Looking back on what inspired the emotional song. Twenty-three years ago today, our nation was the victim of a brutal terrorist attack. 9/11 is an event that we will never forget, and over the years, there have been many great pieces of music that have been inspired by those who have lost loved ones or heard the news and had a strong reaction.
Alan Jackson is one of the artists who wrote a song that resonated strongly with fans after the tragic events. Jackson debuted the track at the CMA Awards two months after the attacks, having to convince award show executives to change his choice to
"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" from the upbeat song he had planned. The song asks listeners to reflect on and consider what they recall when they received the horrific news of the events that took place that day.
"Where were you when the world stopped turnin' That September day? Were you in the yard with your wife and children Or workin' on some stage in L.A.? Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke Risin' against that blue sky? Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor Or did you just sit down and cry?" The track has since become a 9/11 anthem, as many country music fans listen and reflect on the heartfelt lyrics Jackson spoke each year on the anniversary of September 11, 2001. In 2011, a decade after the events that inspired this song, Alan Jackson sat down with
Yahoo! News and discussed what inspired him to make the track. During the interview, they asked Jackson how inspiration struck him for this song, and he noted that it came to him, and he did not force it one bit.
"I woke up one morning around 4 a.m. a few weeks afterward, and had that chorus going through my head. The song came out of nowhere in the middle of the night -- just a gift. And I got up and scribbled it down and put the melody down so I wouldn't forget it, and then the next day, I started piecing all those verses together that were the thoughts I'd had or visuals I'd had. It was a Sunday -- I remember because, when I started writing it, my wife and girls had gone off to Sunday school, and I finished it that day. Like I said, that song was just a gift. I've never felt I could take credit for writing it. Looking back, I guess I just didn't want to forget how I felt on that day and how I knew other people felt." Jackson then noted that even though, at the time of this interview, a decade had passed since the attacks, the song still carried the same weight as the day he wrote it. The news outlet inquired if there was a tactic when creating the song and having it speak so clearly to his audience, but Jackson noted that the lyrics came from his heart. Even though some who listen to the single might not have a strong personal connection to the attacks, the lyrics highlight we can all empathize and grieve for those who experienced significant loss.
"I think it's more than just the 9/11 connection. I mean, the basic message of the song is just about faith, hope, and love -- right out of the Bible. And I think people like that positive feeling about it. When people think back on the days following the tragedy, I think their emotions are still stirred up by it, and they remember what everybody felt and thought at that time. People were affected in so many ways." Although Jackson still performed this song at shows for years to come, the CMA Award performance months after 9/11 was undoubtedly one of the track's most emotional and raw performances. Although Jackson knew the song would be impactful, he was hesitant to perform it that evening and release it after the fact.
"It was a tough performance for me. You know, just the whole idea of releasing the song was a little bit tough. I wasn't sure I wanted to put it out, but everybody convinced me that it was the thing to do ... and in retrospect, I agree with that. But, you know, it's hard to go out there and sing something new, anyway, and just the topic made it difficult, too. I just remember -- other than being relieved that I got through it -- I just felt very proud that it seemed to cause a reaction in people. And I was proud that I got to do it and that it seemed like it meant something." Twenty-three years later, each lyric of "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" still carries significant weight. In writing this ballad, Jackson honors all those affected by the attacks that day and lets their story live on. We will never forget. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwcWVs4Eejg&t=2s
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