"Take a Back Road" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Rodney Atkins | ||||
from the album Take a Back Road | ||||
Released | April 25, 2011 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 3:29 | |||
Label | Curb | |||
Songwriter(s) | Rhett Akins Luke Laird | |||
Producer(s) | Ted Hewitt Rodney Atkins [1] | |||
Rodney Atkins singles chronology | ||||
|
"Take a Back Road" is a song written by Rhett Akins and Luke Laird and recorded by American country music singer Rodney Atkins. It was released in April 2011 as the first single and title track from Atkin's album of the same name. The song reached number one the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in October 2011.
Co-writer Rhett Akins came up with the song's title after hearing a friend say that listening to a Hank Williams Jr. album made him "want to ride a dirt road right now." Laird came up with a drum loop to which he could not think of any lyrics, and Akins recommended the hook. The two of them changed the line to "take a back road" and decided to give it a rhythmic phrasing. [2]
The song is about a man who is stuck in a traffic jam on a freeway. He then hears a George Strait song from 1982 and it makes him want to drive down a country road. [3]
Giving it four stars out of five, Matt Bjorke of Roughstock called it "the perfect song to listen to when feeling like ‘escaping’ the pressures of the world for a few minutes". [4] Kevin John Coyne, reviewing the song for Country Universe, gave it a C+ rating. Coyne states that everyone already knew what the song was going to be about and that he gave it a "bonus + for rhyming gravel with travel." [5] Steve Leggett of Allmusic called it "one of the summer’s most memorable singles (complete with a George Strait name check)." [6]
The music video was directed by Andy Tennant and premiered in September 2011. It was filmed on Interstate 65 near Nashville, Tennessee and in Carthage, Tennessee.
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [14] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000 |
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Rodney Allan Atkins is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to Curb Records in 1996, he charted his first single on the Billboard country chart in 1997, but did not release an album until 2003's Honesty, which included the number 4 hit "Honesty ".
"Why" is a song written by Rodney Clawson, Vicky McGehee, and Big & Rich's John Rich and recorded by American country music artist Jason Aldean. It was released in November 2005 as the second single from Aldean’s 2005 self-titled debut album. The song became Aldean's first number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
"It's America" is a song written by Brett James and Angelo Petraglia and recorded by American country music singer Rodney Atkins. It was released in November 2008 as the first single and title track from Atkin's 2009 album of the same name.
"Farmer's Daughter" is a song written by Marv Green, Rhett Akins, and Ben Hayslip and recorded by American country music artist Rodney Atkins. It was released in March 2010 as the fourth single from his album It's America, available in June 2010 as a bonus track from the album's re-issue. The song is also included as an album cut on his 2011 album Take a Back Road.
"All Over Me" is a song written by The Peach Pickers, and recorded by American country music artist Josh Turner. It was released in April 2010 as the second single from his album Haywire.
"Tough" is a song written by Leslie Satcher, recorded by American country music artist Kellie Pickler. It was released on June 13, 2011 as the lead-off single to her third studio album 100 Proof.
Take a Back Road is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Rodney Atkins. It was released on October 4, 2011 via Curb Records. The album's first single, its title track", is the fastest-rising and sixth number one hit of Atkins' career. The second single, "He's Mine," was previously recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus on his 2009 album Back to Tennessee. "Just Wanna Rock N' Roll" was released as the album's third single in June 2012.
"Better Than I Used to Be" is a song written by Ashley Gorley and Bryan Simpson. The song was originally recorded by American country music artist Sammy Kershaw in 2010 for the album of the same name, released August 31, 2010, on Big Hit Records. The version released by Sammy Kershaw was released as a single, but did not enter the charts.
"Drunk on You" is a song written by Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins, and Josh Kear and recorded by American country music artist Luke Bryan. It was released in February 2012 as the third single from his album Tailgates & Tanlines. It was also the first single that Bryan did not have a hand in writing.
"He's Mine" is a song written by Casey Beathard, Tim James, and Phil O'Donnell. It was originally recorded by American country music artist Billy Ray Cyrus on his 2009 album Back to Tennessee. The song was later recorded by Rodney Atkins and released in November 2011 as the second single from his 2012 album Take a Back Road.
"Tip It on Back" is a song written by Ross Copperman, Jon Nite, and Tully Kennedy and recorded by American country music artist Dierks Bentley. It was released in August 2012 as the fourth and final single from Bentley's 2012 album Home. This song is also Bentley's first single that he did not co-write.
"Beer with Jesus" is a song recorded by American country music singer Thomas Rhett. It was released in September 2012 as the second single from his debut album, It Goes Like This. Rhett wrote the song with Rick Huckaby and Lance Miller.
"Tornado" is a song recorded by American country music group Little Big Town. It was released in October 2012 as the second single from their fifth studio album, Tornado. The song was written by Natalie Hemby and Delta Maid.
"One of Those Nights" is a song written by Luke Laird, Rodney Clawson, and Chris Tompkins and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in November 2012 as the second single from McGraw's 2013 album Two Lanes of Freedom and his second one from Big Machine Records.
"I Can Take It from There" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Chris Young. It was released in October 2012 as the fourth and final single from his 2011 album Neon. The song was written by Young, Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip.
"It Goes Like This" is a song recorded by American country music singer Thomas Rhett. It was released in May 2013 as the third single from his debut album, It Goes Like This. The song was written by Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, and Jimmy Robbins.
"Parking Lot Party" is song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Lee Brice. It was released in May 2013 as the fourth single from his 2012 album Hard 2 Love. The song was written by Brice, Rhett Akins, Thomas Rhett and Luke Laird.
"Don't Let Me Be Lonely" is a song recorded by American country music group The Band Perry. It was released in August 2013 as the third single from their second album, Pioneer. The song was written by Sarah Buxton, Rodney Clawson and Chris Tompkins.
"Get Me Some of That" is a song recorded by American country music singer Thomas Rhett. It was released in November 2013 as the fourth single from his debut album, It Goes Like This. The song was written by Rhett Akins, Michael Carter and Cole Swindell.
"Leave the Night On" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Sam Hunt. It was released to country radio, by MCA Nashville on June 16, 2014 as the lead single from his debut studio album Montevallo (2014). The song was written by Hunt, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne.