Jason Aldean: 'Try That In A Small Town' lyrics and video controversy explained after music video pulled

Country singer Jason Aldean has defended his latest single ‘Try That In A Small Town’ after the song’s lyrics and video sparked controversy in the US.

Critics of the single have pointed towards the song inciting violence within Aldean’s fanbase and even likened it to a “pro-lynching” song, however the singer had defended ‘Try That In A Small Town’, calling the criticism “meritless”. 

Aldean, 46, originally released the song as a single in May, but the video sparked controversy after being released on Friday 14 July. The song was the first single from his upcoming eleventh album.

The lyrics refer to various crimes and warn about “trying that in a small town”. This was paired with a video in which clips from anti-police protests and Black Lives Matter protests, as well as a controversial setting for the band’s performance in the video

His latest project has drawn the ire from many of his fellow stars, including country singer Sheryl Crow. The ‘All I Wanna Do’ singer called out Aldean and said that the song was “promoting violence”. 

Why are the lyrics to Try That In A Small Town so controversial? 

The lyrics to ‘Try That In A Small Town’ were picked up outside of Aldean’s fanbase when controversy over the music video reared its head. 

At the core of the song, Aldean contrasts living in a crime-ridden city with living a small town life. The lyrics feature lines such as: “Cuss out a cop, spit in his face / Stomp on the flag and light it up / Yeah, ya think you're tough / Well, try that in a small town / See how far ya make it down the road”, with references to actions seen in anti-police and Black Lives Matter protests across cities in the US. 

There has been criticism levelled at lyrics such as: “Around here, we take care of our own / You cross that line, it won't take long.” Aldean has been accused of attempting to incite racial violence - and even accused of a “pro-lynching” view - with lines such as this, as well as referencing communities “full of good ol' boys, raised up right / If you're looking for a fight.”

Aldean, who survived the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, has also been accused of pro-gun propaganda in the song. He sings: “Got a gun that my granddad gave me/ They say one day they're gonna round up/ Well, that sh*t might fly in the city, good luck.”

The song has even angered some on the pro-gun side of the argument, with Justin Jones, a Tennessee legislator and pro-gun activist sharing his thoughts on Twitter. He said: "We have an obligation to condemn Jason Aldean's heinous song calling for racist violence. What a shameful vision of gun extremism and vigilantism."

Sheryl Crow added on Twitter: "I’m from a small town. Even people in small towns are sick of violence. There’s nothing small-town or American about promoting violence. You should know that better than anyone having survived a mass shooting.

"This is not American or small town-like. It’s just lame."

Why is the video for Try That In A Small Town so controversial? 

The video for the song was released on Friday 14 July. However, it was removed from circulation on American country music channel CMT only a few short days later. 

It shows Aldean standing in front of a courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee performing the song with his band at night underneath the American flag. However, it has been noted that the courthouse was the location of a 1927 lynching of a young black man named Henry Choate at the hands of a white mob. 

The video, which is still available on YouTube, also cuts in images of protests from demonstrations such as those held by Black Lives Matter as well as clips of crimes such as burglaries and riots. Aldean defended this by saying that the clips were not fabricated and were real and taken from real news coverage of such protests. 

In response to the condemnation of his song and music video, Aldean wrote on Twitter: “In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests. These references are not only meritless, but dangerous.

“There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it- and there isn’t a single video clip that isn’t real news footage -and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music- this one goes too far.”

He added: “As so many pointed out, I was present at Route 91-where so many lost their lives- and our community recently suffered another heartbreaking tragedy. NO ONE, including me, wants to continue to see senseless headlines or families ripped apart. 

“Try That In A Small Town, for me, refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief. Because they were our neighbors, and that was above any differences. 

“My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from, and I know that a lot of us in this Country don’t agree on how we get back to a sense of normalcy where we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night. But the desire for it to- that’s what this song is about.”

Who is Jason Aldean? 

Aldean has been performing on the American country music circuit since 1998 and in his 25-year career has sold more than 13,000,000 albums. 

He is known for his outspoken political beliefs as much as his music, remaining vocal about his conservative views and values. Aldean, from Macon, Georgia, has spoken out over various right-wing political talking points, including expressing anti-vaccination views and even suggested that he subscribed to the belief that the 2020 election was “stolen” from former US President Donald Trump. 

In fact, he shares a friendship with Trump, with him and his wife, Brittany Aldean, notably present at various events held by the Republican figurehead. 

The couple spent New Years’ Eve at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in 2022, with Aldean posting a picture of himself, his wife and Trump on social media shortly after with the caption: “Well, this New Years was the best of all time. I got to spend a couple of days with the G.O.A.T [greatest of all time]...... this man is unbelievable and I wish u all could see what he does behind the scenes. #classact”