Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning
Click here for the lyrics to Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?
| Finally, the last song I have chosen to look at is Alan Jackson's Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning? This song has been a key memorial to the people who lost their lives in the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City on September 11, 2001. This song is seen as a question asking if you remember where you were and what did you do when you heard the news.
This song is an exception to Grossman's outline of religious country songs. This song does not end in a religious space, nor does it have a story to it. This is also a type of exception to the idea that songs deal with a specific conflict. In this song's sense, it seems like instead of seeing a conflict of individual versus society, in this Jackson tries to bring in the idea of individuals joining together to be a societal support system for each other. In looking at an interview with Alan Jackson, he speaks of the reaction he gets from crowds when he performs this song, and how it seems to have made a strong connection with the people who listen to it. As he said |
"Typically, when we kick that song off and the crowd
realizes what it is, people hold up their lighters and
things. And I've seen people crying in the crowds,
and they cheer on lines that mean something, like
the line about the heroes just doing what they do -
they really like that. I don't know. There's a lot of
emotion going on in the room during that song,
and it always makes me feel good that it has
affected people that way." (Dukes)
This shows that Jackson truly set out to make a difference in people's lives with this song, and he seems to have succeeded in connecting people with religion as a way of coping, judging by the reactions he gets to this song.
But in looking at the lyrics for this song, the religious presence is clearly there, and is not obstructed by any possible double meanings. Here are a few of the lines from throughout the song:
"Did you weep for the children/who lost their dear loved ones/and pray for the ones who don't know"
"Did you burst out in pride/for the red white and blue/ the heroes who died just doing what they do/
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer/and look at yourself to what really matters?"
"Did you call up your mother to tell her you love her/Did you dust off that bible at home?"
"Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger/Stand in line and give your own blood/
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family/Thank God you had somebody to love"
These lines show the trust in God that Jackson sees in the reactions of people who were affected by the 9/11 attacks. They describe how when someone (or in this case, a large number of people) has died, how the people who knew them, and sometimes the people who fell an extreme sense of empathy react to the death. This touches on society's automatic reach for religious beliefs for support throughout tough times.
The chorus to this song gives Alan Jackson's personal religious beliefs, and it is proof of how in times of crisis he turns to the lessons that he learned through his religion. As the chorus says,
"I'm just a singer of simple songs
Not a real political man.
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love"
This shows how Jackson relies heavily on his beliefs in faith, hope and love, and that these lessons have been memorized by him at a young age. These lessons proved to him that in this time of trouble in his country, he believes that people just need to remember these three lessons and they will be able to successfully deal with the problems that they face, and that by actively pursuing a religious faith they will be given a strength to face any battle that they will be put up against.
realizes what it is, people hold up their lighters and
things. And I've seen people crying in the crowds,
and they cheer on lines that mean something, like
the line about the heroes just doing what they do -
they really like that. I don't know. There's a lot of
emotion going on in the room during that song,
and it always makes me feel good that it has
affected people that way." (Dukes)
This shows that Jackson truly set out to make a difference in people's lives with this song, and he seems to have succeeded in connecting people with religion as a way of coping, judging by the reactions he gets to this song.
But in looking at the lyrics for this song, the religious presence is clearly there, and is not obstructed by any possible double meanings. Here are a few of the lines from throughout the song:
"Did you weep for the children/who lost their dear loved ones/and pray for the ones who don't know"
"Did you burst out in pride/for the red white and blue/ the heroes who died just doing what they do/
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer/and look at yourself to what really matters?"
"Did you call up your mother to tell her you love her/Did you dust off that bible at home?"
"Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger/Stand in line and give your own blood/
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family/Thank God you had somebody to love"
These lines show the trust in God that Jackson sees in the reactions of people who were affected by the 9/11 attacks. They describe how when someone (or in this case, a large number of people) has died, how the people who knew them, and sometimes the people who fell an extreme sense of empathy react to the death. This touches on society's automatic reach for religious beliefs for support throughout tough times.
The chorus to this song gives Alan Jackson's personal religious beliefs, and it is proof of how in times of crisis he turns to the lessons that he learned through his religion. As the chorus says,
"I'm just a singer of simple songs
Not a real political man.
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love"
This shows how Jackson relies heavily on his beliefs in faith, hope and love, and that these lessons have been memorized by him at a young age. These lessons proved to him that in this time of trouble in his country, he believes that people just need to remember these three lessons and they will be able to successfully deal with the problems that they face, and that by actively pursuing a religious faith they will be given a strength to face any battle that they will be put up against.