Southern Voice (song)

"Southern Voice" is a song written by Bob DiPiero and Tom Douglas and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in September 2009 as the second single and title track from McGraw's 2009 album of the same name. For the week dated January 30, 2010, the song reached Number One on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, becoming his 23rd number one hit and his first since "Last Dollar (Fly Away)" in April 2007.

"Southern Voice"
Single by Tim McGraw
from the album Southern Voice
ReleasedSeptember 21, 2009 (2009-09-21)
GenreCountry
Length4:02
LabelCurb
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Tim McGraw singles chronology
"It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You"
(2009)		 "Southern Voice"
(2009)		 "Still"
(2010)

Content

This song is an up-tempo that lists off various influential natives of the Southern United States who all embody a "southern voice."[1] Many are referred to not by full name but direct allusion, including civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. ("Dr. King") and NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt ("Number Three"). Furthermore, Jack Daniel is incorrectly referred to as "Jack Daniels".

Regarding the song, McGraw told Great American Country, "I hope it’s a record that you can put on and just sort of melt into. And that’s what the purpose was for it. We wanted a sort of earthiness that when you put this thing on, it just sort of kicks out all over you."[2]

Music video

The video was directed by Sherman Halsey, McGraw's usual director of choice. It premiered on CMT on October 2, 2009 and was ranked No. 33 on GAC's Top 50 Videos of the Year 2009. It was filmed on East Main St. in Watertown, Tn.

Critical reception

Matt Bjorke of Roughstock also criticized the song's lyrics, saying, "one can’t help but think of the song as but another laundry list of things that quantify why something is or isn’t great,"[3] but adding that McGraw's vocal and the "catchy chorus" "save 'Southern Voice' from the scrap-heap."[3] Country Universe reviewer Kevin J. Coyne gave the song a B rating, saying, "collectively, the people he mentions do indeed rule, making this a reasonable exercise in regional pride."[4]

"Southern Voice" is one of the songs played over the end credits of the film The Blind Side, which co-stars McGraw.

Notable Performances

McGraw performed the song on the Late Show with David Letterman on October 12.[5]

Chart performance

On the week ending November 7, 2009, "Southern Voice" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 61 and at No. 49 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in September 2009. Later on Hot Country Songs, for the week of January 30, 2010, the song became McGraw's 23rd number one hit and his first since "Last Dollar (Fly Away)", which topped the chart dated April 14, 2007.

Chart (2009–10) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[6] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 49
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[8] 58

Year-end charts
Chart (2010) Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[9] 43

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[10] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Southern Voice by Tim McGraw Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
  2. Tom Roland (September 28, 2009). "Tim McGraw Finds His "Voice"". Great American Country. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  3. Matt Bjorke (September 14, 2009). "Tim McGraw — "Southern Voice"". Roughstock. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  4. Kevin J. Coyne (September 16, 2009). "Tim McGraw — "Southern Voice"". Country Universe. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  5. Beville Darden (October 16, 2009). "Tim McGraw Raises His 'Voice' With David Letterman". The Boot. Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  6. "Tim McGraw Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  7. "Tim McGraw Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. "Tim McGraw Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
  9. "Best of 2010: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2010. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
  10. "American single certifications – Tim McGraw – Southern Voice". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 27, 2012. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
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