Blake Shelton stated that when he heard the song, it reminded him of the first time he heard other songs of his such as "Ol' Red" and "God's Country", due to its high energy and many expressions relevant to rural life.[2] In an interview with American Songwriter, Shelton described the song as a mix of the two aforementioned songs and explained:
The lyric is just a bunch of almost phrases and things that are picturesque to growing up in the kind of backwoods and country, and that diehard mentality. It's, "I know where I come from." That's kind of how we are — a little very prideful, a little bit stubborn. And that's kind of the guy in that song. There's a pride to being a hillbilly and not going to town for any-damn-thing. You know what I mean?[3]
Composition
The song contains "roaring" guitars,[4] and the sound of a quail is played in the beginning.[3] In the lyrics, Blake Shelton celebrates his country roots,[3][4][5] describing his lifestyle such as working hard without guarantees of financial success and devotion to his parents.[6] He references many symbols of rural culture, including the Bible, American flag, barns and rednecks.[4][6]
Critical reception
Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic regarded the song as a highlight of For Recreational Use Only and "begging for beer-soaked celebration."[7] Alli Patton of Holler wrote of the song, "While more bogged down in rural buzzwords this time around, the blazing tune is not unlike his insipid hit, 'Boys 'Round Here', from 2013 and 2019's prideful anthem 'God's Country'."[5]
Music video
The music video for "Stay Country or Die Tryin'" was directed by Adam Rothlein and Jennifer Ansell and was released on June 27, 2025. The video uses AI as a tribute to country life and land.[8]
Charts
Chart performance for "Stay Country or Die Tryin'"
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