Format Music download Length 3:29 Writer(s) Rhett Akins
Luke Laird | Genre Country Label Curb | |
Released April 25, 2011 (2011-04-25) | ||
"Take a Back Road" is a song written by Rhett Akins and Luke Laird, and recorded by American country music singer Rodney Atkins. It was released in April 2011 as the 17th single of his career, and the first single and title track from his album Take a Back Road.
Contents
Background and writing
Rhett Akins and Luke Laird wrote the song. Akins came up with the song's title after hearing a friend say that listening to a Hank Williams, Jr. album made him "want to ride a dirt road right now." Laird had come up with a drum loop to which he could not think of any lyrics, and Akins recommended the hook. The two of them changed the line to "take a back road" and decided to give it a rhythmic phrasing.
Content
The song is about a man who is stuck on a freeway in a traffic jam. He then hears a George Strait song from 1982 and it makes him want to drive down a country road.
Critical reception
Giving it four stars out of five, Matt Bjorke of Roughstock called it "the perfect song to listen to when feeling like ‘escaping’ the pressures of the world for a few minutes". Kevin John Coyne, reviewing the song for Country Universe, gave it a C+ rating. Coyne states that everyone already knew what the song was going to be about and that he gave it a "bonus + for rhyming gravel with travel." Steve Leggett of Allmusic called it "one of the summer’s most memorable singles (complete with a George Strait name check)."
Music video
The music video was directed by Andy Tennant and premiered in September 2011. It was filmed on Interstate 65 near Nashville, Tennessee and in Carthage, Tennessee.