“Scroll down to the end of the article to listen to music.”
Introduction
When I first stumbled upon “I Am a Simple Man,” it felt like finding a handwritten letter from an old friend who just gets life, plain and simple. Ricky Van Shelton’s gentle baritone immediately wraps around you, inviting you into a world where happiness isn’t measured by wealth but by love, a steady job, and a slice of home on the dinner table.
“I Am a Simple Man” was written by songwriter Walt Aldridge and recorded by Shelton on December 20, 1990. It was released on April 8, 1991, as the first single from Shelton’s Backroads album, produced by Steve Buckingham. The moment it hit the airwaves, it struck a chord with country fans for its relatable message and straightforward charm.
At its core, the song captures the essence of contentment. The narrator explains that he’s not complicated—just a man who needs “a job and a piece of land” and “three squares in my frying pan.” Those lines aren’t just catchy; they’re a tribute to blue-collar pride and simple pleasures most of us can understand.
Listening to Shelton sing, you can almost feel the dust settling on a quiet porch at dusk or smell the aroma of a home-cooked meal. There’s a sincerity in his voice that makes you wonder: What are the “simple” things I might be overlooking in my own life?
“I Am a Simple Man” didn’t just tug at heartstrings; it dominated the charts. It became Shelton’s ninth number-one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and also reached the top spot on Canada’s RPM Country Tracks. Its success helped solidify Shelton as one of country music’s biggest male stars in the early 1990s.
The single anchored Shelton’s Backroads album, released on May 21, 1991. Alongside other chart-toppers like “Rockin’ Years” (a duet with Dolly Parton) and “Keep It Between the Lines,” it contributed to the album’s platinum certification later that year.
Over thirty years later, the song still finds its way into wedding dance floors, family gatherings, and quiet moments of reflection. Fans often share stories of parents who played it on repeat or of grandparents whose eyes glistened the first time they heard those simple-but-powerful lyrics.
In an era when music can feel overproduced or overly complicated, “I Am a Simple Man” reminds us that authenticity and heartfelt storytelling never go out of style. Ricky Van Shelton’s warm delivery and Walt Aldridge’s down-to-earth lyrics create a timeless anthem for anyone who values life’s simple joys.
Video
Lyrics
I don’t know why you wanna start with me
I ain’t done nothin’ far as I can see
And I’m warn out from working too hard
Why don’t you give me a break
I know that lately things ain’t been so good
I’ll make it up just like I told you I would
But I’m tired and I wanna sit down
To ease a sore backache
You say you’re having trouble figuring me
I don’t believe I’m such a mystery
Baby what you get is what you see
I am a simple man
I wanna a job and a piece of land
Three squares in my pride of hand
Don’t seem so hard to me to understand
I am a simple man
You say you got some things to talk about
A lot of problems that we need to work out
But we just end up fighting
Why don’t you give it a rest
I don’t know what else I can say to you
I’m doing everything I know to do
And I can’t give you anything more
When I’m giving my best
You say you’re having trouble figuring me
I don’t believe I’m such a mystery
Baby what you get is what you see
I am a simple man
I wanna place I can lay my head
Soft woman and a warm bed
A little time off before I’m dead
I’m just a simple man
You say you’re having trouble figuring me
I don’t believe I’m such a mystery
Baby what you get is what you see
I am a simple man