Get Along

"Get Along" is a heartfelt plea for unity, understanding, and a return to the simple joys of life in a world that often feels angry and divided. The song's central message encourages listeners to look past their differences and find common ground. It suggests that happiness isn't found in conflict or materialism, but in basic human connections and experiences—like calling your mom, making a friend, or simply singing a song. The lyrics, penned by Shane McAnally, Ross Copperman, and Josh Osborne, act as a gentle reminder that life is short and that we should focus on love and altruism. Kenny Chesney stated he was drawn to the song because of how simply it broke down complex issues, emphasizing that "the basic stuff is where the joy, the love, the happiness is." The song isn't intended as a direct political statement, but rather as an observation on the social climate, born from the writers' subconscious feelings about the need for peace and unity amidst divisiveness.

The song begins with a chance encounter with a man on a park bench, wearing a T-shirt that reads "Virginia is for Lovers." This man, a seemingly simple character holding both a Bible and a bottle, imparts a piece of wisdom: all you truly own in this life are the sunshine and your name. As if on cue, a sudden rain shower begins, and the two share a laugh, finding humor in the unexpected moment. This interaction sets the stage for the song's central theme of finding common ground and appreciating life's simple, often contradictory, moments.

The chorus serves as the song's core message, a call to action to "get along on down the road." It acknowledges the shared human experience of fear and imperfection—"scared to live, scared to die, we ain't perfect but we try." It's a reminder that the journey of life is long and shared. The song then offers a list of tangible, life-affirming activities: "get a dog, and a glass of wine, paint a wall, learn to dance, call your mom, buy a boat, drink a beer, sing a song, make a friend." These aren't grand, earth-shattering goals but rather small, achievable acts of joy and connection that make life richer. It culminates in the simple, powerful question: "Can't we all just get along?"

The second verse shifts perspective to an image on a billboard, a model with lonely eyes and an invitation to "1-800-get-to-know-me." The narrator wonders about her story, speculating if she left her small town with big dreams of Los Angeles, only to find herself stranded and disillusioned on a desert highway. This vignette serves as a moment of empathy, a reminder that everyone has a backstory filled with hopes and potential hardships, and that judging by appearances is a shallow exercise. It reinforces the idea that we should approach others with curiosity and compassion rather than assumptions.

The song's bridge delves into a more philosophical reflection on life and legacy. It suggests that upon death, material wealth becomes meaningless—"the keys to heaven can't be bought." It's a poignant observation on the human condition, admitting that while we may never fully grasp the complexities of love, we can certainly recognize what it is not. This leads back to the recurring, essential advice: "Always give love the upper hand." This phrase acts as a guiding principle, a simple rule to live by in a world that often feels complicated and divisive. The song closes by reiterating the chorus, cementing its optimistic and unifying message as a final, heartfelt plea for harmony and shared humanity on the road of life.

"Get Along" was written by the prolific Nashville songwriting trio of Shane McAnally, Ross Copperman, and Josh Osborne. The song was conceived in 2016, shortly after Kenny Chesney released his album Cosmic Hallelujah. The idea began with McAnally, who had the title and wanted to write something with an "organic" and "rootsy" feel. The writers then developed this into a list of life experiences, wrapped in the unifying theme of getting along. Though not intentionally written as a "message" song about the state of the world, the writers acknowledged that the pervasive feeling of societal division subconsciously influenced their work.

Songwriter Josh Osborne felt strongly that the song was a perfect fit for Kenny Chesney's optimistic worldview and held onto it until he knew Chesney was looking for material for his next project. Upon hearing it, Chesney immediately connected with its rhythm and its simple, profound message. The track was co-produced by Chesney and his longtime collaborator, Buddy Cannon. It was released on April 6, 2018, as the lead single from his album Songs for the Saints. This was also his first single released via Warner Bros. Nashville after a long career with Sony Music Nashville.

"Get Along" is characterized by a brisk, mid-tempo rhythm that feels both relaxed and propulsive, encouraging listeners to tap their feet. The song follows a relatively simple and common verse-chorus structure. The rhyme scheme within the verses and chorus is straightforward, primarily using couplets (AABB), which makes the lyrics easy to follow and remember. For example, in the chorus, "road" rhymes with "go," and "die" rhymes with "try." This simple structure contributes to the song's accessible, singalong quality, reinforcing its message of simplicity and universal experience. The interplay between the lyrical rhythm and the musical arrangement, with its steady acoustic strum and banjo flourishes, creates a feeling of forward momentum, mirroring the lyrical theme of moving "on down the road."

Musically, "Get Along" marks a slight shift for Chesney, moving towards a more organic, roots-driven sound. The production features a bright acoustic guitar and a prominent banjo, giving it an upbeat, optimistic atmosphere that departs from some of the heavier, electric-guitar-driven sounds of his previous work. The song's structure has been described as having a "tribal, campfire feeling," reminiscent of call-and-response, which enhances its communal and unifying theme.

Lyrically, the song utilizes a narrative technique of presenting small vignettes or character sketches in the verses (the man on the bench, the model on the billboard) to illustrate its broader philosophical points. The chorus employs a list-making technique ("paint a wall, learn to dance, call your mom") to provide concrete, accessible examples of how to live a more fulfilled and connected life. Chesney's vocal delivery is earnest and charismatic, conveying a sense of genuine belief in the song's message without being overly preachy.

"Get Along" was a significant commercial success and made a notable cultural impact. Upon its release, it became Kenny Chesney's 30th No. 1 single on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, setting a new record for the artist with the most chart-toppers in the history of that chart. The song debuted on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 and was a strong seller, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Digital Song Sales chart. Chesney performed the song at the 2018 ACM Awards, which significantly boosted its chart performance. The song's message of unity resonated widely, and Chesney noted that it encapsulated the resilient spirit of the people of the Virgin Islands, who were recovering from devastating hurricanes at the time. Proceeds from the album Songs for the Saints, for which "Get Along" was the lead single, benefited his hurricane relief foundation, Love for Love City.

The song employs simple, relatable imagery to convey its message. The central metaphor is the phrase "get along on down the road," which has a dual meaning. On one level, it's a literal encouragement to keep moving forward in life. On a deeper level, it's a plea for people to coexist peacefully and harmoniously.

The characters in the verses serve as symbols of everyday humanity. The old man on the park bench with a Bible and a bottle represents life's inherent contradictions and the unexpected wisdom found in unlikely places. His advice that "all you're given is the sunshine and your name" is a metaphor for the priceless, intangible things in life. The "model on a billboard" with lonely eyes symbolizes the frequent disconnect between outward appearances and inner reality, urging empathy and a deeper understanding of others' stories. The bridge's line, "the keys to heaven can't be bought," is a straightforward metaphor for the idea that virtue and love, not wealth, are what truly matter in the end.

The most significant recurring phrase is the song's title and central hook, "Get along." This phrase is repeated throughout the chorus in slightly different variations, such as "Get along on down the road" and "Can't we all just get along?" Its repetition drills home the song's primary message of unity and peaceful coexistence. Another key recurring motif is the idea of giving "love the upper hand," which appears in the chorus and serves as the song's core piece of advice. The list of simple life activities in the chorus ("buy a boat, drink a beer, sing a song, make a friend") acts as a recurring structural motif, grounding the song's philosophical ideas in tangible, everyday actions. These recurring elements make the song memorable and its message clear and impactful.