Top Songs By Alan Jackson
On The Acoustic

A House With No Curtains was the last single from the 1998 album Everything I Love.

Alan Jackson had 27 consecutive singles in the top 10 but this one broke that streak, only reaching #18 on the US country charts.

For rhythm here play a root up down up down up and repeat in standard tuning with the chords D, A, G, A7, Bm, E, and a Dbm. There is some picking in this one and a key change.

A Little Bluer Than That hails form the 2008 album "Good Time".

This one was never was released as a single.

This one I play with a capo on the 3rd fret in standard tuning using the chords D, G, A7, A/Db, Bm, Bm/A, E, and an Em. When the song changes key you'll use an E, A and B7.

The normal rhythm pattern is a root up down up and repeat, or a root down down bass up down up. A bit of lead in this song.

Bug In My Margarita was inspired after Alan Jackson watched a bug land in his drink. He made a mental note of it and on a cold day in Nashville, put pen to paper and wrote this song.

The official name is "Long Way To Go" and can be found as the lead single from his 2011 album "Thirty Miles West". The song reached #24 on the US country chart.

The rhythm here is a simple root up down up and repeat with a capo 2nd fret in standard tuning. You'll need the chords D, G and A or A7 if you prefer and some lead required here.

Chasin That Neon Rainbow was from the 1990 debut album "Here In The Real World" and was the 4th single.

The song peaked at #2 on the US Country Charts.

Played in standard tuning and using a root up down up and repeat rhythm pattern, be prepared so some picking in this song.

The chords you'll need are a G, C, D, D/Gb, Em, A7 for the first half of the song. When the key change kicks in you'll use an A, D, E,  A/Ab, Gbm and a B7.

Chattahoochee came about while Jim McBride and Alan Jackson were trying to come up with an up-tempo type song back in 1993. Jim came up with the line "way down yonder on the chattahoochee" and the song evolved from there. Neither Jackson or McBride ever thought the song was going to be the monster hit that it became. 

The song became a #1 in both Canada and the US in 1993 and also won the Country Music Awards (CMA) Song Of The Year and Single Of The Year. There was a music video for the song which featured Alan Jackson water skiing on the Chattahoochee River.

The song hails from the 1993 album "A Lot About Livin". Download the free Alan Jackson Chattahoochee lyrics below.

Played in standard tuning with the chords C, G, F, D7 a G7 you'll be picking a riff as you strum using a root up down up root up down up or root up down up bass up down up rhythm pattern.

Don't Rock The Jukebox was the album from 1991 which produced four #1 hits and a $3 hit. This song was one of the four #1 hits by Alan Jackson and was co-written by him, Keith Stegall and Roger Murrah.

George Jones made a guest appearance near the end of the music video.

Play a down up down up steady rhythm pattern for the chorus and a root down up root up down up pattern for the verse. Some riffs and lead in here with the chords G, C, D or D7, A or A7, and a C7.

Drive became a #1 hit when it was released back in 2002. It's a song about Alan and his dad Eugene Jackson.

The song is from the album of the same name. Download the free Alan Jackson Drive lyrics below.

I play this with a capo on the 4th fret in standard tuning with the chords G, C, D, Em and A7. You'll pick a little as you play a root up down up root up down up rhythm pattern.

Gone Country was written by Bob McDill, a songwriter active from 1960 to 2000. Alan Jackson recorded the song for his album "Who Am I," released in November 1994. McDill had 31 number one hits during his career and had songs recorded by artists like Ray Charles, Don Williams, and Joe Cocker.

Alan Jackson praised McDill as one of his favorite writers, saying he wished he had written the song himself.

The song "Gone Country" was the third single from Jackson's album. His previous singles, "Summertime Blues" and "Livin' On Love," both reached number one. "Gone Country" also topped the charts in the US and reached number two in Canada.

A simple root down root up down up and repeat rhythm pattern in all you need with the chords G, C, D and Em in standard tuning and a bit of lead.

Had It Not Been You hails from the album "Like Red On A Rose" which was a bit of a commercial flop. Alan Jackson only wrote one song on this record and it changed direction away from traditional country and went in a pop direction. 

Had It Not Been You was never released as a single.

A capo 1st fret in standard tuning and a combination or arpeggio and rhythm playing root up down up for rhythm. A little picking required as you play the chords E, B7, A, Dbm, Gbm and an Edim.

Here In The Real World hails from the debut album of the same name which was released in Feb of 1990.

