Little Man (Alan Jackson song) explained

Little Man
Cover:Alan Jackson - Little Man.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Alan Jackson
Album:High Mileage
B-Side:Hurtin' Comes Easy
Released:May 31, 1999
Genre:Country
Length:4:28
Label:Arista Nashville
Producer:Keith Stegall
Prev Title:Gone Crazy
Prev Year:1999
Next Title:Pop a Top
Next Year:1999

"Little Man" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Alan Jackson. It was released in May 1999 as the fourth and final single from his album High Mileage. The song topped at number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles charts,[1] and four on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.[2] It was also Jackson's first single to reach the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #39.

Content

The song is about small businesses that struggled to compete against big businesses, such as corporations, but did not make it, referring to them as "the little man". The narrator tells about his memories as he looks at the storefronts of abandoned businesses that went under. "I go back now and the stores are empty/ Except an old Coke sign dated 1950/ Boarded up like they never existed."

Music video

The music video was shot entirely in black and white. It starts out with Jackson talking about his inspiration for writing the song before going into the actual video of the song. Jackson tells of a trip he took through random small towns where he saw many closed small businesses. Many of the places he visited he had been to as a child, and he realized how much they'd changed. The video was shot in the small towns of Lascassas, Tennessee, Jasper, Florida, White Springs, Florida and Pavo, Georgia. Most of the video shows Alan driving down the main street waving at the townspeople. It was directed by Steven Goldmann.

Chart positions

"Little Man" debuted at number 68 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts dated for the week ending May 29, 1999.

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[3] 9
US Country Songs (Billboard)[4] 25

Notes and References

  1. Web site: [{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r374552|pure_url=yes}} allmusic (((High Mileage > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles)))]. Allmusic. November 15, 2008.
  2. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f4/nlc008388.8434.gif RPM Volume 69 Number 24 October 4, 1999
  3. Web site: RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1999. RPM. December 13, 1999. July 7, 2013.
  4. Web site: Best of 1999: Country Songs . . . 1999. July 7, 2013.