Big Green Tractor

Last updated

"Big Green Tractor" is a song written by Jim Collins and David Lee Murphy and recorded by American country music artist Jason Aldean. It was released in May 2009 as the second single from Aldean's 2009 album Wide Open and as the eighth single of his career. The song became the singer's third number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in September of that year.

Contents

"Big Green Tractor"
Jason Aldean - Big Green Tractor.jpg
Single by Jason Aldean
from the album Wide Open
ReleasedMay 26, 2009
Recorded2008–09
Genre Country
Length3:24
Label Broken Bow
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Michael Knox
Jason Aldean singles chronology
"She's Country"
(2008)
"Big Green Tractor"
(2009)
"The Truth"
(2009)

Content

The song is a mid-tempo where the narrator asks if his lover wants to go to town with him, or if she would rather ride with him "on [his] big green tractor".

David Lee Murphy told Engine 145 that the idea for the song came to him when he was out driving his own tractor: "The next day I was writing with Jim Collins, who had written 'She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy' for Kenny [Chesney]. I walked in there and asked him if he’d be willing to tackle another tractor song." [1] Collins agreed, but he said that this song should take on a different direction than "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy," which he called "tongue-in-cheek." [2] Regarding his decision to record the song, Aldean said that Murphy is "a good friend and his style is a lot like mine, really uptempo, fun kinda stuff." [3] Aldean said that he considered the song "romantic." [2]

Critical reception

The song has received mixed reviews from critics. Karlie Justus of Engine 145 gave the song a “thumbs-up”, describing it as “Aldean’s best song to date" and saying that it "delivers a catchy chorus with an authentic country feeling without blatantly pandering to stereotypical farm life", although she also said, "Despite its lackadaisical appeal and imminent commercial success, 'Big Green Tractor' will likely be largely forgotten in a year." [4] Matt Bjorke of Roughstock gave the song a less favorable rating, saying that the tune was derivative of Jason Michael Carroll's "Livin' Our Love Song" and Craig Morgan's later releases for Broken Bow. He added, "So while 'Big Green Tractor' is likely to continue Jason Aldean's radio success, it isn't the kind of song that will inspire many fans to buy his Wide Open album." [5]

Music video

The music video for the song was released on July 25, 2009 and was directed by Ivan Dudynsky. It is footage of a live performance in February 2009 in Knoxville, Tennessee. It also uses an alternate live version of the song.

Chart performance

The song debuted at number 48 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in May 2009, and entered the Top 40 in its second chart week. It became Aldean's third number one on the chart week of September 5, 2009. It spent four weeks at number one, becoming the first song to spend that long at the top of the country charts since Brad Paisley's "Letter to Me" in February 2008. As a result, this ended an eighteen-month streak in which no songs had spent more than three weeks at number one. [6] The song was also Aldean's highest-peaking single on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 18, until it was surpassed by his 2011 hit "Dirt Road Anthem".

On September 2, 2009, the song received a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for 1,000,000 registered downloads. [7] It is Aldean's second single to earn this certification; three others were certified gold.

As of May, 2012, according to Roughstock digital sales reporting, "Big Green Tractor" has sold 2,028,000 downloads in the United States. As a ringtone, “Big Green Tractor” became a #1 ringtone in all genres in 2009 becoming the first Country ringtone to hold that distinction and logged more than one million downloads. [8] It also had five consecutive weeks as the #1 most downloaded ringtone on Apple's iTunes in 2009. [9]

Chart (2009)Peak
position
Canada Country ( Billboard ) [10] 3
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [11] 54
US Billboard Hot 100 [12] 18
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [13] 1

End of year charts

Charts (2009)Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 75 [14]
US Country Songs ( Billboard ) [15] 10

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [16] 3× Platinum3,000,000Double-dagger-14-plain.png
United States (RIAA) [17]
Mastertone
Platinum1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
Double-dagger-14-plain.png Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

Why (Jason Aldean song) 2005 single by Jason Aldean

"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.

What Do You Want

"What Do You Want" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Jerrod Niemann. It was released in October 2010 as the second single from his album Judge Jerrod & the Hung Jury. The song is his second top 40 hit on the Hot Country Songs charts, following his number-one single "Lover, Lover".

