Introduction
“Dixie Highway” is a standout track from Alan Jackson’s 2012 album Thirty Miles West, capturing the spirit of Southern life and Jackson’s personal roots. The song, a collaboration with fellow Georgian Zac Brown, is a nearly seven-and-a-half-minute homage to the historic Dixie Highway—a route stretching from Michigan to Florida that symbolizes the connection between the North and the South .
Inspired by a road sign he noticed while traveling in Florida, Jackson penned “Dixie Highway” as a reflection of his upbringing near Newnan, Georgia, approximately 30 miles west of the actual Dixie Highway . The song’s vivid lyrics paint a picture of rural Southern life, with references to red clay, Georgia pines, and family traditions. Musically, it blends elements of country and Southern rock, featuring dynamic solos and a lively tempo that evoke the energy of a road trip through the South .
“Dixie Highway” not only serves as a personal narrative for Jackson but also resonates with listeners who share similar backgrounds or appreciate the Southern experience. Its inclusion in Thirty Miles West underscores the album’s themes of heritage and personal history, offering a heartfelt tribute to the places and memories that shape one’s identity .
Through this song, Jackson invites audiences to journey with him along the roads of his past, celebrating the culture and stories that define the American South.
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Lyrics
I was born on the Dixie Highway, red clay and Georgia pines
I was raised on the Dixie Highway, no sweeter place you’ll ever find
Wood frame house, and gravel driveway
Willow trees and an old front porch
Just outside the city limits, down ol’ highway 34
I was born on the Dixie Highway, red clay and Georgia pines
I was raised on the Dixie Highway, no sweeter place you’ll ever find (You won’t ever find it)
That pappy Tobacco, growin’ on the roadside
Rolled it up and we smoked it down
Don’t do much, but it makes you feel big
When you’re ten years old in a tiny town
Yeah I was born on the Dixie Highway, red clay and Georgia pines
Yeah I was raised on the Dixie Highway, no sweeter place you’ll ever find
And a chicken pen, right in the backyard
Clothes line running east to west
Butterbean, and tomato garden, six days and a Sunday rest
Yeah I was born (I was born) on the Dixie Highway (Dixie Highway), red clay and Georgia pines
I was raised (I was raised) on the Dixie Highway (Dixie Highway), no sweeter place you’ll ever find
(Awww, lets get it… Woo!)
Summertime, hot and hazy, bare feet and a water hose
Melon ripe, on a concrete table
Lightnin’ bugs, when the sun goes down
I was born (Yeah I was born) on the Dixie Highway (Way down in Dixie), red clay and Georgia pines
Yeah I was raised (Yeah I was raised) on the Dixie Highway (That Dixie Highway), no sweeter place you’ll ever find
And the holy ghost on Sunday morning
Gospel songs and a Bible read
Sunday lunch at momma’s table, thank the Lord and break the bread
I was born (I was born) on the Dixie Highway (Dixie Highway), red clay and Georgia pines
I was raised (I was raised) on the Dixie Highway (Dixie Highway), no sweeter place you’ll ever find
Had a screened in porch, right out the backdoor
Washing machine and an old wood stove
Momma’s singing in the kitchen, rollin’ homemade biscuit dough
I was born (I was born) on the Dixie Highway (Dixie Highway), red clay and Georgia pines
Yeah I was raised (Yeah I was raised) on the Dixie Highway (Dixie Highway), no sweeter place you’ll ever find
When I’m old and Heaven’s calling
And they come to carry me away
Just lay me down, down in south land
Bury me in the Georgia clay
Yeah I was born on the Dixie Highway, red clay and Georgia pines
I was raised (Yeah I was raised) on the Dixie Highway, no sweeter place you’ll ever find
No sweeter place you’ll ever find
No sweeter place- you’ll ever- find