better than anyone having survived a mass shooting.
“This is not American or small town-like. It’s just lame.”