Song #70: Aaron Tippin - "People Like Us"

Song #70: Aaron Tippin - "People Like Us" (2000)

People Like Us

"Yeah, there's a reason for fast cars, and that double yellow line, heartbreak songs, and good, cheap, two dollar wine."

Aaron Tippin's songs attracted me as a young kid because I loved everything about his aura, from his low, twangy, baritone voice, the common-man look he boasted on the cover of his album People Like Us, and, of course, his terrific country music. "People Like Us" remains my favorite song by him - one I revisit every six months or so, usually when I'm mowing the lawn or shoveling snow; might as well boast the "workin' man" persona Tippin loves singing about while listening to his music.

"People Like Us" provides incredible perspective on the kinds of people we deal with day-in and day-out. Ever wonder why some cars are so fast? Ever wonder why there are so many heartbreak songs? Why liquor stores stock up on good, cheap, two dollar wine? The answer is "people like us." Tippin explains that everything that exists in this world is because of people like us, whether we want to admit it or not. Don't act like you're higher up because something you're using in your house, car, or room wasn't made for somebody like you but you yourself.

Tippin sings the song with his fantastic twangy voice that provides for an intimacy like you're listening to one of your grandparents sing. Not to mention, the song's instrumentation, mixing, and structure make for quite a rousing experience as well. Consider the brief guitar riff that occurs in the middle of the chorus towards the end of the song (which occurs at 2:18 in the video link below), or the lines Tippin continues to sing when the song fades out. It's an incredible song in every department and serves for one of my favorite country songs of all time.

Give "People Like Us" a listen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_ZOTlIb1pA