Miranda Lambert discography

American country music singer Miranda Lambert has released ten studio albums, one extended play, one video album, and has made 23 other album appearances. She has released 39 singles, nine promotional singles, and 37 music videos. Lambert has sold 7 million albums in the United States, with her first seven studio albums being certified platinum. In 2001, Lambert released a self-titled and self-financed independent album. After gaining exposure as the third-place winner of the television competition Nashville Star, Lambert signed with Epic Nashville in 2004.

Shes Country Single by Jason Aldean

"She's Country" is a song written by Danny Myrick and Bridgette Tatum and recorded by American country music artist Jason Aldean. It was released in December 2008 as the first single from Aldean's 2009 album Wide Open. The song became Aldean's second number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in May 2009. This song is also used in the Rock Band Country Track Pack, and has been confirmed as upcoming downloadable content for the Rock Band series.

Jason Aldean discography

Jason Aldean is an American country music artist. His discography consists of ten studio albums—his self-titled debut (2005), Relentless (2007), Wide Open (2009), My Kinda Party (2010), Night Train (2012), Old Boots, New Dirt (2014), They Don't Know (2016), Rearview Town (2018), 9 (2019), and Macon,Georgia (2022). He has also released a total of 38 singles, 24 of which hit number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. His first, second, third, fifth, and sixth albums are all certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and his fourth album, My Kinda Party, is certified triple-platinum. His seventh album They Don't Know is certified Gold in Canada MC.

Out Last Night 2009 single by Kenny Chesney

"Out Last Night" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Kenny Chesney. It was released on April 6, 2009 as the first single and only new track on his compilation album Greatest Hits II. The song reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, becoming his thirty-eighth Top 40 hit in the United States. Chesney wrote this song with Brett James.

Small Town USA 2009 single by Justin Moore

"Small Town USA" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Justin Moore. It was released in February 2009 as the second single of his career and the second one from his self-titled debut album. On the charts dated for October 3, 2009, the song became Moore's first Number One hit. In addition, the song fared well as a crossover hit. Just missing the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at number 44.

Jesse Lee is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to Atlantic Nashville in 2007, she released her debut single "It's a Girl Thing" in 2009, which debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated for June 6, 2009. A second single, "Like My Mother Does," was released in 2010, which failed to chart. Jesse and Atlantic Records parted ways after three and a half years together. She is signed as a songwriter with Disney Music Group.

Gettin You Home (The Black Dress Song) 2009 single by Chris Young

"Gettin' You Home " is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Chris Young. It was released in February 2009 as the second single from his 2009 album The Man I Want to Be (2009). Young wrote the song with Kent Blazy and Cory Batten. The song garnered positive reviews from critics who praised the suggestive lyrics for sounding sexy and for being a great non-sellout single.

The Truth (Jason Aldean song) 2009 single by Jason Aldean

"The Truth" is a song written by Brett James and Ashley Monroe, and recorded by Trent Willmon for his 2008 album Broken In. The song was then covered by Jason Aldean on his album Wide Open. Aldean's version was released to radio on September 28, 2009, as the third single from the album, following the number one hits "She's Country" and "Big Green Tractor."

A Little More Country Than That 2009 single by Easton Corbin

"A Little More Country Than That" is a song written by Joey + Rory's Rory Feek, Wynn Varble, and Don Poythress and recorded by American country music artist Easton Corbin. It was released in August 2009 as Corbin's debut single and the first from his self-titled debut album. In April 2010, the song reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, making Corbin the first male solo artist in seven years to send a debut single to that position. The song has also been certified Platinum by the RIAA.

Crazy Town (song) 2010 single by Jason Aldean

"Crazy Town" is a song written by Brett Jones and Rodney Clawson and recorded by American country music artist Jason Aldean. It was released in March 2010 as the fourth and final single from Aldean's 2009 album Wide Open. It has become his tenth consecutive Top 20 hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with a peak at number 2, behind Miranda Lambert's "The House That Built Me". It is also Aldean's first single to not have an accompanying music video.

