Alan Jackson performing Little Man in 2001

About the song

Alan Jackson’s “Little Man” is a poignant country ballad that pays homage to the small businesses that have faced challenges in the face of corporate competition. Released in 1999 as the fourth and final single from his album “High Mileage,” the song resonated with audiences and topped the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts.

The song’s lyrics offer a nostalgic look back at the mom-and-pop stores that once thrived in small towns across America. The narrator reminisces about the familiar storefronts, now boarded up and empty, a stark reminder of the struggles faced by these small businesses. The song’s title, “Little Man,” is a metaphor for the underdog, the small business owner who fights against overwhelming odds.

The music video for “Little Man” complements the song’s theme. Shot entirely in black and white, the video features Jackson driving through small towns, visiting the abandoned storefronts that inspired the song. The video’s nostalgic tone evokes a sense of longing for a simpler time, when small businesses were a vital part of the community.

“Little Man” is a heartfelt tribute to the entrepreneurs who have dedicated their lives to their small businesses. It’s a song that celebrates the resilience and determination of the underdog, reminding us of the importance of supporting local businesses. With its poignant lyrics and evocative melody, the song remains a timeless classic in the country music genre.

Video

Lyrics

I remember walk’in round the court square sidewalk
Lookin’ in windows at things I couldn’t want
There’s johnson’s hardware and morgans jewelry
And the ol’ Lee king’s apothecary
They ware the little man
The little man

I go back now and the stores are empty
Except for an old coke sign dated 1950
Boarded up like they never existed
Or renovated and called historic districts
There goes the little man
There goes the little man

Now the court square’s just a set of streets
That the people go round but they seldom think
Bout the little man that built this town
Before the big money shut em down
And killed the little man
Oh the little man

He pumped your gas and he cleaned your glass
And one cold rainy night he fixed your flat
The new stores came where you do it yourself
You buy a lotto ticket and food off the shelf
Forget the little man
Forget about that little man

He hung on there for a few more years
But he couldn’t sell slurpees
And he wouldn’t sell beer
Now the bank rents the station
To a man down the road
And they sell velvet Elvis and
Second-hand clothes
There goes little man
There goes another little man

Now the court square’s just a set of streets
That the people go round but they seldom think
Bout the little man that built this town
Before the big money shut em down
And killed the little man
Oh the little man

Now the stores are lined up in a concrete strip
You can buy the whole world in just one trip
And save a penny cause it’s jumbo size
They don’t even realize
They’er killin’ the little man
Oh the little man

Now the court square’s just a set of streets
That the people go round but they seldom think
Bout the little man that built this town
Before the big money shut em down
And killed the little man
Oh the little man

It wasn’t long ago when I was a child
An old black man came with his mule and his plow
He broke the ground where we grew our garden
Back before we’d all forgoten
about the little man
The little man
Long live the little man
God bless the little man