Sometimes, just reading the title of a country song is enough for fans to get choked up. For example, Luke Bryan's "Build Me a Daddy" screamed sentimental favorite on paper before its release, and the same could be said of Alan Jackson's "You'll Always Be My Baby (Written for Daughters' Weddings)."
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That last bit in brackets telegraphed two things: Jackson wasn't going to throw us the biggest curveball of his career with a Mariah Carey cover, and he was going to sock us all in the feels with another confessional about his family.
More specifically, the Newnan, Ga. native wrote a special song for his three daughters with his wife Denise: Mattie Denise, Dani Grace and Alexandra Jane.
Alexandra, now Ali Jackson Bradshaw, surprised the crowd at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 8 when she joined her dad on stage for a live rendition of "You'll Always Be My Baby (Written for Daughters' Weddings)." She held her own during a tender moment on a grand stage.
Back in 2002, Jackson's daughters co-starred in a music video for another song about their family ties, "Drive (For Daddy Gene)."
Jackson connected the two during his live performance on April 18 at the ACM Awards. A flashback to '02 was followed by the television premiere of his new song, with a collage of family photos setting the mood at the Ryman.
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The new song joined "Where Have You Gone," "Things That Matter" and "Way Down in My Whiskey" as teasers of a new album, also titled Where Have You Gone (out since May 14). It's the Country Music Hall of Fame member and his go-to producer Keith Stegall's first studio album of fresh material in six years.
As for other Where Have You Gone selections that just had to be sad based on singer plus song title math, "Where Her Heart Has Always Been" was written for the funeral of Jackson's mother, Ruth Musick, and features excerpts of Mama Ruth reading the Bible. Another album cut, "I Do," was also written with Jackson's daughters' weddings in mind.
"You'll Always Be My Baby (Written for Daughters' Weddings)" Lyrics
First steps, first words
Seems like yesterday you were just a girl
Skinned knees, climbing trees
All those memories so close to me
Now you're a woman on your own
All in love and nearly gone
But you'll always be my baby
No matter where you are
You'll always be my baby
Forever in my heart
Sixteen, first car
Twenty-one and there's a broken heart
High heels, strong will
In my eyes I see a young child still
But you're a woman on your own
All in love and nearly gone
But you'll always be my baby
No matter where you are
You'll always be my baby
Forever in my heart
So I say a prayer everyday
That God will guide you as you find your way
You know that I'm near
Anytime my love is always here
'Cause you'll always be my baby
No matter where you are
You'll always be my baby
Forever in my heart
Forever in my heart
Forever in my heart
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