Introduction
“Pop a Top” is a country-song revival that ties together several eras of country music history in one upbeat, honkytonk-style package. The song was written by Nat Stuckey and first recorded in 1966. Its first major hit version came in May 1967, when Jim Ed Brown released it as a single from his album Just Jim. That version climbed the charts and secured its place as a Nashville standard—peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard country chart.
More than three decades later, Alan Jackson gave the song new life. In 1999, he covered “Pop a Top” as the lead-off single from his album Under the Influence, a record composed largely of covers of classic country material. Jackson’s rendition was commercially successful—it reached #6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and #2 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks.
The lyrical content of “Pop a Top” follows a classic country trope: the narrator, dealing with lost love, seeks solace in a barroom setting — ordering another beer, listening to the pop-top of a bottle open, and reflecting on heartbreak. The sound of the metal “pop-top” is more than just imagery—it is a featured sound in the song, punctuating the mood, reinforcing the connection between the act of drinking and trying to drown one’s sorrows.
The official music video for Jackson’s version was directed by Steven Goldmann, and includes a cameo by country comedy artist Cledus T. Judd. The video plays with contrasting settings (from everyday barroom scenes to more formal environment), showing how ordinary people transform (or let loose) when music and beer are involved. It embodies the spirit of the song: bittersweet, grounded, but with a touch of revelry.