This was the 2nd of 5 singles off of that album ad became Alan Jackson's first top 10, peaking at #3 on the charts.

Play a root up down up or you could use some bass notes and play root up down up bass up down up for rhythm. A capo 1st fret in standard tuning with the chords D, G, A, Em and a Gbm with a little lead work.

Home was recorded in 1989 was was originally slated for his debut album the following year but instead was used as a B-side to several singles.

It wasn't until 1995 that it was released as an A-side song and peaked at #3. This song is also from the "Here In The Real World" album.

For the rhythm here play an arpeggio beginning and then a root up root up down up then a root down up root up down up and repeat. A few riffs in standard tuning with the chords C, F and G.

I Wish I Could Back Up hails from Jackson's 2008 album "Good Time".

This song was never released as a single.

I play this one in standard tuning with a basic rhythm using a shuffle pattern and arpeggio picking and some lead. The chords here are G, C, D, Am, Em and a B7.

I'll Try was a single release back in 1996 and can be found on his Greatest Hits Compilation album.

The song reached #1 in the US and #5 in Canada.

Played in standard tuning with a piano riff blended in as you play a root up down up and repeat rhythm pattern. Play the three chords of G, C and D.

It Must Be Love was another Bob McDill composition and in 1979 Don Williams had a #1 record. Fast Forward to 2000 and history repeated itself when Alan Jackson had his version also reach #1 on the country charts.

The song is found on his "Under The Influence" album.

I play a capo 3rd fret here with a down up stop up down up stop up rhythm pattern and a riff for lead. I also use drop D tuning in this one with the chords D, G and A.

It's Five o'clock Somewhere was recorded as a duet with Jimmy Buffett ... a Florida boy and a next door neighbor Georgia boy but neither of them wrote the song.

It got Jackson on the pop charts for the first time at #65 and became Buffett's first top 10 song since the 1970's when it came out in 2003. The song was a #1 hit on the country charts.

The song is from his Greatest Hits Vol II album.

Another song I like to play with  drop D tuning while playing a root up down up and repeat rhythm pattern. Various riffs throughout with the chords D, G, A7, Asus, Bm, A/Db and an Em.

Jim And Jack And Hank hails from the 2015 album called Angels and Alcohol and 7 of the 10 songs were written by Alan Jackson.

This song was a single from the album but only peaked at #41 on the country charts. Jim and Jack and Hank chords and lyrics are below.

For chords here play a D, G and an A with some lead work with a capo 2nd fret in drop D tuning. For rhythm play all down strokes.

Just As I Am comes from the poet Charlotte Elliott, who wrote this song back in 1835 and Jackson included it on his 2013 album "Precious Memories Vol II".

The song was never released as a single.

This number I play with a capo 4rh fret with some lead and the chords G, G7, C, D and a Dsus. For rhythm play arpeggio down over the strings followed by a 1-2-3 up down up and repeat. Or skip the arpeggio and just strum in a root up down up down up root up down up down up pattern.

Little Man was one of four singles released from Alan Jackson's 1999 album High Mileage.

This one peaked at #3 in the US and $4 in Canada.

Livin On Love is from Jackson's 1994 album "Who I Am".

The song topped the country charts and became a huge #1 at that time.

This one I play with a capo 2nd fret in drop D tuning. Some lead and hammer on / pull offs with the chords G, C, D, G7 and a D7. The rhythm for the verse is a root up down up bass up down up and the chorus is a root down down root up down up and repeat.

Love's Got A Hold On You strangely enough was not written by Alan Jackson. The song became a #1 hit from his 1992 "Dont Rock The Jukebox" album.

The songwriters were Carson Chamberlain and Keith Stegall.

The three chords here are E, A and B7 with a bit of lead required in standard tuning. For rhythm play a root up down up bass up down up and repeat.

Midnight In Montgomery came about one stormy night in Montgomery Alabama when Alan Jackson spent an evening there and payed a visit to the local cemetery to pay his respects to Hank Williams who is buried there.

Upon returning to Nashville, Jackson sat down with a writing friend of his, Don Sampso,n and together co-wrote this song called Midnight In Montgomery as a tribute song to Hank Williams. 

The song hails from the 1991 album "Don't Rock The Jukebox".

This one is mainly arpeggio picking of the strings as you play thru the chords or play a down down up up down up down up in the chorus. In standard tuning with no lead and the chords Dm, C, A#, A and an A7.

