Introduction
“Where I Come From” is a spirited country-rock tune by Alan Jackson, released in July 2001 as the third single from his ninth studio album, When Somebody Loves You. Written by Jackson and produced by longtime collaborator Keith Stegall, the song became his 18th number‑one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, and the only chart-topper from that album .
The track’s narrator, a truck driver, travels across the United States, encountering folks who react to his Southern accent and lifestyle. From a New Jersey police officer to a diner in Detroit, a friendly stranger in Ventura, and a CB-radio shoutout near Tulsa, each episode reminds him that there’s “no place like home.” With lyrics celebrating cornbread, front‑porch pickin’, hard work, and Southern churchgoing, the song taps into nostalgia for a simpler upbringing and regional identity.
Critics dubbed it a “redneck anthem,” with AllMusic praising its grittier, ZZ Top–style guitar and energetic groove . Reception among fans and commentators has been mixed—some praised its infectious rhythm and homespun charm, while others voiced discomfort with certain lyrics in the third verse . Despite this, the song resonated widely, spending two non‑consecutive weeks at number one on Radio & Records, three weeks atop Billboard country charts in October 2001, and earning a spot at number 24 on Billboard’s 2001 year‑end country chart .
“Where I Come From” slots neatly into Jackson’s legacy of neotraditional country music, offering a highway snapshot of geographic and emotional contrasts. It marked a return to his signature storytelling and acoustic-electric fusion after his earlier 2000 single “When Somebody Loves You” . As a standout in his prolific early‑2000s era, the song captures both the pride and pull of one’s roots—making it a memorable chapter in the career of one of country music’s most enduring hitmakers.
Video
Lyrics
Well, I was rollin’ wheels and shiftin’ gears ’round that Jersey Turnpike
Barney stopped me with his gun ten minutes after midnight
Said, “Sir you broke the limit in that rusty ol’ truck
I don’t know about that accent son, just where did you come from?”
I said, “Where I come from, it’s cornbread and chicken
Where I come from, a lotta front porch sittin’
Where I come from, tryin’ to make a livin’
And workin’ hard to get to heaven
Where I come from”
Well, I was south of Detroit City, I pulled in this country kitchen
To try their brand of barbecue, the sign said, “Finger-lickin’”
Well, I paid the tab and the lady asked me, “How’d you like my biscuit?”
“I’ll be honest with you ma’am, it ain’t like mama fixed it”
‘Cause where I come from, it’s cornbread and chicken
Where I come from, a lotta front porch pickin’
Where I come from, tryin’ to make a livin’
And workin’ hard to get to heaven
Where I come from
I was chasin’ sun on 101 somewhere around Ventura
I lost a universal joint, and I had to use my finger
This tall lady stopped and asked if I had plans for dinner
Said, “No, thanks ma’am, back home we like the girls that sing soprano”
‘Cause where I come from, it’s cornbread and chicken
Where I come from, a lotta front porch sittin’
Where I come from, tryin’ to make a livin’
And workin’ hard to get to heaven
Where I come from
Well, I was headed home on 65 somewhere around Kentucky
The CB rang for the bobtail rig that’s rollin’ on like thunder
Well, I answered him, and he asked me, “Aren’t you from out in Tulsa?”
“No, but you might’a seen me there, I just dropped a load of salsa”
Where I come from, it’s cornbread and chicken
Where I come from, a lotta front porch pickin’
Where I come from, tryin’ to make a livin’
And workin’ hard to get to heaven
Where I come
Where I come from, yeah, it’s cornbread and chicken
Where I come from, a lotta back porch pickin’
Where I come from, tryin’ to make a livin’
Workin’ hard to get to heaven
Where I come from
Where I come from
Yeah, where I come from
A lotta front porch sittin’
Starin’ up at heaven
Where I come from
Where I come from
Tryin’ to make a livin’
Oh, where I come from
Where I come from