"Drive" is a song written and recorded by American country music

Country music

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

 singer-songwriter

Singer-songwriter

Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...

 Alan Jackson. It was released in January 2002 as the second single from his album, "Drive

Drive (Alan Jackson album)

Drive is the tenth studio album by American country music artist Alan Jackson. Released in 2002 on Arista Nashville, the album produced Jackson's highest-debuting single on the Hot Country Songs charts in the Number One hit "Where Were You ", a ballad written in response to the September 11, 2001...

". It reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks in May 2002 and also peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Content

The song is dedicated to Alan's father, Eugene Jackson, who had died on January 31, 2000. In the song, Alan recalls as a child he and his father driving around the countryside in an old beat up truck that they fixed up together as well as a boat they would drive around the lake. In the final verse, Alan talks about sharing his childhood experiences with his daughters and letting them drive his Jeep.

Critical reception

Chuck Taylor, of Billboard

Billboard (magazine)

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

magazine reviewed the song favorably saying that it's "a heartfelt lyric that allows listeners to share a stroll down memory lane with Jackson and appreciate a kinder, simpler time." Taylor also says that Jackson delivers the song with "the same honesty, integrity, and emotional warmth that has always made listeners powerfully connect to his work."

Music video

The music video, directed by Steven Goldmann, follows the plot of the story by showing scenes of a boy and his father driving around in a truck and later in the speedboat. The scene for the final verse shows Alan driving around in a Ford Bronco with his three daughters. The whole video is presented as animated pictures in a story coming to life out of a book.

Cover versions

When Jackson was honored by "CMT Giants," country singer Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

Taylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...

sang "Drive" as a tribute.

Chart positions

"Drive (For Daddy Gene)" debuted at number 53 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of February 2, 2002.

Chart (2002)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks	1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	28