Alan Jackson - 'A Lot About Livin' (And A Little 'Bout Love)'

A Lot About Livin' Bottom Line:

Back in 1992, country music was on a major upswing, started by the neo-traditionalists in the late 80's, & right up front of the movement back to real traditional country roots was Alan Jackson. With his third release, A Lot About Livin' And A Little 'Bout Love, Alan Jackson continued to prove he just didn't care how country he really was. Released long before he became the reigning king of traditional country, daring to be "too country" when such a thing is anathema to the radio airwaves, A Lot About Livin' was just one of the steps Alan Jackson took on his road to becoming a legend.

A Lot About Livin' Review:

Alan Jackson continues today being as country as he ever was. Judging from some of the comments from some online reviewers, today's "country music" fans don't really like country music, just like I've always said. If you don't like Alan Jackson, you don't actually like COUNTRY music, because, frankly, this is pretty much as good as it gets.

Alan Jackson's sophomore effort is brimming with all the best that real country music can offer, with non- rhyming assonances like "But I learned how to swim and I learned who I was/A lot about livin' and a little 'bout love" and flat-out country cliches spun wise and warm, from "She's Got The Rhythm (And I Got The Blues)" (written with fellow neo-traditionalist Randy Travis; the pair got together in the early 90's to produce a slew of hits together; somehow superstar Randy Travis got shuffled off the charts while AJ stayed on top) and "I Don't Need The Booze (To Get a Buzz On)," to "Up to My Ears in Tears."

Oh, yeah. This is country, as soaked in cornpone as you can get, serious country for serious country music fans. REAL country music, not today's lite urban pop dressed up in cowboy hats. Alan Jackson even wraps things up with a country-fried version of the old "Mercury Blues" that puts a cap on it and brings it all together.

Alan Jackson Awards and Honors:

In the sixteen years since this disc was released, Alan Jackson has released nine major albums, four Greatest Hits compilations, two Christmas discs, a Live album, and one Gospel disc (most of which charted high, and almost all of which went double, triple, or even 6x platinum).

He's won numerous ACM and CMAs, with 'A Lot About Livin'' itself racking up the ACM Album of the Year and both the ACM and CMA Single of the Year for "Chattahoochee." He's won a Grammy for his heart-stirring "Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning" (a song which cemented him forever in the hearts and minds of music fans everywhere), and he continues as a regular member of the Grand Ole Opry as well as packing stadiums along with King George.

Alan Jackson proves without a shadow of a doubt that it IS possible to sell records and bring in listeners while remaining "too country," and when he sang "Murder on Music Row," you could tell he didn't mean it as a joke. For any fan who wants to know where Alan Jackson came from, you only need to listen here.

Release Date: October 9, 1992

A Lot About Livin' (And a Little About Love) Track List:

1. Chattahoochee
2. She's Got the Rhythm (And I Got the Blues)
3. Tonight I Climbed the Wall
4. I Don't Need the Booze (To Get a Buzz On)
5. You Can't Have It All (Who Says)
6. Up to My Ears in Tears
7. Tropical Depression
8. She Likes It Too
9. If It Ain't One Thing (It's You)
10. Mercury Blues