Pop A Top may surprise many people to know that it was first recorded back in 1966 by Nat Stuckey.

Jim Ed Brown had a #3 hit in 1967 and Alan Jackson's version reached #6 on the country charts in 1999. The song hails from his album "Under The Influence".

I play this one in standard tuning with some lead required. For rhythm play a walking bass line while the right hand does a steady down up down up rhythm pattern. The chords here are G, C , D, A and E.

Precious Memories is a traditional gospel song that was written back in 1925 by JBF Wright. Many artists besides Alan Jackson have recorded this one over the years including Aretha Franklin, George Jones, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings and a few others.

This song was the title of the album that Alan Jackson released back in 2006 which contained a collection of 15 old traditional gospel songs. No single were released from that album but reached #1 on the Top Country Albums chart as well as obtaining a Platinum status in sales.

I play a capo 3rd fret on this one with a drop D tuning with a root down up root up down up rhythm pattern. Some lead here with the chords D, G, A7, A/Db, Bm and an E or E7.

Remember When hit the airwaves in the fall of 2003 and by Feb 2004 the song was a #1 country hit.

The songs can be found on his Greatest Hits Vol II album. Download the free Alan Jackson Remember When lyrics below.

For rhythm play a simple root up down up, chord change, root up down up and so on rhythm pattern. In standard tuning with the chords G, Em, C, D, Am, F, Esus, E, A and Gbm with some lead required.

She's Got The Rhythm was co-written by Alan Jackson and Randy Travis and they were going to pitch it to B.B. King. But in the end, Jackson decided he'd like to record the song.

Good choice as it turned out to become a #1 hit in 1993 from his album "A Lot About Livin".

This one is in standard tuning with down stokes for the rhythm pattern and a few riffs with some picking. The chords here are A, D E and a B7.

Someday became a second #1 hit from his 1992 album "Dont Rock The Jukebox". The song was a #2 hit in Canada.

The official music video for this song is posted below.

Played in standard tuning and no lead, this one has a root up down up bass up down up rhythm pattern or  play a root down up down up bass up down up pattern. The chords here are C, F, G, Am and Em.

Small Town Southern Man was released by Alan Jackson  in Nov of 2007 . The song was written by Jackson himself for the album "Good Times".

He had a three year drought since his previous #1 which was Remember When, so this one topped the Country Charts for him in the US. Small Town Southern Man chords and lyrics below.

I play a drop D tuning here with a capo 1st fret and some lead. Play a play a root up down up root up down up and repeat rhythm pattern with a D, G and A chord.

The Older I Get was released by Alan Jackson in 2017 as a single but it never charted. That should tell you something about the state of country music when great country songs don't get radio play and chart at all.

This song is on the 2017 album "Where Have You Gone".

You can mix in some arpeggio note picking with a down down up down up down up and repeat rhythm pattern for this one in drop D tuning. Some lead with the chords D, G and A7, Dsus and an A7sus.

The One You're Waiting On is from the Angels And Alcohol album from 2016.

This song was released as a single in 2016 but failed to chart.

I play a capo 2nd fret in standard tuning with some lead in this number. Play a steady up and down bass up down up rhythm pattern with the chords G, D/Gb, C, Am and Em.

Tonight I Climbed The Wall was written by Alan Jackson and released as a single back in 1993 from his album "A Lot About Livin'.

This song reached #4 on the country charts in both Canada and the US.

This one has a root up down up and repeat rhythm pattern in standard tuning with the chords G, C, D and a D7 with a few riffs throughout.

Tryin Not To Love You was a dedication song to a Merle Haggard album that Alan Jackson recorded back in 1994.

This song was never released as a single.

The chords in this song are E, D, Db, Gbm, B7, B7/G and a Ddim played with a basic root up down up and repeat rhythm pattern. A bit of picking in standard tuning.

Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning was written by Alan Jackson about the tragic events of Sept 11, 2001 and hails from the album "Drive".

Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning chords and lyrics below.

For rhythm you can play this with arpeggio in the verses and then use a down down up down up down up rhythm pattern in the chorus. Or you can do some arpeggio and some strumming and mix up the two patterns.

I play this in standard tuning with the chords C, F, G, Am and Am/G and no lead.

You Can Always Come Home hails from the Angels and Alcohol album of 2015.

This number was never released as a single.

I play a drop D tuning here with a capo 2nd fret and some lead. Play a root down up down up repeat rhythm pattern with the chords D, G, Bm and A7.