My Kinda Party (song) 2010 single by Jason Aldean

"My Kinda Party" is a song written and originally recorded by American country rock artist Brantley Gilbert from his 2009 album A Modern Day Prodigal Son. Jason Aldean covered the song and his version serves as the lead-off single to his 2010 album of the same name.

<i>My Kinda Party</i> 2010 studio album by Jason Aldean

My Kinda Party is the fourth studio album released by American country music artist Jason Aldean. It was released on November 2, 2010 by Broken Bow Records. The songs were written by various songwriters including Neil Thrasher, Brantley Gilbert and Michael Dulaney.

Who Are You When Im Not Looking 2010 single by Blake Shelton

"Who Are You When I'm Not Looking" is a song written by Earl Bud Lee and John Wiggins. It was originally recorded by American country music artist Joe Nichols on his 2007 album Real Things. Country music artist Blake Shelton recorded the song for his EP All About Tonight, from which it was released as a single in September 2010. His version reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in March 2011.

Dirt Road Anthem 2011 single by Jason Aldean

"Dirt Road Anthem" is a country rap song written and sung by American singers Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert first, each of whom recorded his own version of the song. Jason Aldean covered the song for his 2010 album My Kinda Party, and released it as the third single from the album in April 2011. The song debuted as a single as Aldean's previous single, "Don't You Wanna Stay", was at the number one spot on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. On November 30, the song received a nomination at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Country Solo Performance. It is the best-selling song in digital history by a male country solo artist in the United States with over four million sold.

Take a Little Ride 2012 single by Jason Aldean

"Take a Little Ride" is a song written by Dylan Altman, Rodney Clawson and Jim McCormick and recorded by American country music artist Jason Aldean. It was released on July 16, 2012, as the first single from his fifth studio album Night Train.

Tornado (song) 2012 single by Little Big Town

"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.

Beat This Summer 2013 single by Brad Paisley

"Beat This Summer" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Brad Paisley. It was released in March 2013 as the second single from his 2013 album Wheelhouse. Paisley co-wrote this song with Chris DuBois and Luke Laird.

Burnin It Down 2014 single by Jason Aldean

"Burnin' It Down" is a song written by Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins and Florida Georgia Line members Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley and recorded by American country music artist Jason Aldean. It was released in July 2014 as the first single from his Aldean's 2014 album Old Boots, New Dirt. The song won the "Top Country Song" category at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards, but polarized critics.

References

  1. Morton, Ken (2009-09-08). "The Power of the Pen: An Interview with David Lee Murphy". Archived from the original on 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
  2. 1 2 Conaway, Alanna (2009-09-28). "Story Behind the Song: "Romantic" Tractor Revs to No. 1". Country Weekly . 16 (33): 22. ISSN   1074-3235.
  3. Kane, Dan (2009-09-17). "Country chart topper Jason Aldean returning to Canton". Canton Rep.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
  4. Justus, Karlie (2009-05-29). "Jason Aldean —"Big Green Tractor"". Engine 145. Archived from the original on 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
  5. Bjorke, Matt (2009-06-11). "Jason Aldean — "Big Green Tractor"". Roughstock. Archived from the original on 2009-06-14. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
  6. Trust, Gary (2009-09-18). "Chart Beat Wednesday: Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Muse". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
  7. "Search results for Jason Aldean". Recording Industry Association of America. 2009-06-19. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
  8. "gotcountryonline.com/?tag=ash-bowers" . Retrieved 2012-06-25.
  9. According to Producer Michael Knox's bio page. "Michael Knox Bio". Archived from the original on 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2012-06-25.
  10. "Jason Aldean Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  11. "Jason Aldean Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  12. "Jason Aldean Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  13. "Jason Aldean Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  14. "Year End Charts - Year-end songs - The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on 10 November 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
  15. "Best of 2009: Country Songs". Billboard . Prometheus Global Media. 2009. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
  16. "American single certifications – Jason Aldean – Big Green Tractor". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  17. "American ringtone certifications – Jason Aldean – Big Green Tractor". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved January 8, 2017.