"Drive (For Daddy Gene)" | ||||
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Single by Alan Jackson | ||||
from the album Drive | ||||
B-side | "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" | |||
Released | January 28, 2002 | |||
Recorded | 2001–2002 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 4:02 | |||
Label | Arista Nashville | |||
Songwriter(s) | Alan Jackson | |||
Producer(s) | Keith Stegall | |||
Alan Jackson singles chronology | ||||
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"Drive (For Daddy Gene)" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Alan Jackson. It was released in January 2002 as the second single from his album, Drive . It reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks in May 2002 and also peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. [1]
The song is dedicated to Alan's father, Eugene Jackson, who died on January 31, 2000. In the song, Alan recalls as a child he and his father driving around the countryside in an old beat up truck that they fixed up together, as well as a boat they would drive around the lake. In the final verse, Alan talks about sharing his childhood experiences with his daughters and letting them drive his Jeep around their pasture.
Chuck Taylor, of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably saying that it's "a heartfelt lyric that allows listeners to share a stroll down memory lane with Jackson and appreciate a kinder, simpler time". Taylor also says that Jackson delivers the song with "the same honesty, integrity, and emotional warmth that has always made listeners powerfully connect to his work". [2]
In 2024, Rolling Stone ranked the song at #52 on its 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time ranking. [3]
The music video, directed by Steven Goldmann and animated by The Illusion Factory, follows the plot of the story by showing scenes of a boy and his father driving around in a speedboat and later in his truck. The scene for the final verse shows Jackson driving around in a Jeep with his three daughters. The whole video is presented as animated pictures in a story coming to life out of a book. The music video was nominated for Music Video of the Year in the top award shows and won the award for Best Music Video in the Country Music Awards.
When Jackson was honored by "CMT Giants," country singer Taylor Swift sang "Drive" as a tribute.
"Drive (For Daddy Gene)" debuted at number 53 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of February 2, 2002.
Chart (2002) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [4] | 1 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [5] | 28 |
Chart (2002) | Position |
---|---|
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [6] | 2 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [7] | 86 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [8] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Alan Eugene Jackson is an American country music singer-songwriter. He is known for performing a style widely regarded as "neotraditional country", as well as writing many of his own songs. Jackson has recorded 21 studio albums, including two Christmas albums, and two gospel albums, as well as released three greatest-hits albums.
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 2002.
"Honky Tonk Women" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. It was released as a non-album single on 4 July 1969 in the United Kingdom, and a week later in the United States. It topped the charts in both nations. The song was on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
"Hypnotize" is a song by American rapper the Notorious B.I.G. featuring uncredited vocals by Pamela Long, released as the first single from his album Life After Death by Bad Boy and Arista Records on March 4, 1997. The last song released before his death in a drive-by shooting a week later, it was the fifth song by a credited artist to peak the Billboard Hot 100 posthumously since "(Just Like) Starting Over" by John Lennon in 1980. Rolling Stone ranked the song as number 30 on their list of the "100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time".
"Take It Easy" is the debut single by the American rock band Eagles, written by Jackson Browne and Eagles band member Glenn Frey, who also provides lead vocals. It was released on May 1, 1972, and peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 22, 1972. It was also the opening track of the band's eponymous debut album and has become one of their signature songs, included on all of their live and compilation albums. It is listed as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
Drive is the tenth studio album by American country music artist Alan Jackson. Released in 2002 on Arista Nashville, the album produced Jackson's highest-debuting single on the Hot Country Songs charts in the number 1 hit, "Where Were You ", a ballad written in response to the September 11 attacks. "Drive ", "Work in Progress", and "That'd Be Alright" were also released as singles, peaking at number 1, number 3, and number 2, respectively, on the same chart; "Designated Drinker" also reached number 44 without officially being released. In addition, all four released singles cracked the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at numbers 28, 28, 35 and 29, respectively.
"Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Alan Jackson. It was the lead single from his tenth studio album, Drive (2002), released on Arista Nashville. The song's lyrics center on reactions to the September 11 attacks in the United States, written in the form of questions. Jackson desired to write a song capturing the emotions surrounding the attacks, but found it difficult to do so.
"Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)" is a song written by Dave Loggins, and recorded by American country music band Alabama. It was released in January 1984 as the first single and title track to the band's album Roll On. It was the group's 12th straight No. 1 single on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart.
"Smoky Mountain Rain" is a song written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan, and recorded by American country music singer Ronnie Milsap. It was released in September 1980 as the first and only single from his Greatest Hits compilation album. The single became one of his best-known songs.
"Someday" is a song written by American country music singer Alan Jackson and Jim McBride, and recorded by Jackson. It was released in August 1991 as the second single from Jackson's second album, Don't Rock The Jukebox. The song peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, and number 2 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.
"Mercury Blues" is a song written by rural blues musician K. C. Douglas and Robert Geddins, and first recorded by Douglas in 1948. The song, originally titled "Mercury Boogie," pays homage to the American automobile marque, which ended production in 2010.
"Country Boy" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Alan Jackson. It is the third single from his album Good Time, having been released in September 2008. In January 2009, "Country Boy" became his twenty-fifth Number One hit on the Billboard country singles charts, as well as the third straight Number One from the album. It was briefly used in the 2010 film Unstoppable.
"Where I Come From" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Alan Jackson. It was released in July 2001 as the third single from his album When Somebody Loves You. In November 2001, the song became Jackson's 18th #1 hit on the Billboard country charts, his only number one from the album.
"Who's Cheatin' Who" is a country music song written by Jerry Hayes and initially recorded by Charly McClain. It was the title track of her 1980 album for Epic Records, released in November 1980 as a single with "Love Scenes" on the B-side, and in early 1981, was her first Number One hit on the Billboard country charts. 17 years later, Alan Jackson had chart success with the song as well, with his version reaching number two on the same chart.
"Who's Your Daddy?" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was released in August 2002 as the second single from his 2002 album Unleashed. The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"I Don't Call Him Daddy" is a song written by American songwriter Reed Nielsen. It was initially recorded by Kenny Rogers on his 1987 album I Prefer the Moonlight, and was released in October 1993 by Doug Supernaw as the third single from his debut album Red and Rio Grande. Supernaw's version was his only number-one single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, peaking there in December 1993.
"Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" is a song written by Paul Nelson and Gene Nelson, and recorded by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in March 1988 as the second single from her album Untasted Honey. The song hit number one on both the US and Canadian Country charts in 1988.
Alan Jackson is an American country music artist. The first artist signed to Arista Nashville Records, he was with them from 1989 to 2011. He has released 21 studio albums, two Christmas albums, 10 compilations, and a tribute album for the label, as well as 68 singles.
"Springsteen" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Eric Church. It was released on February 21, 2012 as the third single from his third studio album Chief. Church wrote this song with Jeff Hyde and Ryan Tyndell. The song was inspired by a memory of a girl and another artist's song, but he chose to center it around an idol of his, Bruce Springsteen, and tells the story of a teenage romance.
"What's Your Country Song" is a song recorded by American country pop singer Thomas Rhett for his fifth studio album, Country Again: Side A (2021). The song was written by Rhett, Ashley Gorley, Jesse Frasure, Parker Welling, and Rhett Akins, while produced by Frasure and Dann Huff. The song was inspired by Rhett's road travels across the United States. It was released by Valory on November 11, 2020, as the lead single from the album. The lyrics include a series of questions and directly reference the titles of 16 other country songs, including Akins' "That Ain't My Truck". The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, particularly for its nostalgic quality and referential lyrics.