10 Awesome Songs about Tractors

There are numerous songs about tractors. That might come as a surprise to some interested individuals. After all, most of us are far removed from food production, meaning we don’t come into much contact with the tools of food production. However, tractors are critical for running modern farms because of their use in everything from plowing to planting. That makes it natural for people to latch on to them as a symbol of modern farming, thus making it natural for people to sing about them.

Here are 10 of the best songs about tractors ever released:

10. “Farm Girl” – Jason Meadows

“Farm Girl” isn’t the most complicated song ever released. It sees the viewpoint character describing someone he finds attractive, which is about as common a topic as these things get. Still, “Farm Girl” has a certain lighthearted charm, thus making it more enjoyable than interested individuals might expect. Moreover, it counts as a tractor song because the titular character can do a wheelie on a John Deere tractor.

9. “John Deere Green” – Joe Diffie

John Deere is a major name for tractors and similar equipment. It isn’t bigger than its competitors put together, not least because its incredible reach means it has a corresponding number of competitors. Even so, there is a reason why John Deere gets referenced in tractor song after tractor song.

Of course, Joe Diffie’s “John Deere Green” refers to the company’s characteristic color scheme, a very recognizable combination of green and gold with the occasional bit of black. The song tells the story of high school sweethearts who settle down together after the boy paints a message of love in the titular shade.

He gets criticized by people who think he should’ve used red, but his girlfriend likes it just fine. Funny enough, the color shines true, so much so that the town has repeatedly failed to paint over it.

8. “John Doe On a John Deere” – Lonestar

Meanwhile, “John Doe On a John Deere” is another love song that makes good use of the tractor as a metaphor. Initially, the tractor is a symbol of what the viewpoint character’s former girlfriend doesn’t like about their rural upbringing. Later, it becomes a symbol of what she misses about the same after living in a big city. On the whole, “John Doe On a John Deere” is just a great reminder of the symbolic power of such machines.

7. “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy” – Kenny Chesney

This song is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Some people think its lyrics are somewhat metaphorical. The funny thing is that the song is still pretty much exactly what it sounds like in that interpretation. Regardless, it hit the number 11 position on the Billboard Hot Country Songs when it came out towards the end of the last millennium. Unsurprisingly, it is quite catchy.

6. “Tractor” – Granger Smith

“Tractor” is Smith’s tribute to his father. It is very much an autobiographical song in which he sings about how he went out into the world while his father continued to work steadily at his farm day in and day out. However, he makes it clear that he has absorbed some of his father’s lessons even though he didn’t always care for them. Everything about this song comes together wonderfully to make for something very touching.

5. “International Harvester” – Craig Morgan

“International Harvester” is another example of a song that makes it very easy for people to read extra meaning in its lyrics. On the surface, it is about a farmer who is moving slowly but steadily on the road even though there are impatient drivers behind him. The rest of the lyrics can also be interpreted to mean that he will continue to follow a way of life he is proud of no matter what other people have to say about it.

4. “All Tractors Ain’t Green” – Jimmie Allen

Jimmie Allen has a simple message with “All Tractors Ain’t Green.” In short, people are complicated, so much so that it can be very unwise to judge them by surface impressions. Moreover, there is nothing wrong with that, which is always worth pointing out. Of course, Allen’s oft-repeated line about tractors wouldn’t work so well if John Deere machines weren’t so popular.

3. “Big Green Tractor” – Jason Aldean

Jason Aldean’s “Big Green Tractor” is one of the few tractor songs that have managed to find widespread commercial success. Specifically, it went number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs in September 2009. Something that not just any song can manage. In it, the viewpoint character tells his significant other they can either go to town or spend some time on his tractor for their date. She opts for the latter, which says much about the strength of their relationship while saying little. Simply put, it is a great way for them to have some alone time.

2. “I Want My Tractor Back” – Lianna Rose

“I Want My Tractor Back” is more humorous than most of these tractor songs, though its context still makes it very country. It tells the story of a farmer horrified when he finds out his wife has left him while riding on his prized tractor. He does eventually get back at her by just stealing the tractor while laughing. However, it is hard to imagine him getting very far, seeing as how he does this outside of the court building after he has been tossed out of divorce proceedings because he couldn’t control his temper.

1. A Man On a Tractor” – Rodney Atkins

“A Man On a Tractor” is relatable. After all, everyone feels lost and out of place from time to time, so that makes it easy for most people to connect with the viewpoint character feeling these things. With that said, he seems to be going through a midlife crisis, thus making this song extra relatable to middle-aged adults loaded down with responsibilities.

Here, the tractor is also both literal and metaphorical. The viewpoint character thinks he wants to be a literal man on a tractor, but in truth, he is longing for the sense of certainty he thinks that would give him. Indeed, his wife outright tells him there is more than one way for him to be a metaphorical man on a tractor by reminding him of everyone and everything in his life, which is a neat bit of resolution.

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