In it, the narrator tells of his rural upbringing, the way he was raised, and his desire for the United States to return to a simpler time, back when things "were run the way they ought a be".
The song further laments small town America, stating with nostalgia images of pickup trucks, unlicensed dogs running free, and hard working blue collar men who "chew and fry everything".
The video begins with scenes of farms, a diner run by a young woman in her late teens (apparently married with a wedding ring and also religious locket which reads "faith") then shifts to a local bar where the narrator sings the song on his guitar.
The song and video drew mostly positive reviews from critics, however some negative reviews resulted from the portrayal in the music video of an entirely white town (Cairo, Illinois is in fact 70% African American), as well as nostalgia (instead of concern) regarding boarded up small towns steeped in rural poverty.
[3] His review criticized Thompson's vocals for "[simmering] with anger, despair, and moral force as the song approaches numerous key concerns including the economy, military service, work ethic, religious belief, gun ownership, governance, and musical taste."