At first listen, Jason Aldean’s “Try That In A Small Town” comes across as harmless, but that’s if you don’t read between the lines. In the song, he croons about a couple of antics that city dwellers can’t get away with in a small town. “Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk / Carjack an old lady at a red light / Pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store / Ya think it’s cool, well, act a fool if ya like,” the lyrics read. “Cuss out a cop, spit in his face / Stomp on the flag and light it up / Yeah, ya think you’re tough.”
The song then transitions to a threatening message that implies that these crimes will result in severe consequences in a small town because people there look out for each other. “Well, try that in a small town / See how far ya make it down the road,” the song continued. “Around here, we take care of our own / You cross that line, it won’t take long / For you to find out, I recommend you don’t / Try that in a small town.” It even suggested that small-town folk won’t hesitate to resort to violence and included pro-gun language. “Got a gun that my granddad gave me / They say one day they’re gonna round up/ Well that s**t might fly in the city / Good luck.” He closes the song by saying people shouldn’t dare mess with country folks. “Full of good ol’ boys raised up right, if you’re looking for a fight.”
