Country Songs About Small Town Struggles and Economic Hardship
Country music has always had a way of telling the truth, no matter how difficult it is to hear. While other genres might sing about having a good life or…
Country music has always had a way of telling the truth, no matter how difficult it is to hear. While other genres might sing about having a good life or champagne problems, there are country songs about small town struggles you can’t just “manifest” your way out of. For generations, it’s been the soundtrack of working-class America.
From unemployment to loved ones getting sick, to sexism, and other social problems ordinary Americans face on a daily basis, country artists have long documented the struggles of rural life with an honesty that feels like a warm hug or pat on the back.
Country Songs About Small Town Struggles: The Heartbreak of Job Loss and Economic Uncertainty
Country music has documented the devastating impact of job loss on individuals and families. There are songs that capture the emotional and financial toll of unemployment, which also reflect broader economic trends affecting small towns and working-class communities.
Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December,” released in 1973, captures the difficulties of the recession of the ‘70s. The track perfectly captures the anxiety of losing a factory job right before Christmas: “Got laid off down at the factory / And their timing's not the greatest in the world / Heaven knows I been working hard / Wanted Christmas to be right for daddy's girl / I don't mean to hate December / It's meant to be the happy time of year / And my little girl don't understand / Why daddy can't afford no Christmas here.” It’s a situation a lot of us working-class citizens can relate to.
Travis Tritt’s “Where Corn Don’t Grow” is a relatively more modern take on economic hardship. It talks about chasing opportunities and realizing city life isn’t easier. The song resonates with country music fans, especially those who left their small towns in search of greener pastures.
The lines, “Hard times are real, there's dusty fields no matter where you go / You may change your mind 'cause the weeds are high where corn don't grow,” hit real hard, especially for those who left home with hopes of making it big in the city.
Working Class Heroes: Songs About Labor and Industrial Life
There are country songs that also celebrate and chronicle the experiences of working-class Americans, from coal miners to factory workers to truck drivers. These songs not only serve as a tribute but also as a social commentary on the conditions and challenges faced by blue-collar workers. Country music frequently highlights themes of hard work, labor, and blue-collar experience. This is evident in songs like Alan Jackson's "Good Time" and Craig Morgan's "Little Bit of Life,” highlighting labor struggles and working-class pride. The genre saw explosive growth from 6% of Billboard-charting songs in 1975 to 34% in 2023, making it the most popular genre on Billboard's year-end Top 100 chart. Country music remained a fixture on the Billboard Hot 100 for over seven decades.
The Escape Dilemma: Torn Between Leaving and Staying
Those who grew up in small towns, where everybody knows everybody, often feel the urge to leave, especially when the town is struggling economically. The genre also captures the internal conflict between economic necessity and emotional attachment to home. After all, many country artists had to leave their hometowns behind and move to Nashville to chase their dream of making music.
Mel Tillis’s “Detroit City” tells the story of Southerners who left home and headed north in search of jobs and a better life. Back home, people believed they were “living the life,” but the reality couldn’t have been more different: “Homefolks think I'm big in Detroit City / From the letters that I write they think I'm fine / By day I make the cars, by night I make the bars / If only they could read between the lines / 'Cause you know I rode the freight train north to Detroit City / And after all these years I find, I've just been wastin' my time / So I just think I'll take my foolish pride / Put it on a Southbound freight and ride.”
Even Carrie Underwood’s “Thank God for Hometowns” talks about missing home and how life in the city can be draining. Fortunately, there’s comfort in knowing there’s a small town she can return to whenever she needs a break.
Finding Hope in Hard Times Through Music
Country music serves as a source of comfort and solidarity for those experiencing economic hardship. These songs create a sense of community and understanding among listeners facing financial difficulties. Country songs talking about small towns perfectly describe “everything a small town should be -- the good, the bad, and the ugly.” This genre is also inclusive in that no matter what kind of small town you're from, there's a song about your hometown or any town you can relate to.
